Freedom of Speech in Tajikistan

September 2012

In September 2012, the Monitoring Service received 22 reports. Twelve of them describe the factual situation in the media in the light of social, legal and political environment; ten reports describe direct violations of rights of media professionals.

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

11 September

Davlatali Nazriev, head of Information, Analysis and Foreign Policy Planning, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dushanbe

Davlatali Nazriev, the head of the Tajik Foreign Ministry’s Information Department told
the media that the Tajik state press services work poorly in terms of timely and objective information.

This statement was made at a round table “Contemporary challenges in Tajikistan’s information environment and the role of the media” regarding the recent military operation in the city of Khorog, administrative center of Gorno Badakhshan.

According to Nazriev, such events require timely and objective media coverage. The official added that certain western media were providing inadequate information.

20 September

Shodi Shabdolov, chairman of the Communist Party of Tajikistan, Dushanbe

The leader of the Tajik Communist Party and parliamentarian Shodi Shabdolov told the Tajik weekly Asia Plus about his recent meetings with the electorate in Sughd province.

Shabdolov said that the population in certain districts – Ainy and Matchoh in particular – live in conditions of information vacuum.

“The printing media available in those districts do not meet requirements of their readers. The people want to learn more about the situation and events in their country, in their region. They want to learn about the laws being adopted and the decisions of the government. They want to know what’s going on in GBAO», — he noted.

25 September

Muzaffar Ashurov, President’s Office, Dushanbe

Muzaffar Ashurov, head of the Department of Constitutional and Human Rights under the President’s Executive Office stated that “[during the events in Khorog] certain mass media were providing materials justifying the actions of criminals and creating conditions for repetition of such events”.

The official made this remark on 24 September, at an OSCE meeting on commitments in the area of human dimension.

The accusation against the Tajik non-state media was voiced after a presentation made by Olga Tutubalina, deputy editor of the Asia Plus weekly.

In her speech, Tutubalina stated that the Tajik authorities regularly block news web sites – both local and foreign.

27 September
Ibrohim Usmonov, journalist, Dushanbe

The Tajik weekly Asia Plus published an interview with a journalist and researcher Ibrohim Usmonov (#72, 24.09.2012) where he contemplates the impact of the Internet on Tajikistan’s information environment.

“The traditional media have lost their former influence. Only the information network can provide the audience with instant response on current events. The Internet is a weapon of mass influence; however, it does not mean that the authorities should impose prohibitions. On the contrary, the government must be open – to avoid grounds for criticism”.

2. Actions of public officials defining the status of the media and the factual situation

21 September
Beg Zukhurov, head of the government’s Communication Service, Dushanbe

On 21 September, after a two-month blocking, some of the local Internet service providers opened access to the web site of the Tajik leading news agency Asia Plus.

It remains unknown whether the Tajik Communication Service under the President has officially ordered to unblock access to the web resource. According to Asia Plus, the providers did not have any written errand on the blocking; however, it is quite obvious that there was a “command from above”. The expert see a clear relation between the blocking of access to the web site and the recent publications in Asia Plus criticizing the authorities.

Commenting the situation, Beg Zukhurov, head of the Communication Service told Radio Ozodi (the Tajik service of Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty) that he has ordered the Internet providers to restore access to Asia Plus. “The time has come for this web site [Asia Plus] to become a decent one and stop attempts of inappropriate criticism”, — he was quoted as saying.

In the mean time, Zukhurov told Asia Plus that he gave no any orders on blocking. “We have a special group [for censorship] tracing the web sites defaming the country and the government, but Asia Plus is not in that list”, — he said.

The official added that the Internet providers blocked the web site on their own initiative, and he is ready to figure out why they have done this.

3. Factual situation in the media and the freedom of speech

7 September

Shabakai Avval, state TV

On 7 September, the Tajik state television switched to digital broadcasting in the mode 24×7.

Shabakai Avval (the First Channel) intends to expand its broadcasting coverage not only in the country, but also abroad.

At present, four state TV channels broadcast in the country – Shabakai Avval, Safina, Jahonnamo, and Bakhoriston (a TV station for children).

7 September

All media, Dushanbe

At a round table “The role of mass media in public stability and national unity” held in Dushanbe on 7 September, some journalists proposed to wear certain “uniforms” while covering specific events.

On 6 September, Tajik journalists went to a march of protest organized spontaneously by vendors from one of the markets in Dushanbe to protect their rights. A number of media professionals had problems with the law enforcement agencies. The chief editor of the Tajik weekly Nigokh Saimiddin Dustov spent three hours at a police station.
29 September

The Persian TV Channel, Dushanbe

The Tajik weekly Asia Plus published an article titled “What impedes the launching of a Persian television in Dushanbe?” (#71, 20.09.12).

