A foundation conference on the creation of the Media Council of Tajikistan took place in Dushanbe on 30 October. The conference was convened by the Tajik Union of Journalists, the Tajik National Association of Independent Mass Media (NANSMIT), the Tajik Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANESMI), the Tajik Journalist Memorial Foundation and the OSCE Center in Tajikistan.

The conference was attended by heads of Tajik media organizations, editors and publishers and representatives of international media organizations accredited in Tajikistan.

Chairman of NANSMIT Nuriddin Karshibaev stressed inter alia that the main goal of the new Media Council is to monitor ethical standards in Tajikistan’s mass media. The Council also will be facilitating the media agencies in resolving conflicts in a pre-trial order.

Participants of the conference ratified the main self-regulating document of the Media Council – “Ethical Standards for the Tajik Mass Media”. It is said in the preamble of the “Standards” that “the adopted ethical norms do not limit the freedom of speech; on the contrary, these standards serve to the improvement of quality of publications and ensure security for media professionals”.

The Media Council is open to any medium regardless of the form of property and ideological affiliation. The main condition for accession is observance of the “Ethical Standards”.

Participants of the conference elected the chairman of the Media Council – Professor Ibragim Usmanov, head of the International Journalism Faculty under the Tajik National University.

NANSMIT Monitoring Service

In October 2009 the NANSMIT Monitoring Service received 26 reports. Sixteen of them describe the factual situation in the media in the light of socio-legal and political environment; five reports describe direct violations of rights of media professionals; and five reports describe conflicts and accusations against the media and journalists.

I. PECULIARITIES OF POLITICAL, SOCIAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGAL CLIMATE IN THE COUNTRY DEFINING THE FACTUAL SITUATION IN THE MEDIA

1. Public speeches and statements of superior officials defining the factual situation in the mass media

15 October
State TV and Radio Committee, Dushanbe

Abdurakhmon Abdumanonov, deputy chairman of the Tajik Broadcasting Committee under the Government told the media that “The Committee is ready to cooperate with the Russian RTR TV channel on mutually beneficial conditions”.

According to Abdumanonov, the Tajik side has not received any business proposals from the Russian TV company.

15 October
State TV and Radio Committee, Dushanbe

Samad Khikmatov, deputy chair of the Tajik Broadcasting Committee under the Government told the media that the Russian federal TV company RTR owes the Tajik Teleradiocom broadcasting facility more than 7 million Russian rubles. On 2 April Teleradiocom assumed a final decision to stop re-broadcasting RTR’s programs on the Tajik territory.

21 October
Jumanazar Rakhmatov, head of the State Finance and Corruption Control in Sughd province, Khujand

Jumanazar Rakhmatov, head of the State Finance and Corruption Control in Sughd province expressed his dissatisfaction with poor cooperation between his agency and the mass media.

Speaking at a press conference, Rakhmatov stressed that a few months ago journalists suggested to organize a series of TV shows, a number of publications to better inform the public about the Finance and Corruption Control Agency’s activities, but after a while, everybody had forgotten about the initiative.”

23 October
Executive authorities in Khatlon province, Kurgan-Tube

A “voluntary-forced” subscription campaign is underway in the southern city of Kulyab in Khatlon province. The NANSMIT monitoring service was told that the local executive authorities decided that 900 residents of Kulyab must subscribe to the Jumkhuriyat weekly (the cost of annual subscription is 82 Somoni). The other 800 residents must learn about developments in Tajikistan exclusively from the Sadoi Mardum weekly (the Tajik parliament’s printing body; annual subscription is 78 Somoni), 650 citizens are obliged to read the Minbari Khalk newspaper (printing body of the President’s People-Democratic Party 63,5 Somoni), 200 people must read the Russial-language Narodnaya Gazeta (the government newspaper 68 Somoni), 100 people – Ovozi Khalk (government outlet in Uzbek language 87 Somoni), 400 – Khatlon (local administration, 45 Somoni), 300 – Khamrozi Khalk (local branch of the President’s political party, 28 Somoni), 250 – Javononi Tojikiston (the State Youth Committee’s outlet, 57 Somoni), and the Bonuvoni Tojikiston, a special magazine for women must find 400 of is subscribers who have to pay 92 Somoni for the annual subscription.

