Uznews.net – Uzbekistan has banned everyone, including the media, from mentioning the article of the constitution that bans Islam Karimov from standing for a third presidential term.

The main point of the current presidential election campaign is that the Uzbek authorities openly ignore Article 90 of the constitution that limits the number of consecutive presidential terms. “The same person cannot be president of the Republic of Uzbekistan for more than two consecutive terms,” it says.

Moreover, no exception has been stipulated in Uzbek law, so no formal attempts have been taken to explain Karimov’s current state, although this article bans him from occupying the presidential post for a third time. Journalists have also failed to get so close to the Uzbek president to set this “tactless” question for him.

Islam Karimov has been avoiding foreign and local independent journalists for two years since he was showered with unpleasant questions about the Andijan massacre.

Since then Islam Karimov prefers to express his views in form of monologue using Uzbek state-owned media.

Neither the Constitutional Court nor the Central Electoral Commission offered any reasonable answer to this question. The Human Rights Alliance of Uzbekistan which has repeatedly tried to meet commission members said that commission members had been avoiding them not to answer their questions. The election campaign, the commission believes, is proceeding as if everything is alright.

At the same time, there is a very interesting phenomenon in the country’s media space: Uzbek media outlets have been unofficially ordered not to mention Article 90 of the constitution that bans a third consecutive term for Karimov and the very collocation of “third term”.

Interestingly, the ban concerns only Article 90, while another Article 117 is being widely quoted to justify that the election should be held precisely on 23 December, i.e. 11 months after Karimov’s official term expired.

The lies and hypocrisy culminated in the country during celebrations of Constitution Day on 8 December. Official news agency reported about conferences devoted to Uzbekistan’s constitution held.

The Ijtimoiy Fikr polling station, set up by President Karimov, rushed to report that 98.5% of Uzbeks polled said that the guarantor of the constitution in Uzbekistan was the incumbent president, who made a speech on Constitution Day.

Here are some quotes from his speech:

“With time passing we understand deeper and better the role and significance of the constitution, its place in our life and impact on public conscience; our citizens’ respect for and trust in the country’s Basic Law are increasingly growing.”

“Now, the most important and acute task is to show our political and legal maturity in the presidential election, strictly observing the constitution, laws and international standards.”

“I believe that you will agree with me if I tell you that now voters and all people deeply understand the essence and significance of the current election campaign at the highest level in line with the constitution and laws – openly, impartially and fairly.”

Indeed, nothing is fairer…