Uzbekistan to make media, songs and films pass 'moral test'

Uzbekistan introduces "moral test" for media content to protect national mentality, despite ongoing authoritarianism under President Mirziyoyev.

Uzbekistan has said it will soon introduce a “moral test” for media content, including films and songs published in the Central Asian country, in a bid to protect what the government called the “national mentality”.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has introduced some reforms since coming to power after the 2016 death of dictator Islam Karimov, but rights groups say the country remains deeply authoritarian.

“It is very important to prevent the broadcasting of media products that undermine the education of young people and our national mentality,” the Khabar state news agency said late on Monday, quoting a report by several government bodies.

“A moral test will be introduced for television and radio channel, social networks, TV series, cartoons, films, songs, and music videos,” it added.

Without going into detail, Khabar said “measures will be taken to prevent the broadcasting of media products that threaten the education of young people and the national mentality”. It also said authorities would do an “analysis of the conformity” of media content and its “level of compatibility” with the values of Muslim-majority Uzbekistan, an officially secular ex-Soviet republic of around 35 million people.

The announcement came as Uzbek artists — mostly women — have already been prosecuted by the state for “inappropriate dress”.