In March 2011 the NANSMIT Monitoring Service received 17 reports. Ten of them describe the factual situation in the media in the light of socio-legal and political environment; four reports describe direct violations of rights of media professionals; and three reports describe conflicts and accusations against the media and journalists.
I. 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
March 2
G. Afzal, chairman of the Khatlon province administration
On 2 March 2011, the authorities of Khatlon province held a meeting with representatives of the mass media. Inter alia, the officials discussed the problems of access to the Tajik TV channels, delivery of periodicals, improvement of the program content of the local TV-5 channel, and cooperation between the media and the administration.
2. Factual situation in the media
March 2
Vechorka, private newspaper, Dushanbe
A new periodical Vetchorka came off the press on 2 March in Dushanbe.
The founder of the new printing outlet is Gulnora Amirshoeva, a former editor of the weekly Vetcherny Dushanbe.
According to Amirshoeva, the new periodical is mainly oriented to municipal news and feature stories. The newspaper must become an “information indicator” of social, political and economic developments in the Tajik capital.
Vetchorka is published in Russian. It is planned to start disseminating the newspaper countrywide. In the nearest future, the newspaper will be launched online.
In January 2011, the former staff of Vetcherny Dushanbe denounced their withdrawal from the media holding Charkhi Gardun after a conflict with its owner, chairman of the Tajik Union of Journalists Akbarali Sattorov.
3. Amendments to the legislation and new draft laws aggravating the media environment
March 11
All media, Dushanbe
A round table on amendments to the Tajik media law in the area of the Internet as a platform ensuring access to information was held in Dushanbe. The event was organized by the Open Society Institute (Soros Foundation).
The amendments developed by two Tajik parliamentarians – Olimjon Salimzoda and Akramsho Felaliev – provoked a big resonance in the Tajik information community.
Participants of the media forum in Dushanbe expressed concern over the introduction of a term “online journalism”. Experts say that the introduction of such terminology may lead to limitations in access to information and new artificial impediments in the domestic media market. Due to such terminology, the authorities can start considering the Internet as the mass media, which can entail application of the media legislation to the online media.
March 28
Parliament of Tajikistan, Dushanbe
On 28 March, the Tajik parliament discussed the draft law “On mass media”.
The press secretary of the lower chamber of the Parliament Mukhamadato Sultonov told the NANSMIT monitoring service that the draft law will be further discussed at the next session of the Parliament.
4. Journalists protecting their civil and professional rights
March 14
Civil society, Dushanbe
The Coalition of Tajik NGOs in charge of an alternative report to the United Nations Committee Against Tortures issued a statement to protect the Asia Plus weekly.
The Tajik Bureau on Human Rights and Rule of Law, the Sughd Bar Association, the Human Rights Center in Dushanbe, the National Association of Attorneys “Sipar”, the NGO “Amparo”, the NGO “RDI”, and the NGO “Equal Opportunities” signed the statement expressing concerns about the frequent lawsuits against journalists and the media, which entail self-censorship and undermine the freedom of speech in the country.
“It is alarming that the journalist who touched upon the problem of tortures is accused of aiding terrorists. It is seen as intimidation of other journalists in the country”, — says the statement.
The Tajik Coalition of NGOs calls upon the Tajik law enforcement agencies to carry out urgent investigations on the cases described in the article written by Ramziya Mirzobekova and published by Asia Plus, and to present the results of these investigations to the public.
II. VIOLATION OF PROFESSIONAL RIGHTS
1. Accusations of libel and insult
March 29
Charkhi Gardun, private newspaper
The court hearing on the case of the former Tajik parliamentarian Saivali Nurov against the private weekly Charkhi Gardun is adjourned until 5 April.
Nurov applied to the court after the publication of an article titled “Will the official-hooligan appear in court?” (27 July 2010). The former parliamentarian says that the article defames his reputation and demands to bring the medium to responsibility according to Articles 135 and 136 (Libel and Insult respectively) of the Tajik Criminal Code.
March 31
Makhmadyusuf Ismoilov, correspondent, Nuri Zindagi, Sughd province
The correspondent of the Nuri Zindagi weekly Makhmadyusuf Ismoilov has beenunder custody for four months in the city of Khujand.
Initially, the correspondent was detained for his publications containing criticism of the authorities. However, the court incriminates him four articles of the Criminal Code, including “extortion”, “incitement of religious and racial feud”, “libel” and “insult”.
Colleagues of Ismoilov told the media that the journalist and his relatives experience pressure from the law enforcement agencies who conduct the investigation.
2. Impediments to professional activities
March 9
Bahriddin Sangmadov, correspondent, Pazhvok, Kulyab, Khatlon province
The correspondent of the Pazhvok weekly in the city of Kulyab Bakhriddin Sangmadov told the NANSMIT monitoring service that he is being intimidated by the police. On 8 March, he was detained near the premises of the Kulyab university while filming the cutting of trees.
Sangmadov says that the main reason for his detention and the conversation with the police is his cooperation with the Pazhvok weekly.
III. CONFLICTS. VIOLATIONS INCRIMINATED TO THE MEDIA AND JOURNALISTS
1. Protection of honor, dignity and business reputation
March 14
Asia Plus, Farazh, Ozodagon, private newspapers, Dushanbe
The Sino district court in Dushanbe adjourned the hearings on the case of the judges of the Tajik Supreme Court against three private weeklies – Asia Plus, Farazh, and Ozodagon – until 17 March.
The judges applied to the court demanding a moral compensation from the newspapers in the amount of 5,5 million Somoni (about $1,250 million) after the publication of articles quoting the attorney Solijon Juraev who accused the Tajik legal system and particular judges of corruption. Juraev was quoted as speaking publically at a press conference in Sughd province.
On 4 March, the court presented the results of an independent linguistic expertise implemented at the Institute of Language and Literature under the Tajik Academy of Sciences. The expertise proves that the publications in the three periodicals contain no libel or insult against the judges.
This report is based on compiled 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 Karshibaev