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As a child, Navbahor Tursunova dreamed of becoming a journalist. But when her father joked, “Will you walk around with a microphone all day?”, she quietly tucked away her childhood dream and pursued a career in law instead. Now, at 44, she is the Chairperson of the Jomboy Interdistrict Economic Court in the Samarkand region, a mother of three, and a nationally recognized legal figure. 

Early in her career, Navbahor worked at the Samarkand Regional Civil Court, followed by a post as an inspector at the Civil Registry Office in Surkhandarya. What drove her forward wasn’t ambition alone, but an acute sensitivity to injustice. “I’ve always been someone who listens deeply. Even when cases seem routine, I want to understand all sides before deciding,” she shares. Her approach is slow but thoughtful—she believes true justice lies in hearing the full story.

Despite years of legal experience, even she encountered challenges - one of the most pressing was the confusion between freedom of expression and hate speech. This uncertainty changed during a series of regional training workshops organized between March 10–18, 2025, in Samarkand, Navoi, and Bukhara. 

The sessions were part of the “Empowering the Government and Citizens of Uzbekistan” initiative, supported by UNESCO and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). They brought together judges, prosecutors, and journalists to explore international standards on freedom of expression, access to information, and journalist safety.

The workshops were led by international experts Joan Barata Mir and Sabin Ouellet, who guided participants through topics including:

• The distinction between hate speech and freedom of expression.
• International legal standards and the three-part test for justified restrictions.
• The role of judges and prosecutors in evaluating limitations on speech.
• Ensuring journalist safety and combating impunity.
• The impact of digital technologies on freedom of speech.

"Before the training, I struggled with understanding the legal distinctions of hate speech,” Navbahor admitted. “There were no clear definitions or frameworks to guide us, especially in the digital era.” 

These weren’t just theoretical presentations. Real-life cases, role-play exercises, and open discussions made the content practical and relatable. “We work closely with journalists, and Joan Barata’s real-life examples helped clarify when speech becomes a criminal issue versus when it remains protected,” Navbahor noted.

Sessions also encouraged dialogue between media professionals and law enforcement—a rare and important opportunity to build trust and collaboration. Gulruh Mominova, a participating journalist, emphasized this point:

“As media professionals, we don’t always have direct opportunities for open dialogue with members of the judiciary. However, this seminar provided a valuable platform for direct discussions between journalists and legal experts. It helped us gain a deeper understanding of challenges in court proceedings, issues related to covering complaints, and key aspects to consider for effective collaboration.”

In Navoi, discussions centered on how to address journalists’ safety without infringing on press freedoms. In Bukhara, legal transparency and access to public information were the focus.

Muharram Xamrayeva, Head of the Public Relations and Legal Information Department at the Samarkand Regional Prosecutor’s Office, faced a significant challenge in her career. Balancing the enforcement of legal frameworks with the protection of journalistic freedom had always been complex. With increasing digital media influence, she found it more difficult to navigate the evolving landscape of freedom of expression. “Navigating the legal restrictions on freedom of speech has always been tricky,” Muharram admitted. “But the lack of clear, consistent guidelines made decision-making even harder. Through debates and discussions during the training program, we gained essential knowledge relevant to law enforcement"

Looking Ahead

Following the success of the March sessions, additional workshops are planned for May 12–20, 2025, in Namangan, Andijan, and Fergana. These sessions will further expand the initiative’s reach, fostering a rights-based approach to media-law enforcement collaboration across Uzbekistan.

Bahrom Radjabov, UNESCO Uzbekistan’s National Program Officer, emphasized the importance of this long-term approach:

“Developing educational modules and a code of communication with the media will support long-term improvements in media-law enforcement relations.”

Through initiatives like this, Uzbekistan is laying the foundation for a more transparent, informed, and just society, where the legal and media sectors work together to uphold freedom of expression and human rights in the digital age.