On October 26, Komil Allamjonov, a distinguished figure in Uzbekistan’s political landscape, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt. Allamjonov, who formerly held the positions of deputy head of the Presidential Administration and head of the Information Policy Department, was reportedly in a Range Rover which was targeted by two unidentified assailants on Ifor Street, Tashkent’s Kibray District. While the shooters managed to escape, no one was harmed in the incident.
The attack happened less than a month after Allamjonov’s sudden departure from his administrative post—a position he had held for just over a year. Throughout recent years, he worked closely with Saida Mirziyoyeva, the daughter of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Mirziyoyeva assumed the role of the president’s first assistant in August 2023, the second-highest position in the administration after the head of state. The reasons behind Allamjonov’s exit or any new appointment have yet to be officially communicated.
Born in 1984, Allamjonov is a prominent figure in Uzbekistan’s media sector. Before he ventured into politics, he was a businessman. His political career took a significant leap following the 2016 government reshuffle. Allamjonov became a deputy head in the President’s Administration in 2017 and assumed the role of press secretary. He later served as acting director-general at the Uzbek Agency for Press and Information (restructured into the Agency for Information and Mass Communications under the Presidential Administration) in 2018.
Allamjonov’s business ventures have often been met with criticism and accusations of monopolistic practices and conflicts of interest. In 2022, when he was appointed as the deputy head of the Information Policy Department of the Presidential Administration, he announced his retirement from the business world to avoid possible conflicts of interest. He climbed up the political ladder to become the head of the Information Policy Department of the Presidential Administration in August 2023.
The attempt on Allamjonov’s life holds significant importance. It’s unlikely that ordinary citizens could have orchestrated the assault without external support, given the strict firearm regulations in Uzbekistan. The General Prosecutor’s Office hasn’t revealed the type of firearm used, but local reports suggest a Makarov pistol.
Murder and attempted murder are relatively rare in Uzbekistan, with a significant drop in such cases from 883 in 2007 to 384 in 2023. The country’s most high-profile assassination attempt occurred in 1999 against the first president, Islam Karimov, leading to stricter regulations on opposition groups and religious practices. Another attempt took place in 2009 against renowned imam Anvar qori Tursunov, who survived the attack.
The investigation into the attack on Allamjonov is ongoing, with one suspect currently in custody, although their identity and other details about the attack remain undisclosed by the General Prosecutor’s Office.