The NANSMIT monitoring service reports that the subscription campaign in Khatlon proved to be a complete failure.

2. Factual status of the media and the freedom of speech

3 October
Tajik television, Dushanbe

On 3 October the Tajik television celebrated its 50-th anniversary. The most turbulent development of both the national and private television in Tajikistan was seen during the years of independence.

8 October
All media

“The articles in the Tajik legislation defining responsibility for libel and defamation impose limits on democratic principles of the freedom of speech and hamper the development of the national media,” – said Nuriddin Karshibaev, chairman of NANSMIT speaking at the OSCE forum on human development in Warsaw, Poland.

According to Karshibaev, people are afraid of applying their constitutional rights – freedom of speech and freedom of expression.

The Asia Plus weekly published an open letter by Ozodbek Khosabekov, a journalist from Gorno-Badakhshan, who raised concerns about corruption in one of the executive structures in GBAO. The author received a criminal punishment, and when he appealed against the judge, he was received another punishment – for defamation of the judge.
Now, he is facing another trial – civil hearings in court, and a big penalty. While trying to protect Khosabekov, Tajik media organizations faced corporative interests and arrogance of judicial authorities.

Karshibaev says that the Tajik media work in extreme conditions. According to sociological studies, more than 40 percent of the non-state Tajik media are on the verge of bankruptcy. The government media receive subsidies from the state budget. Managers of the leading Tajik media agencies asked the government to develop a program of support to the media in conditions of crisis, but the request found no response.

21 October
Reporters Without Borders, Dushanbe

According to the Press Freedom Index, a report recently published by Reporters Without Borders, Tajikistan has the 113-th position in the rating of freedom of speech in the countries of Europe and the CIS. Tajikistan is the best among its Central Asian neighbors.

According to the report, Kyrgyzstan has the 125-th position, and Kazahstan is 142-nd. RWB experts say that the most repressive countries are Uzbekistan (160) and Turkmenistan (173). These are the countries, where no serious alterations have occurred; journalists are exposed to censorship, despotism and violence.

The best situation is in the Baltic States. Russia has the 153-rd position. The best countries in the RWB list are Denmark, Finland and Ireland.

3. Journalists protecting their civil and professional rights

2 October
All media, Dushanbe

The Tajik Union of Journalists discussed the constituent documents for the Media Council and the draft Ethical Standards for Journalists. The Media Council is designed as a new public body to monitor observation of these standards.

A working group in charge of developing constituent documents for the new Council was created in May 2009. The final draft will be presented for endorsement in October at the plenary session of the Union of Journalists.

3 October
All media, Dushanbe

On 25 September the public organization “Khoma”, NANSMIT and TajANESMI held a round table in Dushanbe on the topic “Strong media is the guarantee of state security in Tajikistan”. Participants adopted a statement addressed to the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rakhmon.

Inter alia, the statement says that there are only two countries among the CIS, where audio and video production must be licensed. Regrettably, Tajikistan is one of these two countries.

The statement also says that the information vacuum in Tajikistan is being filled with TV programs of other countries. At the same time, 25 private TV and radio companies and an unknown number of audio and video production studios cannot receive their license for years.

A group of journalists, employees of television and radio, heads of local and foreign media organizations hope that the President, as the guarantor of the Constitution, will support the development of the electronic media and the cinema industry in Tajikistan.

II. VIOLATION OF RIGHTS IN THE MEDIA

1. Impediments to professional activities

20 October
TRK TV, Kanibadam, Sughd province

Dilbar Saidova, correspondent of the TV company Anis wanted to produce a story about the selling of goods of poor quality at the local market. Ms. Solekha Vakhobova, the mayor’s office press secretary adviced Saidova to restrain from her desire, referring to the moratorium of the Tajik State Standard Agency on the checking of certificates among entrepreneurs.

