Uzbekistan 2019
Yearbook 2019
Uzbekistan. In January, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev decided that the state university should teach political science again. The subject was banned under former President Islam Karimov, who saw it as a pseudoscience foreign to Uzbekistan.
Mirziyoyev’s reforms have lifted some of the representative’s most whimsical prohibitions, such as those against playing billiards, painting faces at football matches or buying foreign currency.
In February, the head of the security service resigned, who was investigated for bribery and abuse of power. Reportedly, it would be because his agents had been monitoring the presidential family.
Swedish Telia executives accused of bribing President Karimov’s daughter were acquitted in Stockholm District Court in February. Telia had paid billions to her for licenses in Uzbekistan, but the prosecutor could not prove that it was a bribe. In March, Gulnara Karimova himself was indicted by the United States for bribery and money laundering in a deal with the largest Russian mobile operator MTS. The company that was listed in the US had violated US law. Karimova and her company are suspected of having spent over $ 865 million on licenses.
- ABBREVIATIONFINDER.ORG: Click to see the meanings of 3-letter acronym and abbreviation of SKD in general and in geography as Uzbekistan in particular.
Later, Uzbek prosecutors opened an investigation against Karimova on illegal privatization. She would have illegally bought government companies and sold them to foreigners. She was also accused of forcing several companies with the threat of violence.
In March, the United States lifted its ban on imports of cotton from Uzbekistan, explaining that the use of child labor has decreased significantly in the cotton harvest.
The country’s state prosecutor Otabek Murodov was dismissed in June after suspicions of corruption. According to reports, Murodov figured in an investigation that also applied to the departed head of the security service.
At the same time, one of Murodov’s representatives was sentenced to ten years in prison for bribery, extortion, fraud, tax fraud, obstruction of justice and money laundering. Twelve co-accused were also sentenced to 19 years in prison.
In August, the president ordered the closure of the infamous Jasly Prison, which was associated with cruel torture and other abuses, and given desert names such as the Torture’s House or the Place Without Return. Among other things, the UN had long demanded that the prison be closed. According to human rights organizations, thousands of people are still in Uzbek prisons on political grounds.
In September, Parliament adopted new rules for weddings in the country. A maximum of 250 guests, two bands and three classy cars in the car are allowed. In the capital city of Tashkent, where an employee may earn about SEK 2,500 a month, a bride and groom’s families can spend about SEK 200,000 on a wedding. The money is often borrowed and creates long-term financial problems, which according to some politicians threaten the country’s economy. According to the president, weddings often result in people dying from stroke or heart attack when they are unable to pay their debts.
A court sentenced blogger Nafosat Ollashukurova in the fall to forced treatment at a psychiatric clinic. On Facebook with thousands of followers, she had reported corruption and illegal demolition of housing.
During the year, Uzbekistan planned for a series of solar power plants. The goal is solar energy of a total of 5 GW by the year 2030, corresponding to five nuclear reactors. The government also decided to subsidize private individuals with 30% of the costs of installing solar energy for electricity and hot water.
In the December parliamentary elections, the five registered regime-loyal parties participated, and the largest became the Liberal Democratic Party. Opposition parties are prohibited.
Population 2019
According to CountryAAH, the population of Uzbekistan in 2019 was 32,981,605, ranking number 42 in the world. The population growth rate was 1.560% yearly, and the population density was 77.5311 people per km2.
