The deputy head of the Uzbek presidential press service, Komil Allamjonov, has officially resigned from his role to pursue a career in the private sector, the government confirmed on October 4.

The presidential press service, led by Sherzod Asadov, praised Allamjonov’s contributions to “promoting transparency and freedom of speech in Uzbekistan”, as well as his efforts in improving the country’s public education system.

“We are grateful for his invaluable efforts in advancing the government’s priorities,” Asadov said, highlighting Allamjonov’s successful execution of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s reforms in such key areas.

Allamjonov was the first press secretary appointed to serve Mirziyoyev, when the reformer took office in 2016. 

Born in Tashkent, Allamjonov graduated from the Uzbek State Institute of Arts and Culture in 2006 and the Tashkent State University of Economics in 2010. He began his government career with the State Tax Committee, where he worked from 2005 to 2013. He later served as press secretary to the president from 2017 to 2018, playing a central role in shaping the administration’s communication strategy.

Over the years, Allamjonov held several high-profile positions. He took the helm at the Uzbekistan Press and Information Agency and chaired the Board of Trustees of the Mass Media Support Fund. In August 2023, he was appointed head of the Information Policy Department within the Presidential Administration, a post he held until his recent resignation.

Allamjonov gave no details of what his next move will be but his high-level connections to the Uzbek administration are expected to be in high demand.

Allamjonov's departure has sparked a number of theories. He is an associate of Mirziyoyev’s daughter Saida Mirziyoyeva, who was appointed to lead the Communications and Information Policy Sector within the Presidential Administration in 2022, with Allamjonov serving as her immediate superior. He later became the head of the Information Policy Department in August 2023, effectively becoming her deputy in the administrative structure.

Their collaboration extended beyond government roles, as both Allamjonov and Mirziyoyeva co-founded the Public Fund for the Support and Development of National Mass Media in 2020. Together, they have worked on several initiatives aimed at advancing press freedom, enhancing education, and promoting gender equality in Uzbekistan.

Some say Allamjonov's departure represents the beginning of a new phase in Uzbekistan’s media development, as the country continues to navigate a balance between governmental oversight and the promotion of free speech.

Uzbekistan’s economy is flourishing and the president has emphasised the need to develop a vibrant press that will hold the government to account and give the people a voice to comment on and criticise the state’s actions. 

A major new media enterprise may be in the works. The economic reforms of the Mirziyoyev administration have been marked by the president's preference for the private sector to take the lead and “add value” at every stage with minimum government interference. This has been seen, for instance, in the revolution that has occurred in the cotton and textiles sector. It is almost entirely in private hands now.