2. Ungrounded limitations in access to information

1 October
All media, Kulyab, Khatlon province

Journalists in Kulyab are concerned about limitations in access to information, especially for young journalists. Media professionals working in Khatlon province told the NANSMIT Monitoring Service that access to information strongly depends on personal relations and attitudes between journalists and officials.

3. Violation of economic rights in the media

3 October
Kulyabskaya Pravda, Khatlon province

The Kulyabi public-political newspaper “Kulyabskaya Pravda” lost the Internet services.

Rustam Odinaev, editor of the newspaper told the NANSMIT Monitoring Service that they used to have problems with their provider – Tojiktelecom, but on the 1 October the connection fully disappeared.

Odinaev also said that the newspaper always timely pays for the Internet services, but problems persist.

20 October
Makhmud Kuldoshev, entrepreneur, Kanibadam, Sughd province

There is only one newspaper kiosk in the city of Kanibadam. The kiosk is built on personal savings of Makhmud Kuldoshev, an independent journalist, who jointly with his wife sells Tajik newspapers there.

After the recent reconstruction of the local market place, the city administration asked the entrepreneur to clean the place, which is needed for construction of a big store. Kuldoshed moved the kiosk down the road, but now, he is having problems with the traffic police.

III. CONFLICTS. VIOLATIONS INCRIMINATED TO THE MEDIA AND JOURNALISTS

1. Claim for protection of honor, dignity and business reputation affected by publication of certain data

1 October
Newspaper Paikon, Dushanbe

The newspaper Paikon (#29, 01.10.09) published a letter by deputy chairman of the Tajik Council of Justice, where the author accuses the newspaper of falsity of information.

5 October
Minister of Education, Dushanbe

On 5 October, at a press conference in Dushanbe Abdujabbor Rakhmonov, Minister of Education expressed dissatisfaction about publications in the Tajik media.

According to Rakhmonov, “some of the media touch upon honor and dignity of certain individuals”.

5 October
All media, Dushanbe

Farkhod Rakhimov, deputy Minister of Education told the media at a press conference in Dushanbe that many journalists are not objective in covering the legal hearings on the conflict between the Ministry of Education and the Tajik Institute of Innovative Technologies. After 11 hearings the Dushanbe City Economic Court made a decision in favor of the Ministry of Education, but the media ignored this fact.

29 October
Newspaper Paikon, Dushanbe

The Firdousi District Court in Dushanbe made a decision on moral compensation to the Tajik Standard Agency by the Paikon weekly in the amount of 300 thousand Somoni (about $69 thousand).

Jumaboi Tolibov, editor of Paikon told the Monitoring Service that the Tajik Standard applied to the court after the publication containing criticism of this agency.

A group of Tajik entrepreneurs expressed concern over a number of decisions made by Tajik Standard, which – in opinion of the businessmen – impedes the development of entrepreneurship in Tajikistan.

Tolibov said that the decision of the court is ungrounded and he is going to appeal to a higher judicial instance.

This report is based on materials from the media and private information presented by correspondents of the NANSMIT Monitoring Network

Coordinator of the Monitoring Service
Abdufattokh Vokhidov

Project Manager
Nuriddin Karshibayev

The Firdousi district court in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe imposed a fine on the Paikon weekly in the amount of 300 thousand Somoni (about $69 thousand) for a publication of an article containing criticism against the Tajik State Standard Agency.

Jumaboi Tolibov, editor of Paikon told the NANSMIT monitoring service that the article was published a few months ago. A group of private entrepreneurs expressed concern over a number of decisions made by the Tajik Standard. In their opinion, these decisions create impediments to development of domestic entrepreneurship.

The editor says he considers the court decision groundless and intends to appeal to the city court.

NANSMIT Monitoring Service

Kyrgyzstan’s Interior Ministry says that a second suspect is being sought in the 2007 murder of independent journalist Alisher Saipov, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reports.

Interior Ministry spokesman Oljobay Kazybaev told RFE/RL that Abdufarit Rasulov was detained shortly after the killing, and the search for another suspect — identified only as Sharakhmatullaev — was recently launched as the investigation continues.

