When truth hurts the wrong side: Court dismisses journalist Anora Sodiqova’s defamation claim

Sodiqova had asked the court to protect her honor, dignity and business reputation, alleging that seven of Mufasa’s Facebook posts contained insults and defamatory statements about her.

How the proceedings unfolded

• The case was heard behind closed doors by Judge Dilnoza Shomatova.
• Three linguistic-psychological expert reports were submitted – one commissioned by Sodiqova and two ordered by the court itself. All three concluded that Haydarov’s posts contained language that demeaned and insulted the journalist.
• Despite these findings, the judge refused to admit the expert conclusions as evidence and rejected the claim in full.
• The defendant did not appear in court; his lawyers represented him.

“Throughout the hearing the judge repeatedly favored the other side,” Sodiqova told Kun.uz. “Our motions were denied, the proceedings were closed to the public, and in the end even the court-appointed experts were ignored. I have the impression that officials may freely insult journalists, while journalists are denied the right to defend themselves.”

The ruling obliges Sodiqova to pay a state fee of 750,000 UZS (about $60). She will file an appeal.

A stark contrast just days earlier

Only five days before, on 23 May, the Mirabad District Civil Court found human-rights defender Abdurakhmon Tashanov guilty of defaming two lecturers at Tashkent State University of Law over a single Facebook post titled “I pity you, gentlemen!”.

That court ordered him to issue a public apology and pay 50 million UZS (around $4,000) in moral damages.