According to the medium, the Tajik Foreign Ministry is trying to create a proper legal basis for the TV channel, which would belong to three neighboring Persian-language countries – Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Iran with the headquarters in Dushanbe.

“As soon as the legal basis is created, the editing and broadcasting equipment delivered from Iran will be exempted from customs fees”, — Davlatali Nazriev, head of the Foreign Ministry’s information department was quoted as saying.

According to the Iranian embassy in Dushanbe, the equipment worth of 2 million Euro has been delivered a while ago. “However, the equipment got stuck in the airport, and the Tajik customs service insists on paying $400 thousand for clearance”, — a source i9n the embassy said.

The Iranian source also added that the constant postponing of the launching of the TV channel has something to do with the official position of the Afghan authorities regarding the broadcasting policy of the new TV station and with ideological and creative contents of TV programs.

Сентябрь, 20
All media, Dushanbe

On 27 September, the Public Union under the President’s Office held a session of the Social Partnership Club to discuss the issues of formation of secure information space and switching to digital broadcasting.

Shahlo Akobirova, director of NGO Khoma and Asomuddin Atoev, director of the virtual academy ICT (information-communication technology) made relevant presentations regarding digital broadcasting and secure information space.

In 2006, among 104 states, Tajikistan signed the Treaty “Geneva 2006” obliging the country to entirely switch to digital broadcasting.

A number of relevant issues emerged in this regard; one of them is the necessity to strengthen the secure information space and informed society.
3. Действия журналистов и СМИ по защите своих прав

20 September
National Association of Independent Mass Media, Dushanbe

The Tajik media community asked the Prosecutor General’s Office to express a legal opinion regarding the actions of law enforcement officers against reporters who covered the events in Dushanbe, which followed the fire at the Korvon wholesale market on the southern outskirts of the capital.

Commenting on that, chairman of NANSMIT Nuriddin Karshiboev said that at least nine cases of violations of professional rights were registered by the monitoring service on 6 September, during the spontaneous march of protest attended by the market vendors.

Karshiboev added that leaders of Tajik media organizations have developed a plan of actions to protect the interests of the media community and ensure solidarity. The main provision of the plan is a dialogue with heads of the law enforcement agencies and the Prosecutor General’s Office.
20 September

All media, Dushanbe

The Tajik media community intends to apply to the General Prosecutor’s Office with a complaint about violations of rights of journalists in the country.

The Tajik news portal TJinform quoted Khilvatshokh Khojaev, Secretary General of the Tajik Media Council as saying that the number of cases of violation of professional and civil rights of journalists has grown recently”.

Khojaev referred to the recent events in the city of Khorog, administrative center of Gorno Badakhshan and the incidents in Dushanbe related to the Korvon market disorders. Law enforcement officers confiscated photo and video equipment; some reporters were detained at police stations.

II. VIOLATION OF RIGHTS IN THE MEDIA

1. Limitation of access to information 

24 September

Information agency TojNews, Dushanbe

The Tajik Communication Service under the President’s Office gave an order to local Internet service providers to block access to the TojNews web portal.

According to the Indem company, the founder of TojNews, the Internet service providers initially received SMS messages from the Communication Service, which was followed by an official written notification.

“Regrettably, the Internet providers – in defiance of the national legislation and the international law – have followed the order and closed access to www.tojnews.org, — says a statement issued by Indem. — For ten days, we have been trying to receive official comments on these actions, but to no avail”.

The statement also says that the actions of the authorities are unlawful; this can push the independent media towards adversaries of the government.

2. Impediments to professional activities

7 September

Saimuddin Dustov, editor, Nigokh weekly, Dushanbe

On 6 September, the Tajik police detained Saimuddin Dustov, the chief editor of the Nigokh weekly who was collecting information about the incident at the Korvon market in Dushanbe and protestors who tried to defend their commercial rights. After four hours, the editor was released, and the police apologized for the detention.

According to Dustov, the police officers acted impolitely. The situation changed when the chief of the municipal police arrived to speak with protestors.

7 September
Information agency Tojnews, Dushanbe

A correspondent of the Tajik private news agency Tojnews told the NANSMIT monitoring service about the impediments created by police officers for journalists covering the marching of protesters from the Korvon market in Dushanbe. The journalist told that she is personally acquainted with the head of the municipal police, and she asked him to take measures and let the media do their work. The police commander gave an order to his subordinates, but the situation was barely under control, and the officers kept treating journalists like other protestors, i.e. quite rudely.
7 September

Asia Plus weekly, Dushanbe

On 6 September, the Tajik police detained temur varki, the correspondent of the Tajik weekly Asia Plus who had an errand to cover the incident at the Korvon market in Dushanbe.

