On 25 September, Tashkent hosted the presentation of the Uzbekistan Digital Rights Media Initiative (UDRMI) project, bringing together representatives from government bodies, international organizations, and the legal community. The event, officially opened by Christos Marazopoulos, Second Secretary and Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Uzbekistan, highlighted the project’s objectives and expected outcomes, emphasizing opportunities for collaboration between the state, NGOs, media, and legal sector.
Following the presentation, a two-day practice-oriented training programme for lawyers was launched, focusing on the application of international and national standards in areas such as freedom of expression online, privacy and personal data protection, access to information, digital security, and strategic legal protection in the digital environment.
The training brought together lawyers from commercial organizations, as well as representatives of the Bar Association of Uzbekistan and the Association of Arbitration Courts of Uzbekistan. Participants engaged in a mix of overviews, case studies, and group exercises covering model documents and internal procedures, including privacy policies, evidence retention, responses to data breaches, and requests from state authorities. The event was organized by the NGO Modern Journalism Development Center (MJDC) and the Legal Policy Research Centre (LPRC, Kazakhstan) with financial support from the European Union.
Christos Marazopoulos emphasized the EU’s commitment to supporting Uzbekistan’s digital transformation while safeguarding citizens’ rights, noting that digitalization should create a safe, fair, and empowering online environment. Saida Sulaimanova, Director of MJDC, highlighted how the training translated legal norms into practical tools, systematizing approaches to personal data protection, access to information, and digital security, while fostering dialogue between legal professionals, state institutions, and media actors.
Tatyana Zinovich, Director of LPRC, underscored the training’s focus on the intersection of law and technology, including data processing, cross-border data transfers, digital evidence, and content moderation liability. Participants left equipped with practical solutions, including templates and response algorithms, to enhance organizational legal resilience and build trust in the digital environment.
The UDRMI project, a two-year EU-funded initiative implemented by MJDC and LPRC, aims to strengthen the competencies of media professionals, NGOs, and the legal sector in digital rights, foster dialogue with state institutions, and raise public awareness on freedom of expression, cybersecurity, and personal data protection.
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