Supreme Court updates list of banned extremist materials in Uzbekistan

The Supreme Court of Uzbekistan has released an updated and expanded list of online resources and content found to be steeped in religious extremist, terrorist, and fundamentalist ideologies. The new ruling strictly prohibits the importation, preparation, storage, distribution, and display of these materials within the territory of Uzbekistan.

Photo: Committee for Religious Affairs

According to data provided by the Committee for Religious Affairs, the number of banned resources has increased by 244 entries since early 2025, bringing the total count to 1,837 as of April 6, 2026. Experts noted that the most significant growth in prohibited content was observed on Instagram, where 121 new profiles and materials were flagged. Other platforms also saw increases, with 65 new entries on Telegram, 23 on YouTube, and 21 on Facebook. Additionally, for the first time, a prohibited source was identified and restricted on the Threads platform.

In a statement, the Committee for Religious Affairs highlighted a persistent trend in the spread of radical content, particularly through visual and short-format media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. This shift suggests that extremist groups are increasingly leveraging modern social media formats to reach broader audiences.

As of the latest update, the comprehensive list of prohibited materials includes 855 channels and posts on Telegram, 386 profiles and materials on Instagram, and 270 various profiles, pages, and articles on Facebook. Furthermore, the ban covers 190 YouTube channels, 62 TikTok profiles, 39 Odnoklassniki accounts, and 14 separate websites and applications. Traditional media has not been overlooked, as 20 books and lectures are also categorized as restricted materials.

The religious authorities have issued a strong advisory to the public, urging citizens to remain vigilant and avoid falling into the "trap of fundamentalism, extremism, and terrorism."