The Outlook Podcast Archive - Secrets & Lies: The man who stole the President’s secrets

Download Secrets & Lies: The man who stole the President’s secrets

For many years, Uzbekistan was a particularly dangerous place to be a journalist. Speaking out against the government of former president Islam Karimov could lead to torture and a lengthy spell in prison. So it was a surprise for many when in 2004 secret messages started appearing online, containing what seemed like detailed and scandalous information about the president's household. For years, the identity of the writer was kept a secret, and the messages kept coming. Then one day, an inconspicuous football writer called Bobomurod Abdulla was snatched off the streets by the security forces, and the secret was finally out.

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Presenter: Ibrat Safo
Producers: Ibrat Safo & Harry Graham
Secrets & Lies series producer: Fiona Woods
Music: Joel Cox

Published on Saturday, 3rd April 2021.

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