The Informatization Law has been amended to harshen the requirements for website owners and bloggers to disseminate information on the Internet. The amendments were approved on March 30 by the President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The document was passed by the Legislative Chamber on March 4 and approved by the Senate on March 12, 2021.

The Article 12-1 ("Dissemination of publicly available information on the Internet") of the Law now reads as follows (the amendment is highlighted in bold):

“Owners of websites and (or) page in a website or other information resource, including bloggers, are obliged not to allow the use of his/her website and (or) the page of the website or other information resource on Internet for:

• calls for a violent overthrow of the existing constitutional order, territorial integrity of the Republic of Uzbekistan;
• calls for riots, violence against citizens, as well as for participation in meetings, rallies, street processions and demonstrations held in violation of the established procedure, as well as coordination of these illegal actions;
• dissemination of knowingly false information containing a threat to public order or security;
• propaganda of war, violence and terrorism, as well as ideas of religious extremism, separatism and fundamentalism;
• disclosure of information constituting state secrets or other secrets protected by law;
• dissemination of information inciting national, racial, ethnic or religious hatred, as well as defaming the honor and dignity or business reputation of citizens, allowing interference in their private life;
• dissemination of information, including that expressed in an indecent form, demonstrating disrespect for society, the state, state symbols;
• promotion of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors;
• propaganda of pornography, the cult of violence and cruelty, as well as incitement to commit suicide;
• dissemination of information aimed at persuading or otherwise involving citizens, including minors, in committing illegal actions that pose a threat to their life and (or) health or to the life and (or) health of other persons;
• committing other actions entailing criminal and other liability in accordance with the Law."

The owners of sites and (or) pages of a site or other information resource, including bloggers, were also obliged to monitor their resources, including in instant messaging systems that host publicly available information, to identify prohibited information and materials.

In addition, persons whose rights and legitimate interests have been violated by owners of sites and (or) pages of a site or other information resource, including bloggers, as a result of their failure to comply with the requirements of the law, have the right to go to court to protect their rights, honor, dignity and business reputation, including claims for damages and compensation for moral damage.

The amendments take effect on March 31, 2021.