Freedom of Speech in Tajikistan

August 2013

In August 2013, the Monitoring Service received 26 reports. Fourteen of them describe the factual situation in the media in the light of social, legal and political environment; six reports describe direct violations of rights of media professionals; and six reports describe conflicts and accusations against the media and journalists.

 

I. POLITICAL, SOCIAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGAL ENVIRONMENT DEFINING THE FACTUAL SITUATION IN THE MEDIA

1. Statements and actions of public officials defining the factual status of the mass media

30 August

Gaibullo Avazov, head of administration, Khatlon province

Head of the Khatlon province administration Gaibullo Avazov visited the printing facility in Vosse district.

According to Najot Safarzoda, the editor of the local newspaper Gulkhani Vose, the official promised to render logistical assistance to the facility and purchase modern printing equipment.

Safarzoda considers that the printing house in Vose district could accommodate other periodicals in the province providing them with services at a good level.

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

6 August

Asia Plus, media group, Dushanbe

The page of the Asia Plus media group on Facebook has gained five thousand “likes” by 6-th August. Asia Plus is within the ten most popular media resources on Tajikistan on Facebook.

According to the portal Socialbakers.com, the most popular are the web page of the US embassy in Dushanbe (43 thousand “likes”), the T-Cell mobile phone company (5,5 thousand “likes”), and the Asia Plus media group.

The Asia Plus’s FB page has more than 500 constant members participating in discussions.

According to independent monitors, the number of FB users is Tajikistan has reached 52 thousand.

7 August

Ruzi Nav weekly, Dushanbe

The private Tajik weekly Ruzi Nav has celebrated its 10-th anniversary.

The newspaper was closed by the authorities in 2004. Rajabi Mirzo, the editor of Ruzi Nav told the monitoring service that so far, the authorities have not explained the reason for the closure of the periodical. “Maybe, we will republish that particular issue – the one, which was printed in Bishkek in 2004 and confiscated at the Dushanbe airport upon arrival”, — he said.

12 August

TV Safo, Moscow

The first Tajik-language TV station started broadcasting in Russia.

Temur Varky, the editor of TV Safo told the monitoring service that the programs in Russian and Tajik are available through the Hotbird satellite – 11585/27500.

The editor explained that the new TV station is founded by representatives of the Tajik ethnic and business diasporas in Russia.

In summer 2012, a group of Tajik entrepreneurs in Moscow set up an online radio station called Mukhojir; its targeted audience is labor migrants.

13 August

Khamrokhon Zarifi, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dushanbe

The minister of foreign affairs of Tajikistan Khamrokhon Zarifi told the media that somebody has launched his fake page on Facebook.

“The owner of that account copied data from my timeline and placed it on his page. At present, the fake account sends out “friend requests”. I would like to ask the people to be careful and ignore the requests”, — the minister said.

Observers note that fake accounts in social networks are quite popular in Tajikistan. One can easily find a page of “Emomali Rakhmon”, “Rakhmatillo Zoirov”, Khojiakbar Turajonzoda” and a number of other politicians and spiritual leaders on Facebook.

14 August

Radio Asia Plus, Khujand, Sughd province

On 14 August, Radio Asia Plus started broadcasting in the northern city of Khujand, the administrative center of Sughd province.

The broadcasting covers Khujand and its satellite cities and settlements – Zafarabad, Chkalovsk and Bobojon-Gafurov district.

Asia Plus received technical support from the Babylon-T company. The potential audience in that region is 600 thousand listeners. At present, the total estimated audience of Asia Plus in the capital and its suburbs is about one million. Another estimated 500-600 thousand listeners reside in Khatlon province (Kurgan-Tube, Sarband, Vakhsh, Rumi and Bokhtar).

Asia Plus, the first independent radio company in Tajikistan, broadcasts in the 24/7 mode on the FM scale.

15 August

Jumkhuriyat, the government printing outlet, Dushanbe

The president of Tajikistan Emomali Rakhmon gave an errand to the government to make proper arrangements for the daily issuing of the Jumkhuriyat newspaper, the government’s official printing body.

Atoi Mirkhoja, the editor of Jumkhuriyat told the monitoring service that starting from January 2014 the periodical will be published five days a week.

19 August

Radio Mukhojir, Moscow

The media company Tajinfo has purchased a popular online radio channel Mukhojir.

The manager of Tajinfo Gufron vakhobov told the media that the procurement of the online radio channel implies further registration of the medium at the federal state body with potential rebranding.

According to the Tajik journalist Abubakri Faizali, Radio Mukhojir intends to reorient itself towards information-analytical programs, including consultative and legal talk shows for the target audience – Tajik labor migrants working in the Russian Federation.

At present, the online radio Mukhojir is available among the users of the Android-based devices (smartphones).

3. Journalists protecting their rights

14 August

All media, Dushanbe

The Tajik National Association of Independent Mass Media conducts a series of training sessions on the topic of “Strategic planning in the media”.

The first seminar was held on 11-13 August for journalists and media managers from Dushanbe and the southern regions of Tajikistan. Participants discussed various aspects of media strategies and the roles of stakeholders in the process of planning. At practical sessions, participants developed planning priorities for the media – both printing and electronic. The main sessions were conducted by Mark Beckerman from the UK-based organization Media Action.