Last week, the New-York based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on Kyrgyz authorities to make public the findings of their investigation into Saipov’s murder.

Saipov, 26, was the editor of the local Uzbek-language newspaper «Siyosat» (Politics) and had previously reported for RFE/RL and Voice of America. He was shot dead by an unknown assailant on October 24, 2007, as he left his office in the southern Kyrgyz city of Osh.

Saipov’s colleagues suspect he may have been killed by agents of neighboring Uzbekistan since he often wrote critical articles in Uzbek about the situation in that country.

Kazybaev told RFE/RL last week that the «opinions» about the alleged involvement of Kyrgyz or Uzbek security services into the murder are wrong because the main suspect in Saipov’s killing, Rasulov, has been arrested and his case will begin soon.

But Rasulov’s lawyer, Zina Alymbekova, told RFE/RL that her client never met Saipov and has nothing to do with the crime. She said he only confessed to being involved in the killing under duress and torture during the investigation.

http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyz_Police_Seeking_Second_Suspect_In_Journalists_Killing/1861617.htm

The New-York based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on the Kyrgyz authorities to make public the findings of their investigation into the 2007 murder of an independent journalist in Osh, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reports.

Alisher Saipov, the editor of the local Uzbek-language newspaper «Siyosat» (Politics), was shot dead by an unknown assailant on October 24, 2007.

His colleagues suspect that he might have been killed by agents of neighboring Uzbekistan since he wrote in Uzbek about the situation in that country.

However, Kyrgyz Interior Ministry spokesman Oljobay Kazybaev told RFE/RL those allegations are «untrue.»

Kazybaev said the ministry has made «enormous efforts to investigate» Saipov’s killing.

But he said the «opinions» about the alleged involvement of Kyrgyz or Uzbek security services are wrong because a suspect in Saipov’s killing, Abdufarit Rasulov, has been arrested and his case will soon be brought to trial in Osh.

http://www.rferl.org/content/CPJ_Demands_Results_Of_Probe_Of_Kyrgyz_Journalists_Killing/1859438.html

The European Parliament has awarded the 2009 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to the Moscow-based Memorial human rights group.

The embattled Memorial is led by activist Oleg Orlov. An activist with the group, Natalya Estemirova, was killed in the North Caucasus in July, and Orlov was sued for libel by Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov for accusing him of involvement in Estemirova’s killing.

The Sakharov Prize was established in 1988, shortly before the death of Soviet physicist, rights activist, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Andrei Sakharov.

http://www.rferl.org/content/Russias_Memorial_Human_Rights_Group_Wins_Sakharov_Prize/1858225.html

Ethical Standards of Journalism in Tajikistan

Dushanbe, 14 May 2009

Preamble

• The community of journalists in Tajikistan, considering the Freedom of Speech the basis of its activities, understanding its responsibility for ensuring the Freedom of Speech, declare and adopt the following professional and ethical standards for the mass media and journalists. None of these standards is designed to limit the Freedom of Speech.
1. Mission of the media and journalists

• Honesty, objectivity, justice, pluralism, and respect to human rights are he main principles of activities of the mass media and journalists in Tajikistan.

• Guided by these principles, the media and journalists protect the image of the press.

2. Accuracy of information

• The media and journalists must publish various opinions and viewpoints impartially and without any distortion. Publications should contain balanced opinions. Headlines and images must express the essence of the text.

3. Protection of the source of information

• The media and journalists should respect the source of information, and, if needed, to observe the principle of anonymity, i.e. not to make the name of the source public, and to observe professional secrecy.
4. Opinions, facts and allegations

• The media and journalists shall understand the difference between opinions, facts and allegations. Expression of opinion is not subject to investigation.

5. National morality and respect to cultural values

• While covering any topic, the media and journalists shall respect the national distinctive character and culture. They shall avoid promotion of immorality, which can affect the national moral values. Respect to cultural values shall be present in publications.

• The media and journalists shall avoid any humiliation of peoples and ethnic groups, religions and races; they must respect other people’s world view, traditions and customs.

