National Agency Files Police Complaint Against Economist Criticizing Temu Ban
The National Agency for Prospective Projects (NAPP) has recently filed a complaint against economist and blogger Otabek Bakirov with the Tashkent City Department of Internal Affairs. The complaint alleges that Bakirov’s post titled “The Illegal Super-Regulator” was an attempt to undermine the agency’s reputation. This post was a response to the ban imposed on the e-commerce platform Temu.
Bakirov disclosed that the complaint was signed by Vyacheslav Pak, the agency’s First Deputy Director, and contained an explanatory note from the agency’s authorized representative. The complaint is currently under review by the Cybersecurity Division of the Tashkent police.
In the controversial post, Bakirov criticized NAPP for assuming the role of regulator for various sectors in Uzbekistan without a proper legal framework. He argued that the agency lacked the necessary laws to govern its actions and prevent conflicts of interest within its operations.
Bakirov clarified that the complaint specifically addressed only one of four interconnected posts he had published on the issue. He highlighted the need for a specialized law to regulate NAPP’s activities, emphasizing that no megaregulator should operate solely through executive orders without a legal mandate.
On a related note, on March 20, 2025, sanctions were imposed on the Chinese e-commerce platform Temu in Uzbekistan, leading to the blocking of its website and mobile app. NAPP stated that Temu needed to establish a local branch in Uzbekistan or register with the tax authorities and become a VAT payer. Despite establishing a legal entity in the country, the State Tax Committee imposed a hefty tax liability on Temu for operating unofficially prior to its registration.
The situation between NAPP, Bakirov, and the e-commerce platform Temu continues to unfold, raising questions about regulatory frameworks and the independence of institutions in Uzbekistan’s economic landscape.
