telecommunications, and also acts as chairman of the board of Uzbektelecom and as
chairman of the State Commission on Radio Frequencies. 35 Since most of the key regulatory functions in the sector are concentrated in the hands of the deputy minister,
regulatory independence is practically nonexistent. All ISPs and operators must obtain
a license from UzCIA. 36 The licenses are usually very specific, with a typical duration of
ten years. Under Order No. 216, Internet providers and operators cannot disseminate
information that, inter alia, calls for violent overthrow of the constitutional order of
Uzbekistan, instigates war and violence, contains pornography, or degrades and
defames human dignity. 37 Uzbektelecom, the national telecommunication operator,
has discretionary power to oversee the ISPs’ observance of this order. 38 In 2005, the
ISPs in Uzbekistan faced another regulatory hindrance to their operation. The new Resolution No. 155 of the Cabinet of Ministers stipulated that only legal entities should be
entitled to provide licensed telecommunication services. Individuals have to register as
legal entities and obtain new licenses before continuing to provide Internet services.
In 2004, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted Regulation No. 555, establishing the Center for Mass Media Monitoring within UzCIA. The center’s key objectives are to analyze
the contents of information disseminated online and ensure its consistency with existing laws and regulations. 39 Another regulatory body, the Uzbek Agency for Press and
Information (UzPIA), monitors the observance of media law and issues registrations
and licenses for media outlets. 40 This agency has the power to suspend media licenses
for ‘‘systematic’’ breaches of Uzbekistan’s restrictive media and information laws.
The 2002 Law on Principles and Guarantees on Access to Information reserves the
government’s right to restrict access to information when necessary to protect the
individual ‘‘from negative informational psychological influence.’’ 41 The government
further controls information streams by authorizing the use of political, economic, or
other measures when necessary to counteract ‘‘threats in the sphere of information
security’’ or ‘‘ideas of terrorism and religious extremism.’’ 42
Surveillance
Internet filtering in Uzbekistan did not begin with the security forces, but rather with
the academic and research network, which was funded with foreign development assistance. The first Uzbek ISP to implement a filtering policy was UzSCINET, which used
an open-source filtering product (SquidGuard) and a publicly available list of pornographic sites. The network justified its position favoring the filtering of pornography
on the basis that it was a provider to schools and universities, as well as the need to
conserve bandwidth. However, UzSCINET lacked formal legal status in Uzbekistan
and as a result was dependent on UzInfoCom for maintaining its license as a service
provider. The formal head of UzSCINET was also the director of UzInfoCom and a deputy director of UzCIA. Simultaneously, he was also acting as an adviser to the presiden270
Uzbekistan
chairman of the State Commission on Radio Frequencies. 35 Since most of the key regulatory functions in the sector are concentrated in the hands of the deputy minister,
regulatory independence is practically nonexistent. All ISPs and operators must obtain
a license from UzCIA. 36 The licenses are usually very specific, with a typical duration of
ten years. Under Order No. 216, Internet providers and operators cannot disseminate
information that, inter alia, calls for violent overthrow of the constitutional order of
Uzbekistan, instigates war and violence, contains pornography, or degrades and
defames human dignity. 37 Uzbektelecom, the national telecommunication operator,
has discretionary power to oversee the ISPs’ observance of this order. 38 In 2005, the
ISPs in Uzbekistan faced another regulatory hindrance to their operation. The new Resolution No. 155 of the Cabinet of Ministers stipulated that only legal entities should be
entitled to provide licensed telecommunication services. Individuals have to register as
legal entities and obtain new licenses before continuing to provide Internet services.
In 2004, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted Regulation No. 555, establishing the Center for Mass Media Monitoring within UzCIA. The center’s key objectives are to analyze
the contents of information disseminated online and ensure its consistency with existing laws and regulations. 39 Another regulatory body, the Uzbek Agency for Press and
Information (UzPIA), monitors the observance of media law and issues registrations
and licenses for media outlets. 40 This agency has the power to suspend media licenses
for ‘‘systematic’’ breaches of Uzbekistan’s restrictive media and information laws.
The 2002 Law on Principles and Guarantees on Access to Information reserves the
government’s right to restrict access to information when necessary to protect the
individual ‘‘from negative informational psychological influence.’’ 41 The government
further controls information streams by authorizing the use of political, economic, or
other measures when necessary to counteract ‘‘threats in the sphere of information
security’’ or ‘‘ideas of terrorism and religious extremism.’’ 42
Surveillance
Internet filtering in Uzbekistan did not begin with the security forces, but rather with
the academic and research network, which was funded with foreign development assistance. The first Uzbek ISP to implement a filtering policy was UzSCINET, which used
an open-source filtering product (SquidGuard) and a publicly available list of pornographic sites. The network justified its position favoring the filtering of pornography
on the basis that it was a provider to schools and universities, as well as the need to
conserve bandwidth. However, UzSCINET lacked formal legal status in Uzbekistan
and as a result was dependent on UzInfoCom for maintaining its license as a service
provider. The formal head of UzSCINET was also the director of UzInfoCom and a deputy director of UzCIA. Simultaneously, he was also acting as an adviser to the presiden270
Uzbekistan