6. Respect to private life

• The media and journalists shall respect privacy of individuals. Publication of information about somebody’s private life is acceptable only with consent of the individual.

• Publication of stories about somebody’s private life without consent of the individual is not acceptable.

7. Protection of honor and dignity

• Humiliation of dignity, obscenities and libel are not acceptable; glorification of individuals, which goes beyond the ethical standards of journalists is not acceptable either.

8. Presumption of innocence

• While preparing a publication covering a criminal case, the media and journalists shall restrain from personal judgment. The media and journalists cannot voice their opinions about the guilt of an individual until it is proven in court.

9. Non-discrimination

• Discrimination on racial, national, religious, political, social and sexual affiliation is not acceptable in the media. The media and journalists shall restrain from pointing at physical imperfections of persons.

10. Inducing materials and protection of rights of minors

• Journalists and the media shall restrain from publishing materials inducing violence, killing and humiliation, as well as other crimes. The media and journalists shall not make public the names of minors in order to protect them.

11. Ways of collecting data

• Illegal receipt of information, images, voices and other materials referring to private life is not acceptable.

12. Inconsistency between creative activities and commercial advertisement

• Professional mission should not be sacrificed for commerce. There are clear distinctions in the media between creative activities and commercial (advertising) activities.

13. Rewards and privileges

• Any reward or privilege limiting free decision of a medium or a journalist are not in compliance with the image and dignity of the media or journalists.
14. Plagiarism
• Plagiarism is an illicit appropriation of a text, image or voice without permission of the original source, which was demonstrated (or presented) as an original. Journalists must respect the labor of their colleagues.

15. Rectification of errors

• The medium must publish apologies and rectify errors if those took place.

16. Professional solidarity

• The media and journalists should observe principles of professional solidarity. Journalists shall restrain from performing tasks, which undermine their professional reputation and social status. Journalists shall not use the media in their mercenary motives or for settling accounts with their colleagues or adversaries.
• Colleagues must support and protect journalists persecuted for their professional activities.

17. Implementation of these norms

In case of non-observance of these norms, any interested party can apply to the Media Council of Tajikistan. Resolutions will be published in the media

NANSMIT

On 3 October the Tajik television celebrated its 50-th anniversary. The most notable period of development was during the years of independence. Along with the State First Channel, there is a State TV Safina, a special news TV channel Jahonnamo and a TV channel for children Bakhoriston. These TV companies were created by the State TV and Radio Committee under the Tajik government.

On the occasion of the jubilee the Tajik National Press Center organized a seminar “Input of the mass media in the process of democratization”.
The Tajik television was founded in 1959. The first TV program contained a three-minute news segment in Tajik and Russian languages. In 1959 the total number of personnel was 54; at present, 350 specialists work for the four Sate TV stations.

In 2006 the Tajik television switched to digital broadcasting. At present, the First Channel covers 97 percent of Tajikistan’s territory; people in Asia and Europe can watch the Tajik programs via the satellite.

Khovar news agency

On 2 October the Tajik Union of Journalists hosted a discussion on creating an independent national Media Council. The meeting was held upon the initiative of the Union of Journalists, the Tajik National Association of Independent Media (NANSMIT), the Tajik National Association of Electronic Media (TAJANESMI), the Tajik Journalists’ Memorial Fund and a number of Tajik media under support of the OSCE Bureau in Dushanbe.

Chairman of NANSMIT Nuriddin Karshibaev stressed that an initiative group started working in May 2009. So far, the group developed and adopted the Ethical Standards for Tajik Journalists. “The next step is the creation of the Media Council – to protect the rights and ensure the freedoms of Tajik journalists. All necessary documents are already developed,” — said Karshibaev. The Council’s draft charter was designed by media experts who consulted experienced legal specialists.

Participants of the meeting came to the conclusion that the draft constituent documents for the Media Council should be published in local newspapers, and the final version must be adopted after wide discussions.
The final meeting of the task force will be held by the end of October.

NANSMIT Monitoring Service