Mirziyoyev’s Reforms Reach the National Security Service (SNB)

OE Watch Commentary: A lot of attention has been on reforms carried out by Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev since he came to power in late 2016 following the death of Islam Karimov. Excerpts from the accompanying articles report on Mirziyoyev’s recent decision to remove Rustam Inoyatov as the head of the National Security Service (SNB) and they note a couple of things that can help gauge the impact of this change.

The article from Fergana News, an independent Russian-language news website with reporters based in Central Asia, reports on how immediately following Inoyatov’s removal, he was “appointed to be a member of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis (upper house of parliament)” by President Mirziyoyev and that with this position he “received the right of immunity.” The article also notes why Inoyatov likely received immunity as he had been “one of the most influential figures in the Uzbek establishment under President Islam Karimov” and that he had probably been involved in the transition of power following Karimov’s death. There was speculation following Karimov’s death that Mirziyoyev became president with Inoyatov’s approval. Lastly, the article reports how Mirziyoyev is looking to reform the SNB by removing “departments which are not engaged in their assigned tasks.”

The article from Uzmetronom, a Russian-language independent website with sources in Uzbekistan, reports that in addition to Inoyatov’s dismissal, “two of his deputies and 11 head of regional directorates of the SNB were removed from their posts.” The article also points out that in Uzbekistan there are predictions that the new head of the SNB, Ikhtiyor Abdullayev, will “finally clean out the ‘agency’ of supporters or associates of the previous leadership” by “removing those who compromised themselves with bribery or were simply indebted with the former agency head.”

Overall, Mirziyoyev’s removal of Inoyatov and a dozen other senior leaders of the SNB marks one of his most significant reforms to date. Perhaps just as important, Mirziyoyev did not mention which SNB departments will be removed or if the tasks assigned to them will be transferred to another ministry While that information may not come out for some time, if at all, it could have just as significant of an impact as Inoyatov’s removal. End OE Watch Commentary (Stein)