Jahangir Mamatov - During The Soviet Era

During The Soviet Era

Mamatov was born on September 1, 1955, in Samarkand Province, married in 1980, and has four children. He was educated in Samarkand, and at the Department of Journalism of Tashkent State University from 1973–1979, pursuing research on ethics in journalism and linguistics until 1981. He started his journalistic career with the Toshkent Haqiqati newspaper in 1973, and from 1974-1979 with the Qishloq haqiqati newspaper. He served in the Soviet Army from 1976-1978.

He worked as an editor at the State TV-Radio Company and hosted broadcasts on agricultural matters from 1980-1981. From 1981-1982 he worked as a deputy director of the Ulughbek state farm in the Jomboy district of Samarkand province. He also worked for the Lenin Yoli newspaper in Samarkand province from 1982-1985.

Because of his critical articles, his house was attacked by arsonists on December 1, 1984.

From 1985-1990 he worked as a correspondent of Sovet O’zbekistoni in Samarkand province, and for Mushtum satirical magazine and the Qishloq Haqiqati newspaper. During those years more than a thousand of his satirical, critical, and analytical articles were published. Some of his articles were published in the Youth reference book, Pure Dawn, and 525 days that Shook Samarkand books. His analytical articles such as "Koran and Arms", "Burning Woman", and "Opening of Closed Doors" regarding the actual problems of the perestroika era, made the author well known in the Soviet Union Journalists’ Association.

In 1990, at the age of 35, Mamatov received the title of "Honored Journalist of Uzbekistan". In the same year he was elected from the Jomboy electoral district to the Uzbek Supreme Soviet (parliament), serving on its Glasnost Committee until 1993. He wrote Press Law and founded the newspaper Xalq So’zi, the main publication of the Uzbek Parliament.