Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Sherzod Kudratkhuzha, Rector of the University of Journalism, has called for harsher penalties for insults directed at Uzbekistan and its citizens on the internet.

His statement comes in the wake of the arrest of a blogger known under the pseudonym “Abdulloh,” who had previously posted provocative videos containing offensive remarks about Uzbeks and residents of other Central Asian countries. The blogger was detained in South Korea and extradited to Uzbekistan, where he now faces up to two years of corrective labor or a fine of up to 400 basic calculation units.

Kudratkhuzha emphasized that such actions online must be met with strict measures, including the revocation of citizenship. In his view, the authority to strip individuals of their citizenship for public insults should be transferred to the Agency of Information and Mass Communications (AIMK).

“We must protect the dignity of the nation and prevent further insults. These individuals have no respect for traditions, no appreciation for the state—they humiliate the country and its people. This is absolutely unacceptable,” the rector stated.