The seminars are conducted within the frameworks of the project “Management in the Media and Safety of Journalistic Creative Activities in Tajikistan” financed by the Democracy Commission under the US embassy in Dushanbe.

17 August

All media, Khujand, Sughd province

On 14-16 August NANSMIT conducted a training session on the topic of “Strategic planning in the media” in the northern city of Khujand, Sughd province.

The seminar was attended by editors of local and regional newspapers, TV and radio companies.

23 August

All media, Dushanbe

The Tajik authorities have to purchase and distribute satellite dishes among ethnic Uzbeks residing in certain areas of Tajikistan.

According to the Tojnews.tj news agencies, administrations of some districts in Khatlon province, southern Tajikistan are interested in maintaining “information security” among the people, i.e. residents of those areas have no access to the Tajik state television. Sadullo Beknazarov, chairman of Kabodiyon district in Khatlon province told the news agency that the authorities have given satellite aerials to five thousand Uzbek families, and are going to purchase and distribute another five thousand satellite dishes to ensure access to the state TV for the residents.

26 August

Tajik Media Council, Dushanbe

The Media Council of Tajikistan issued an appeal addressed to all media professionals calling them to strictly observe ethical standards, especially during the presidential election campaign.

27 August

Asia Plus weekly, Dushanbe

The Tajik independent weekly Asia Plus and her editor Olga Tutubalina took a legal action against the claimants in the case “the Tajik intelligentsia against Asia Plus and Olga Tutubalina”.

In May 2013, Asia Plus published an article by Tutubalina where she expressed her personal opinion about certain representatives of the so-called Tajik intelligentsia”. The author criticized “intellectuals” for the absence of opinion, subservience and adoration of the authorities, and disregard for social, economic and political problems in the country. In response, the Tajik Academy of Sciences and several government-controlled creative unions decided to sue the newspaper and its editor; they also demanded monetary compensation for “moral damage”.

The lawyer of Asia Plus told the media that the intelligentsia’s lawsuit is ungrounded and illegal. “The author’s opinion reflects her own analytical thinking; it is based on personal opinions, thoughts and persuasions. Journalists cannot be persecuted for expressing their thoughts. Moreover, nothing is said in Tutubalina’s articles about any of the claimants; no particular names are mentioned in her publication”, — the lawyer said.

The lawyer also added that the claimants have no authority to act on behalf of the Tajik intelligentsia.

II. VIOLATION OF RIGHTS IN THE MEDIA

1. Ungrounded limitation in access to information

1 August

Association of Internet providers, Dushanbe

The Tajik National Association of the Internet Providers sent an official letter to Beg Zukhurov, head of the government Communications Service with a request to unblock access to the YouTube video hosting.

Youtube has been blocked since early June in Tajikistan. Experts see a relation between the blocking and the video filmed at a wedding party of the Tajik president’s son, Rustami Emomali. For a short period of time, the video had gotten half-a-million of clicks.

Asomiddin Atoyev, chairman of the Internet Providers’ Association told the media that a copy of this letter was also sent to the Secretariat on Information-communication Technologies under the President’s Office.

August, 13

All media, Dushanbe

The Tajik National Bank and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade decided not to share information about the Tajik labor migrants’ remittances from abroad.

In July, these tow government institutions stated that in the future, they are not going to publish data about foreign remittances. Public officials explained that “this particular move is caused by the desire to avoid excessive politicization of reports about the remittances coming from abroad”. In their opinion, these data are often used as an argument to rebuke the Tajik authorities for “dependence and over-reliance on Tajik labor migrants”.

21 August

TV Safo, Moscow

Temur Varky, editor of the Moscow-based TV Safo told the Tojnews agency that the Tajik authorities have started jamming the TV channel on the territory of Tajikistan.

TV Safo started broadcasting on 8 August 2013.

26 August

Dodojon Atovulloev, leader of the Vatandor political movement, Moscow

Dodojon Atovulloev, the leader of the political movement Vatandor publishe a personal statement on Facebook expressing protest against the violation of basic rights in Tajikistan – namely the right to access to information. Atovulloev claims that the Tajik communications agency jams the K Plus TV broadcasting from the territory of Russia in a satellite mode.

“These actions are the violation of constitutional rights; this is a manifestation of disregard for the international standards and rules of information exchange”, — the author said.

In this regard, the Vatandor movement called diplomatic missions accredited in Dushanbe to paying closer attention to the rude violation of the international and domestic legislation and suppression of civil rights”.

2. Violation of labor rights

20 August

Abdukayum Auybzod, journalist, Dushanbe

The cassational court in Dushanbe dismissed the complaint of Abdukayumi Ayubzod, the former correspondent of Radio Ozodi who asked the court to restore him to his labor rights.

The court denied the request. The journalist’s lawyer told the media that his client is going to appeal to a higher judicial instance.

