12 December 2022, Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Today the European Union Delegation to Uzbekistan together with the Embassy of the United States of America and the Mass Media Foundation marked the Human Rights Day and held a round table “On the state of freedom of expression in the Central Asian region” with the participation of media lawyers from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.  The presentation of the EU funded project “Resilience and Engagement with Varied Information for a Vibrant Environment (REVIVE)” that seeks to strengthen independent voices through the delivery of quality information, allowing people across Central Asia to make informed decisions and build audiences that are resilient to propaganda and mis- and disinformation.

On 10 December, every year, we celebrate Human Rights Day around the world. This year, more than ever, the European Union joins forces with partners to commemorate the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to reaffirm its commitment to ensure that Human Rights are upheld and respected globally.

Participants of the event had an opportunity to discuss the situation with freedom of expression in the countries of the Central Asia, sharing opinions on trends and forecasts, protection of the professional rights of journalists, regulation of the Internet - the work of bloggers, access to the Internet and access to public information - open and personal data, the openness of state bodies.

Achieving human rights, where mass media play an essential role, is not only an imperative of human dignity; it is a cornerstone of democracy, peace and security, and sustainable development. Human Rights Day reminds us that we shall engage every day of the year to protect and defend these values and principles.

In her welcoming speech HE Charlotte Adriaen, Ambassador of the European Union to Uzbekistan underlined:

“Free, diverse and independent media are essential to promote and protect freedom of opinion and expression and other human rights. Media have an important role to play in the building of a democratic system. This is why it is a priority of the European Union”.