34. Are there provisions for free or subsidized access to media for candidates?

Article 27 (2). Conducting Election Campaigning through Mass Media
Candidates for the deputies, political parties when campaigning are provided with equal conditions for access to the state mass media by means of arranging for them the same amount of airtime and print space for free.

Article 64.

Expenditures related to the preparation and holding of elections of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan shall be covered by the public funds. Providing financing and other material support to the candidates for deputy of the Legislative Chamber and the membership of the Senate by other means shall be prohibited. 

(Law on Elections of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 1993 available at http://www.elections.uz/ru/events/legislation/409/ accessed January 2018).

X. MEDIA

B. LEGAL FRAMEWORK

The PEL and CEC regulations stringently define the form and content of campaign coverage, binding both state and private media to allocate equal coverage to all presidential candidates within editorial materials. A CEC regulation granted each candidate ample free airtime and space within national and regional state media. Contestants could also purchase airtime or space on an equal basis.

(OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission Final Report, Republic of Uzbekistan, Early Presidential Election, 4 December 2016, available at http://www.osce.org/office-for-democratic-institutions-and-human-rights/elections/uzbekistan/306451?download=true accessed January 2018).  

Article 28 (2). Conduction of election campaigning through the mass media
When conducting election campaigning, candidates for the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan are provided with equal conditions for access to the state mass media by giving them  the same amount of air time and print space for free.
In the state mass media, candidates for the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan can be allocated air time or printed space also on a paid basis.

(Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the Election of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 1991, available at http://www.elections.uz/ru/events/legislation/408/ accessed January 2018).