Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev yesterday fired the head of Uzkomnazorat (Uzbekistan’s telecoms watchdog) Golibsher Ziyayev after he restricted access to popular social networks and websites such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Odnoklassniki, Telegram, LinkedIn, Moi Mir and other services .
Citing the president's spokeschairperson, Uzbek media reports say the decision by watchdog Uzkomnazorat to drastically reduce the speed at which Uzbekistan's 35 million citizens can access those websites was "unilateral and not fully thought-out."
Uzkomnazorat earlier said the social networks and messengers did not comply with a new personal data law which took effect last week and requires Uzbeks' personal data to be stored on servers located in Uzbekistan.
Access to TikTok, Twitter, Skype, Russian social network VK and China's WeChat has been restricted in Uzbekistan since July.
Kun.uz says President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on October 29 signed a law on amendments and additions to the Criminal Code and the Administrative Responsibility Code.
According to this law, responsibility for violating requirements for the protection of personal data has been tightened in Uzbekistan.
Failure to comply with the requirements for the collection, systematization and storage of personal data in technical means and databases located in Uzbekistan when processing personal data of citizens using IT, including on the Internet, entails the imposition of a fine on citizens of 7 BCAs (1 million 890 thousand soums ), for officials – 50 BCAs (13 million 500 thousand soums).