According to the journalist, certain individuals in plain clothes who introduced themselves as police officers forcedly took his ID card away from him, after which he did not see them anymore.
7 September

Ozodagon weekly, Dushanbe

Ibodullohi Tohir, correspondent of the Ozodagon weekly was also detained by the police on 6 September.

According to him, law enforcement officers were dressed in plain clothes. The journalist decided not to apply to any law enforcement agency regarding the fact of violation of his professional rights since he cannot identify the persons who detained him.
7 September

BBC, Persian service, Dushanbe

Zevarshohi Muhammad, correspondent of the Persian service of BBC was detained by the police on 6 September. Unknown individuals dressed in civilian clothes told him to put away his video camera; then, he was pushed by the crowd, and the camera smashed down. Protestors helped him to pick up the pieces of the broken video camera.
3. Violation of the principle of transparency of judicial proceedings

3 September
Khoji Akbar Turajonzoda, theologian, Khujand, Sughd province 

On 3 September, the Khujand municipal court commenced hearings on the lawsuit initiated by the Tajik theologian Khoji Akbar Turajonzoda.

The chair of the proceeding Matluba Khabibulloeva did not permit the Asia Plus correspondent to participate in the process explaining that “the court is conducting only preliminary hearings”.

According to Faizinisso Vokhidova, the defense lawyer protecting the interests of Turajonzoda, the Tajik legislation does not have any restrictions for media coverage, even if the proceedings are preliminary.

It should be noted that the defendants in Turajonzoda’s litigation, where he complains about his affected honor and dignity, are the head of the Sughd province Council of Ulems (spiritual leaders), the chief imam of the Isfara city mosque, and a journalist from the Sughd province television.

4. Violation of economic rights

11 September
All media, Dushanbe

On 10 and 11 September, the Sharki Ozod printing facility experienced continuous outages of electricity. Sharki Ozod provides its services to almost all Tajik periodicals.

Editors and media managers have different opinions about the reason of the blackouts. Some of them say that it has a lot to do with the incident at the Korvon market.

The municipal electric company said that the outages have no political grounds whatsoever; they were caused by damages within the grid. The line that feeds the printing house goes through the territory of Korvon – the market affected by the recent massive fire.

13 September

Maorifi Tojikiston, Ministry of Education, Dushanbe

Shodi Shokirzoda, editor of Maorifi Tojikiston, the official printing body of the Ministry of Education approached the Tajik State Postal Service complaining about the money that should have been received a while ago from subscribers. It is noted in his letter that the editing board is unable to print new issues of the magazine because the transfer still has not been made.

There is nothing silly about food shortages. There are, however, silly statements. On September 26, Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon urged his countrymen to store two years’ worth of food reserves in order to prepare for the upcoming harsh winter.

Rahmon also reminded his countrymen that rising commodity prices makes the effective use of agricultural resources imperative.

In a country where food shortages are a serious issue, urging people to store two years worth of food reserves over the duration of several months, may prove difficult.

In Tajikistan, the majority of the population spend between 70 and 80 percent of their income on food and 47 percent survive on less than $1.33 a day.

In 2011, high food and fuel prices led to crop and livestock losses. Rahmon blamed the increasing food prices partially on local farmers, saying that prices increased because “we did not work properly last year and did not fulfill the instructions in time.”

This latest presidential decree comes at a time when there are fears of a global food crisis. This year, the United States experienced its worst drought in more than 50 years, raising fears that it could lead to major hike in maize and soybean prices.

According to the World Bank, droughts in the U.S. and Eastern Europe caused global food prices to increase by 10 percent in July.

This situation shouldn’t bother Tajiks, however, as Rahmon appears to have a plan in place to handle any food shortages that might arise…

Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty

Источник: http://www.rferl.org/content/silly-dictators-rahmons-solution-to-food-shortages-tajikistan/24720708.

DUSHANBE, TAJIKISTAN – A group of journalists from Dushanbe visited the Nurek 500 kilovolt (kV) switchyard reconstruction project funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Tajikistan.

The project supports the construction of a new 500 kV switchyard at the Nurek hydropower plant using an advanced gas insulated switchgear technology. The existing switchyard, built more than 30 years ago, is in need of complete replacement due to deteriorating equipment and unstable geological site.

“The project will ensure a sustainable and reliable electricity supply to support economic development,” said Asel Chyngysheva, Officer-in-Charge of ADB’s Tajikistan Resident Mission, who led the media tour. “It will also mitigate the risk of natural disasters disabling the switchyard and will stabilize the flow of electricity coming from this strategically important power plant.”

