Elections of Uzbekistan. Presidential elections

Political violence and crackdown[edit]
In June 2021, the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported that several Uzbek university students were discouraged from joining opposition political parties Erk Democratic Party (EDP) and Truth and Progress Social Democratic Party (HTSDP) after alleged Uzbek police visits to campuses whom informed students about the opposition movements about "misinforming the population with destructive ideas" with some going as far as being encouraged by the law enforcement to spread "negative information" regarding the opposition parties instead.^[28] HTSDP party leader Khidirnazar Allakulov acknowledged the case, accusing it as an attempt by the government to secure Mirziyoyev's post for second term due to growing public anger which forced the authorities to rely on youth intimidation for political gains.^[28]
Following days before the polls were set open, several critics and political activists including failed presidential nominee Jahongir Otajonov complained about increasing government infringement by being barred from leaving the country and homes, being summoned by police and to some extent having family members of the activists' mobile phones, internet and power being turned off in their homes.^[114] The RFE/RL staff members received numerous death threats online in which according to the broadcaster's communication managers that the two threats were found to be from accounts associated with users promoting the Uzbek government’s policies related to armed forces to which the incident received condemned remarks from RFE/RL President Jamie Fly, calling the threats "disgusting" and urged the Uzbek authorities to immediately put an end on its intimidating tactics against independent media.^[115]