To the leadership of the US Global Media Agency (USAGM)
Letter of appeal
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen!
As far as I know, the US Global Media Agency aims to spread democracy and human rights around the world through free and independent media. It has established a commitment to its journalistic ethics and principles.
Is that really the matter?
Unfortunately, journalists of Uzbek service of the RFE/RL and Uzbek service of Voice of America do not fully adhere to the procedures set out by you – the ethics and principles of journalism.
Uzbek service of RFE/RL is mainly members and supporters of the political Islamic party Erk, which does not tolerate any form of democratic opposition of the Uzbek opposition. When we asked them to cover the political events in our activity, they not covered properly and with bias, ridiculed us.
Uzbek service of VOA is supporting dictatorship in Uzbekistan. It serves as a press tool of the Uzbek regime. Of these, only journalist Malik Boboev is an active member of the political Islamic party Erk, so he has focused on the activities of the Erk party and fully covered them.
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen!
This problem has been around for 14 years. More than a dozen different complaints from other opposition organizations over the years had been sent to you. Personally, I have been asking you since 2006 to solve this problem. I even attended a meeting of the BBG (Broadcasting Board of Governors). I organized several protest letters and demonstrations. But your ears are deaf and your eyes are blind.
The Birdamlik People’s Democratic Party, which I lead (which became from movement to political party on November 16, 2018), has been struggling the dictatorship in Uzbekistan since April 10, 2004, using only nonviolent methods.
During the same period, more than 20 times in the Uzbekistan had been organized our peaceful protests, demonstrations, but never have shown no physical or physical harm to anyone in Uzbekistan, but four of our members have been victims of Uzbek security forces. Unfortunately, about them any information on these radio stations, but only partially because of my father, Hasan Choriev.
Over the years, these radio stations have been reporting in a way that do not covered my personal information properly, it does humiliate me. Their information about me is completely contrary to reality.
Uzbek service journalist of RFE / RL Shukhrat Babadjanov opened a Facebook account named “Rassom Tuz” and posted a bad news about my family life on July 10, 2019, leaving a humiliating post. Please tell me, how is this journalist did follow your the ethics and principles of the journalists you set out?
We have held three congresses as an opposition political organization, but neither Uzbek service of RE/ RL and the Uzbek service of VOA journalists not participated in all three congresses. Some times they covered us from afar, rather with ridiculed and humiliated.
During our 15 years of our political activity in Uzbekistan, the US, Europe and other countries, we have organized more than 50 large and small protests, but no journalist from Uzbek service of RFE / RL and Uzbek service of VOA has participated in these demonstrations. Our political demonstrations and political events have not been fully covered by these radio stations, and some reports made on the distances have been made to bias and humiliated us, as always.
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen!
I want to be reformed these radios, to dismiss 10 journalists who I demand resignation (if you want to move them to other services, raise their salaries, it’s OK, but please take them afar from the Uzbek services). I do not want to suggest to you who to hire for these radio stations, and most importantly, let the newly recruited journalists know the Uzbek language, be talented and not pro government or pro opposition, objectively and to adhere to the ethics and principles of the journalism. Then the reform on these radios will benefit all of us.
How long will we live without freedom of speech and press?
That’s enough!
For years, my , requests and complaints have been ignored. I have started since October 15, 2019, a hunger strike. The hunger strike will continue until my demands are met.
My Choice: Starvition is better than life without freedom of speech and press!
Sincerely,
Leader of Birdamlik People’s Democratic Party,
Bakhodir Khan Turkiston
Washington DC
October 25, 2019.