CC BY
0STRENGTHENING THE RIGHTS OF CITIZENS IN THE AREA OF FREEDOM OF RECEIVING AND DISSEMINATING INFORMATION IN NEW UZBEKISTAN
Djavakova K.
Head of the Department of "State and Legal Disciplines and Human Rights" of the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Doctor of Philosophy, Professor
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14029822
Abstract. The article reveals the problem of citizens' access to information. An analysis of some internationally adopted documents on citizens' rights and obligations is given. The regulatory framework for the activities of mass media and the problems of democratization and liberalization of the information sphere in the country are considered.
Keywords: mass media, law, information society, rule of law.
The right of citizens to receive information and its availability is one of the most important democratic indicators of any state. The flow of information is the growth of knowledge, the growth of opportunities for the improvement of modern human. Information is vital for, because without it he will not be able to fully function and find the only true path to his development. The process of forming the information space is carried out with the involvement of broad layers of society, through strengthening the role of the media - mass media. The right to freedom of speech, to freedom of access to information, to the opportunity to express one's opinion is reflected in various international legal documents.
Let us list, as an example, a number of official documents on this topic:
- "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights" [1] notes that "everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."
- "The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights" [2] which assumes that "... everyone has the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice."
- "The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination" [3] and its 5th article, which reflects the human right to freedom of opinion and expression.
- Article 13 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child [4] notes the child's right to freely express his or her opinion.
- The Charter of Paris for a New Europe [5] declares the rights and obligations of states to ensure the free flow of information, freedom of movement and contacts between European citizens, significantly developing culture and the progress of society.
All of these listed examples of international documents establish and define the rights of citizens to freedom of access and dissemination of information. They impose a special duty and responsibility on the state for their legislative support.
In this area of legislative activity in Uzbekistan, quite a lot of work has been done:
- A legal basis has been created for freedom of speech and information, development of mass media, improvement of activities and ensuring the protection of the professional rights of journalists.
- Article 33 of the New Edition of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan [6] significantly expands the right to freedom of thought, speech and belief, which in light of the development of priority tasks for the construction of New Uzbekistan leads to the liberalization of the information sphere, in which everyone has the right to seek, receive and disseminate any information.
- The state is intensively creating conditions for citizens to ensure access to the global information network Internet.
- In accordance with the law, restrictions on the right to search for, receive and disseminate information only for the protection of the constitutional order, public health, public morality, the rights and freedoms of others, ensuring public safety and order, preserving state secrets or other secrets protected by law.
- Chapter "Mass Media" ( XV ) of the New Edition of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan provides for a state guarantee of freedom of speech, freedom of activity of the mass media in searching, receiving and disseminating information, its use, but all this in full compliance with the law.
- Mass media are responsible for the accuracy of the information they provide. In the absence of "Censorship" and in accordance with the law, the media themselves must bear responsibility for this in accordance with the law [7].
The country has adopted a number of legislative acts to ensure the normal operation of the media, the presence of which creates a holistic system of regulatory legal acts, ensures legal certainty in relations in the sphere, and contributes to the real provision of freedom of the media. These are the following laws and additions to some of them:
- "On the openness of the activities of state authorities and administration",
- "On the mass media",
- "On guarantees and freedom of access to information",
- "On the principles and guarantees of freedom of information",
- "On the protection of the professional activities of a journalist",
- "On informatization" and others.
In order to effectively ensure the implementation of the constitutional rights of citizens to freedom of speech and information, to promote the strengthening of the role of the media in the socio-political and socio-economic development of the country, as well as to create equal conditions for the media in the media market and protect the rights of journalists The Agency of Information and Mass Communications under the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan was established. The Agency is actively involved in the process of improving regulatory legal acts, strengthening the material and technical base of press services, and staffing them with professional personnel.
The listed legislative measures are decisive conditions for strengthening the potential of the media and developing the information sphere of Uzbekistan.
A number of international recommendations on the implementation of rights in the information sphere have been implemented in Uzbekistan. With the support of UNESCO, a Code of Professional Ethics for Journalists has been developed, which excludes criminal liability for
slander and insult, establishes liability for the dissemination of false information, and defines mechanisms for supporting the media.
Uzbekistan's position in the ranking of the international public organization Reporters Without Borders is improving: 133rd place out of 180 countries (an improvement of 24 points compared to 2021).
It is safe to say that a legal framework for the activities of mass media has been created in Uzbekistan, a lot of work has been done and significant results have been achieved in the field of democratization and liberalization of the information sphere. Constructive cooperation with foreign countries and international organizations in the field of ensuring freedom of speech and the press has been significantly established. Uzbekistan strives to study their rich practical experience in this area, integrate into the global information system, promote its position, present national ideas and interests of its people.
The conviction is gradually taking root that all controversial issues and problems arising in the information space must be resolved exclusively within the framework of the law, based on legal norms. This largely depends on three important factors:
- the quality of training journalistic personnel with multifaceted professional knowledge and skills, high moral and intellectual qualities,
- filling the information space with high-quality and competitive national content,
- information culture, media literacy of our population.
REFERENCES
1. Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 217 A ( III ) of 10 December 1948, Article 19.
2. On the International Cove nant on Civil and Political Rights. Adopted by General Assembly resolution 2200 A ( XXI ) of 16 December 1966.
3. The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination was adopted by General Assembly resolution 2106 ( XX ) of 21 December 1965, art. 4.
4. Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted by General Assembly resolution 44/25 of 20 November 1989.
5. " Charter of Paris for a New Europe" / Final Document of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, held in Paris) of November 21, 1990.
6. Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan // National Database of Legislation, 01.05.2023, No. 23.03.837/0241)
7. Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On measures to support the media and develop journalism" dated June 27, 2022 // (National Legislation Database, 06/28/2022, No. 22/294/0567)