The Nurek hydropower plant with a total installed capacity of 3,000 megawatt produces more than 70% of Tajikistan’s total electricity supply.

ADB is providing a grant of $54.77 million, with the Tajik government and Barki Tojik contributing $12.1 million for the project, which is due for completion in 2014.

Tajikistan joined ADB in 1998, and to date the institution has cumulatively approved a total assistance of more than $966 million in concessional loans, grants and technical assistance to the country. ADB’s operations benefit the population by reducing isolation, increasing communication, broadening access to electricity, improving social services, and creating more income-generating opportunities.

ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth and regional integration. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members – 48 from the region. In 2011, ADB approvals including cofinancing totaled $21.7 billion.

www.adb.org

By Richard Solash
September 24, 2012

Attacks on Internet freedom are on the rise, and the tools employed by repressive governments are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

That’s according to «Freedom On The Net 2012,» a newly released report by U.S.-based rights watchdog Freedom House, that assesses 47 countries’ online track records between January 2011 and May 2012.

Sanja Kelly, the report’s director, says more «traditional» methods employed by repressive governments, such as filtering and blocking of undesirable content or imprisonment of prominent online figures, are being supplemented with more nuanced means.

«Threats to Internet freedom are becoming more diverse and are becoming much murkier than in the past,» Kelly said.

«What we’ve seen over the last year and a half is that more and more governments are turning to tactics such as proactive manipulation of online content and extralegal surveillance to more covertly manipulate and influence internet content.»

Of the countries surveyed in the report, more than a quarter used cadres of paid pro-government bloggers to try to discredit the opposition, spread false information, or prop up the official state line. Freedom House says the tactic was in the past «largely limited to Russia and China,» but has now extended to Belarus, Ukraine, Iran, and beyond.

Freedom House says cyberattacks against government critics or efforts to impersonate and discredit activists online are also becoming more common, employed from Bahrain to Burma, Kazakhstan to Syria, and Uzbekistan to Zimbabwe.

Pro-Government Bloggers

«Freedom On The Net» highlights reports in the Russian media of an alleged plan by President Vladimir Putin’s ruling United Russia party to invest more than $300,000 in an online scheme to undercut opposition blogger Aleksei Navalny.

While the Internet is considered to be a relatively open space in Russia, Kelly says the authorities have stepped up their attacks in response to the recent wave of antigovernment protests, many of which were organized through online networks.

«When we talk to the people on the ground, we hear about an increased number of phone calls by authorities, particularly in regions and on the local level, telling you that unless you stop posting online, not only will you suffer the consequences, but your family will too,» said Kelly.

Freedom House also reports an uptick in various methods of surveillance, including new regulations passed in Kazakhstan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia that increase restrictions on user anonymity.

Just under half of the countries in «Freedom On The Net 2012» passed new legislation during the survey period that could hamper free speech online.

The report also notes an increase in physical assaults — sometimes with deadly consequences — against bloggers and citizen journalists from Central Asia to the Middle East.

Overall, Iran, Cuba, China, and Syria were judged to have the least online freedom, while countries including Uzbekistan, Belarus, and Pakistan were also classed «not free.» Estonia, the United States, and Germany are rated freest.

Azerbaijan, Libya, Pakistan, and Russia were among the nations considered «particularly vulnerable to deterioration in the coming months.»

According to Kelly, Baku is beginning to implement sophisticated surveillance of the Internet and authorities are stepping up their harassment of bloggers. It may be a sign of things to come.

«When the Internet Governance Forum, which will take place in a couple of months [November 6-9] in Baku, is over, I think the strong sense is that the authorities will not have to hold back because the international attention is not going to be on them and they’re going to pursue some of these measures more harshly,» said Kelly.

Despite the negative trends, Freedom House also says pushback by civil society and technology companies have also increased, with a «victory» reported in half of the countries surveyed. For example, proposals for national firewall in Pakistan were defeated after protest by civil society.

Richard Solash, RFE/RL

Источник: http://www.rferl.org/content/freedom-house-says-online-repression-increasing-diversifying/24717793.h

Photographers who work in conflict situations can apply for a grant.

The Aftermath Project is offering a US$20,000 grant for photographers who tell the other half of the story of conflict — the story of what it takes for individuals to learn to live again, to rebuild destroyed lives and homes, to restore civil societies and to address the lingering wounds of war while struggling to create new avenues for peace.

