There are only a few days left before the presidential election in our country, which will be held on October 24 this year. The role of mass media is important in making the elections open and based on the principles of democracy. Taking these points into consideration, the Central Election Commission has accredited 1419 local and 146 foreign journalists to date.

It is gratifying to note that the activity and interest of journalists in covering this year's elections is clearly visible. They are active in covering the processes related to election preparation and election campaign.

It's no secret that as the election approaches, people's interest in information and news increases. In order to fully satisfy the need in this regard, in turn, the activity of mass media is increasing. The increased number of questions and appeals of journalists to the press service of the CEC can be assessed as the feeling of involvement of our colleagues in the processes taking place in our country and the desire to organize their work in accordance with national legislation and international standards. In this article, we found it necessary to answer some of the most frequently asked questions.

What are the rights and obligations of an accredited media representative?

It should be noted that the term of office of the mass media representatives begins on the day of the issuance of the accreditation certificate and ends on the day of the official announcement of the election results. According to Article 35 of the Election Code, a media representative has the right to prepare for the election and to cover all activities related to its holding, to participate in election commission meetings, meetings dedicated to the nomination of candidates, and meetings of candidates with voters. It is also possible to be informed about the time and place of voting ahead of time and to observe this process, to participate in the polling stations on the election day, including the counting of votes, and to be present when determining the election results.

Media representatives are prohibited from influencing voters, distributing campaign material or literature against the law, and being in the voting booth or room while the voter is placing his or her mark on the ballot. Ask voters who they voted for or assist voters in marking the ballot, intervene in the activities of the precinct election commission, including when the ballot boxes are being sealed, opened, and counted, and ask for public opinion on the day of the election and the day before the start of voting. It is not allowed to publish the results of polls, forecasts of election results, other studies related to the current election.

If a media representative does not comply with the requirements of the Election Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the provisions of the regulation on the procedure for accreditation of media representatives during the election campaign, the Central Election Commission may terminate his powers early.

Regarding the activities of non-accredited mass media representatives, we inform you that they must obtain the written consent of the editors when copying, distributing and using in other forms the materials published on the websites. Also, when using the materials published on the official website of the Central Election Commission and on its pages in social networks, it is necessary to indicate the source. It is not recommended to spread a message that changes part of the context of the official message and video, that is, the main meaning of the sentence in the text.

Another question that journalists are interested in is whether journalists are allowed to participate in the direct counting of votes after the election, take photos and videos of the voting process, and broadcast it online if necessary.

According to Article 33 of the Election Code and the regulation of the Central Election Commission on the procedure for accreditation of mass media representatives, mass media representatives have the right to be at polling stations on election day, count votes and participate in determining election results. Of course, it is possible to make photo, video, audio recordings without violating the secrecy of the election process and voting. It should be remembered that places of detention and deprivation of liberty, military units, and treatment facilities are excluded.

The process of photo and video recording must not violate the secrecy of the vote and must not allow to control the will of the voters. Therefore, it is forbidden to take photos or video in the secret voting booth in the places intended for filling out the ballot.

In order to take a photo or video, the media representative must inform the members of the precinct election commission, voters and other participants of the election process. 

Photo and video shooting should be done without degrading the constitutional rights, freedoms, honor and dignity of the participants of the election process.

Accredited mass media representatives must carry the certificate issued to them and a document confirming their identity when visiting the premises where election-related events are held. A media representative visiting a polling station on the day of voting must show his identity card in accordance with the requirements of election commissions before starting his work. In order not to cause various misunderstandings, the journalist should inform the chairman of the precinct election commission that he should prepare material using photos and videos.

Even then, if there is a misunderstanding, the journalist can call the "1200" short number call center of the Central Election Commission. This center operates in the press center of the Central Election Commission in order to provide quick legal information to the public and voters during the elections.

Appeals to the "Call-center" are answered by a group of experts composed of representatives of the CEC, the Ministry of Justice, the General Prosecutor's Office, the State Administration Academy, the National Guard Institute and the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Another important issue is how to identify fake news during an election period. In this regard, it should be said that it is easy to detect photo fakes on the Internet. If you are using Google Chrome, hover over the image and right-click. Then the item "Find the photo on Google" will appear. The headline of fake news is mostly catchy. It is not difficult to identify the original photo among other photos. It is usually of better quality and larger in size. Shows when and where the original photo was first posted.

When reading an author's post or article, consider the source. Because some sites spread fake news in order to increase the number of visitors for advertising.

In a word, the legislation of our country has created modern legal foundations for mass media activities to be carried out freely and in accordance with the law. Also, the Central Election Commission pays special attention to ensuring openness and transparency in the conduct of elections in accordance with generally accepted criteria and international standards. In addition, the CEC has created all the conditions for getting to know all the news and information related to the election as soon as possible through a number of information resources, and for exchanging opinions.

We are sure that the mass media will make a reasonable use of modern opportunities in this regard and contribute to the presidential election on the basis of democracy and universal principles.

Jalaluddin USMANOV,

Spokesperson of the Central Election Commission

"New Uzbekistan" newspaper

No. 207 of October 19, 2021