Lola Kallikhanova

Lola Kallikhanova
Lolagul Qallixanova
Born1989
CitizenshipUzbekistan
Alma materKarakalpak State University
OccupationJournalist

Lola Kallikhanova (Uzbek: Lolagul Qallixanova; born 1989) is a journalist from Karakalpakstan. She is the founder of the independent news website Makan.uz, reported on COVID-19 in the region, and has been the subject of police intimidation, which was condemned by he Coalition for Women in Journalism. She was prosecuted for disseminating leaflets during riots in 2023; her treatment during the trial was objected to by Human Rights Watch.

Biography

Born in 1989,[1] Kallikhanova graduated in 2010 from Karakalpak State University (kaa).[2] After graduation she studied for a Masters, and subsequently worked at Karakalpak Department of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry as press secretary.[2] She later worked as a radio editor at Nukus FM with journalist Bakhytbek Elmanov. Work at the radio station inspired her to establish the independent news website Makan.uz, which also had a Telegram channel with 65,000 subscribers, as of 2020.[2][3] She wrote much of the coverage of COVID-19 in Karakalpakstan.[4] She has also written on gender disparity.[2]

In 2020, Kallikhanova was the subject of police intimidation: she was picked up by six police cars in the middle of the night, who took her phone, and she was questioned for three hours before release.[4] This treatment of Kallikhanova and other journalists was condemned by the Coalition for Women in Journalism.[5]

Kallikhanova was prosecuted in January 2023, and sentenced to three years of a suspended sentence.[6][7] She was accused of disseminating separatist materials during riots on 1-2 July 2022 in Nukus.[6] She was reported missing after these events, but her whereabouts later became known.[3] During the trial she pleaded guilty and, when questioned about a video that she posted, expressed regret over her actions and the violence of the riots.[8][9] Human Rights Watch objected to her treatment, and that of other journalists, describing it as "unfair".[10]

References

  1. ^ "Tajimuratov, Kallikhanova, and Turdanov were told what kind of charges are being brought against them". Qalampir.uz. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  2. ^ a b c d ""Respecting others, first of all, we respect ourselves": interview with journalist Ms Lola Kallikhanova within the 16-day Campaign | UNESCO". 2024-04-28. Archived from the original on 2024-04-28. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  3. ^ a b "In Uzbekistan, Karakalpak journalist Lolagul Kallykhanova disappears after covering protests". Committee to Protect Journalists. 2022-07-05. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  4. ^ a b "Pressure on Karakalpakstan journalist wrongly accused of spreading false information | RSF". rsf.org. 2020-08-03. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  5. ^ "Uzbekistan: Arbitrary Summoning And Intimidation Of Women Journalists Over Absurd Claims Is Unacceptable". Coalition For Women in Journalism. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  6. ^ a b uz, Kun. "Davletmurat Tajimuratov sentenced to 16 years in prison, Lolagul Kallikhanova released". Kun.uz. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  7. ^ "Lolagul Kallikhonova, who was accused of the Nukus events, was released". Qalampir.uz. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  8. ^ "Uzbekistan jails protesters over anti-government unrest". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  9. ^ uz, Daryo (2022-11-30). "Nukus riot trial, Bukhara: Journalist Lolagul Kallikhanova said that she wanted to raise up people who did not think that there would be war". Daryo.uz. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  10. ^ "Human Rights Watch Qoraqalpog'iston voqealari bo'yicha sudni "adolatsiz" deb atadi". Qalampir.uz (in Uzbek). Retrieved 2024-04-28.