Proposals may relate to the aftermath of numerous kinds of conflict. The conflict may have been at the community level — for example, violence between rural ethnic groups or an urban riot in an industrialized country. It may have been a regional one, such as a rebel insurgency, or it may have been a full-scale war. There is no specific time frame that defines “aftermath,” although the project generally seeks to support stories that are no longer being covered by the mainstream media, or which have been ignored by the media.

Proposals should include an explanation of the specific aftermath issues related to the project being proposed, as well as an overview of the applicant’s plans for covering the story during the course of the grant year.

The deadline for submissions is November 5.

For more information, download a .PDF file here: http://www.theaftermathproject.org/pdf/2013LetterApFinal.pdf

http://www.theaftermathproject.org/pdf/2013LetterApFinal.pdf

Journalists interested in learning more about LinkedIn can attend this free online training session.

LinkedIn is offering a tutorial and a free one-year upgrade to LinkedIn Executive. The 35-minute session will take place on October 3 at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

The tutorial will be hosted by Krista Canfield, senior manager of corporate communications for LinkedIn.

The session and access to LinkedIn Executive is available to all professional journalists and members of the media. To join the session, participants must be logged in to their LinkedIn account. LinkedIn will provide a call-in number, depending on where participants are located.

For more information, click here: http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Next-LinkedIn-Journalists-training-is-3753151.S.160253604?qid=48c6aedf-0586-4abe-bd41-206a44d16f27&trk=group_most_popular-mc-rr-ttl&goback=%2Egmp_3753151

http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Next-LinkedIn-Journalists-training-is-3753151.S.160253604?qid=48c6aed

Journalists, scholars and practitioners worldwide who are interested in public policy can apply for a fellowship.

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is accepting applications for its 9-month residential fellowship program in Washington, D.C.

Fellows will conduct research and write in their areas of interest, while interacting with policymakers, Wilson Center staff and other scholars in residence. The center accepts policy-relevant, non-advocacy fellowship proposals that address key challenges confronting the United States and the world.

Fellowships include a maximum stipend of US$85,000 and 75 percent of health insurance premiums for fellows who elect center coverage, along with travel to and from the fellowship location.

The application deadline is October 1 at 11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

For more information, click here: http://www.wilsoncenter.org/fellowships-grants

http://www.wilsoncenter.org/fellowships-grants

Tajik customs officials say they are holding equipment from Iran that reportedly is meant for a joint Persian-language television project.

The Customs Service says the equipment is at their depot in Dushanbe.

They say no duties are required if the gear is for use by the Iranian Embassy.

Otherwise, they say customs duties must be paid by Iran.

Earlier, the Iranian Embassy in Dushanbe said a $400,000 customs fee was set for the import of equipment costing $2.5 million.

The launch of the joint television channel has been postponed several times since the presidents of Afghanistan, Iran, and Tajikistan agreed on the project in 2006.

People in Iran, Tajikistan, and many parts of Afghanistan can understand each other because they all speak dialects of Persian.

http://www.rferl.org/content/tajik-customs-agents-hold-iranian-gear-for-joint-tv-project/24707173.ht

ORAL, Kazakhstan — One of Kazakhstan’s most prominent independent journalists, Lukpan Akhmedyarov, has gone on trial in his native western city of Oral.

A local policeman filed a lawsuit against Akhmedyarov saying his reputation was damaged by the journalist’s article and demanded 3 million tenges ($19,700) from Akhmedyarov as compensation.

Akhmedyarov, a correspondent for the «Uralskaya nedelya» weekly in Oral, survived a vicious attack by unknown assailants who stabbed him and shot him with a pneumatic pistol in April.

He was later found guilty of insulting a local official in West Kazakhstan Oblast and ordered to pay the official 5 million tenges ($32,800).

Akhmedyarov says the attack and lawsuit against him were politically motivated.

Last month, Akhmedyarov won the prestigious international Peter Mackler Award for Courageous and Ethical Journalism.

http://www.rferl.org/content/kazakh-journalist-attack-survivor-tried-for-libel-again/24706288.html

Professional and amateur photographers worldwide can enter this contest.

The Freedom of Information Advocates Network is accepting submissions for its 10th Right to Know Day Photo Contest, which will celebrate Right to Know Day on September 28.

Anyone who feels able to illustrate the right to information, transparency, accountability and openness through photography can participate.

The jury will award three prizes, for a total of EUR?1,000 (roughly US$1,260), made available by the Open Society Institute. The first-place winner will receive EUR?500 (about US$630), the second-place winner will receive EUR?300 (about US$380) and the third-place winner will receive EUR?200 (about US$250).

The submission deadline is September 12.

For more information, click here: http://www.foiadvocates.net/

http://www.foiadvocates.net/