Umida Ahkmedova v Uzbekistan

The photographer Umida Ahkmedova is currently awaiting trial for allegedly bringing her country into disrepute. The authorities feel that her images, often of rural life and tradition, give a negative image of the country and insult the people. Yet, what can give a more negative impression than an over-bearing authority effectively trying to censor and sweeten its own image. You can see a few of Umida's pictures, hosted by the BBC, here and judge for yourself if they appear to be so bad.

Pure speculation, of course, but could it be because she is a woman working in a predominantly Islamic state? Her pictures certainly seem to express a very female perspective. Although Islam was not encouraged in Uzbekistan when under Soviet rule this sort of action may indicate that forces favouring a more patriarchal society are beginning to flex their muscles now that the country is independent. The state commission's particular sensitivity about the photograph of a circumcision ceremony is rather a male one, I would say, and is a rather traditional defence of an old practise that perhaps should be examined in a modern age. Again, this is ironic when the accusations against Umida are that she is making the country look backward. Some interesting facts about Uzbek society here.

The bad press that this will generate in other countries may shame the Uzbek beaureaucrats into looking again at what effect their action will have. If they want to look modern and progressive then allowing freedom of expression is one of the first things they should attend to.