The key facts

  • Blogger Umr.Sham called for the ritual killing of singer Mubina Abboskhanova and violence against dissenters — her music video was the trigger
  • Tashkent GUVD established the author's identity; a pre-investigation check is underway in the Almazar district
  • The blogger publicly apologized; a procedural decision will be made based on the check's results

What happened

In Tashkent, law enforcement agencies responded to a video by the blogger Umr.Sham, whose page has about 600,000 followers. According to Nemolchi.uz, the reason for his statements was a feminist-themed music video by singer Mubina Abboskhanova, which displeased the blogger. In the video, according to the outlet, he called for the ritual killing of the singer, as well as for violence against people who do not share his views. After the recording spread on social media, the situation drew the attention of law enforcement structures.

Law enforcement response

The Tashkent City Police Department (GUVD) reported that the identity of the video's author has been established. A pre-investigation check into the publication is being conducted by the Coordination of Internal Affairs Bodies Directorate of the Almazar district. Based on the results of the check, an appropriate procedural decision will be made. The department also reminded that creating and distributing materials that contradict the law may entail liability established by law.

The blogger's apology

The author of the video himself publicly apologized for his statements. 'Internal affairs officers explained to me that lawful measures will be taken for the content and video I created. I regret what I did,' UzNews.uz quotes him as saying. It has not yet been reported what specific measures will be applied: at the time of publication, the check is ongoing, and no decision has yet been made on its results.