III. CONFLICTS, VIOLATIONS, ACCUSATIONS AGAINST THE MEDIA

1. Protection of honor, dignity and business reputation

15 August

Olga Tutubalina, Asia Plus weekly, Dushanbe

Representatives of the so-called Tajik intelligentsia (government-controlled creative unions) filed a lawsuit against the Asia Plus weekly and its editor Olga Tutubalina.

The claimants demand a moral compensation in the amount of 200 thousand Somoni for the article, in which the author criticized Tajik “intellectuals” for their attitude to social, economic and political problems in the country. The claimants stated that the money received as the “moral compensation” will be donated to orphanages.

On 27 August, the Firdavsi district court held preliminary hearings on the claim of the Tajik Academy of Sciences, the Union of Writers, the Union of Artists, the Union of Composers and the Union of Architects, as well as three individuals.

Shukhrat Kudratov, the lawyer representing the interests of Asia Plus and Olga Tutubalina told the media that the lawsuit contradicts the national Civil-procedural Code.

2. Requirement to observe the national media legislation

12 August

Najot weekly, PIRT, Dushanbe

On 7 August, the Tajik Ministry of Culture sent a warning to the Najor weekly, a periodical belonging to the Rarty of Islamic Renaissance of Tajikistan (PIRT).

The letter addressed to Khikmatullo Saifullozoda, the editor of Najot accuses the newspaper of publishing slanderous information. The minister culture warned that he reserves the right to approach the Ministry of Justice (the body in charge of registration of the media) and solicit the Ministry’s decision on revoking Najot’s registration as a medium.

The editor Saifullozoda told the media that the minister’s warning is caused by the recent article titled “Khorog…”. The editor considers that the publication of this article does not contradict the Tajik media legislation, and the Ministry exerts pressure groundlessly.

3. Accusation of religious extremism

20 August

Dodojon Atovulloev, journalist, Tbilisi, Georgia

The Tajik opposition activist Dodojon Atovulloev was detained at the Tbilisi airport following the Interpol warrant.

According to the Asia Plus news agency, Atovulloev is accused by the Tajiik authorities of religious extremism and terrorism. Atovulloev, the leader of the Vatandor political movement, told the media that he came to Georgia from Prague to hold meetings with certain politicians.

On 15 July 2013, Atovulloev was detained at the Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow upon arrival from Prague. After a few hours, he was released and returned back to Prague.

4. Demand to refute inadequate information

1 August

Muhiddin Kabiri, PIRT, Dushanbe

The leader of the Party of Islamic Renaissance of Tajikistan (PIRT) Muhiddin Kabiri send an official letter to Asadullo Rakhmonov, head of the government Broadcasting Committee. Kabiri demands official refutation of inadequate information disseminated through the government electronic mass media.

The letter says that the Tajik official TV and radio companies conduct a big-scale anti-PIRT campaign accompanied by libel and insults.

“These actions are unlawful, and they can undermine the national unity, peace and accord in the country”, — the letter says.

In his letter, referring to the Tajik laws “On political parties” and “On mass media”, Kabiri demands to create proper conditions for PIRT officials to publically refute the insulting accusations.

7 August

The government Broadcasting Committee, Dushanbe

Responding to the letter of Mukhiddin Kabiri, the government Broadcasting Committee said that “the state television does not conduct any “anti-PIRT propaganda”, and refused to provide broadcasting time to the opposition party.

The letter signed by Saidali Siddikov, the first deputy chairman of the Committee, says that the government electrocin media did not defame PIRT. Siddikov noted that PIRT refers to recent TV programs involving the national spiritual leaders. “Participants of those TV shows expressed their personal opinions using their constitutional rights…”, — the official said in his written response.

The Broadcasting Committee stressed that the TV companies cannot bear responsibility for individual opinions expressed in TV shows; thus, they cannot provide the floor for refutations.

 

BAKU — The U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan has criticized what it calls «disgusting personal attacks» against Khadija Ismayilova, an RFE/RL investigative journalist and talk-show host in Baku.

In a statement, the embassy urged Azerbaijan’s government to complete «a legitimate investigation» into the intimidation, blackmail, and harassment of Ismayilova.

It said the «ongoing, targeted harassment» of Ismayilova was «appalling and must stop.»

It also said a legitimate investigation would demonstrate «Azerbaijan is concerned about reporters’ rights and safety, upholding the rule of law, and promoting an ethical and robust media environment» during the 2013 presidential election campaign.

Ismayilova has been the target of a personal smear campaign by pro-government media and websites in Azerbaijan since March 2012, shortly after her investigative reports exposed high-level government corruption in Baku.

http://www.rferl.org/content/azerbaijan-ismayilova-harassment-us/25089769.html

DUSHANBE — A Tajik court has handed down short-term jail sentences to family members and supporters of a detained opposition figure a day after they organized a rally calling for his freedom. 

Four sons and a son-in-law of Zayd Saidov were found guilty of undermining public order during the rally, and were sentenced to five days in prison each by a Dushanbe district court on August 29.

More than 50 people took part in the Dushanbe rally on August 28.

Saidov, a wealthy businessman and opposition figure, was arrested on May 19 on bribery, rape, and polygamy charges.

He denies the indictments and says he is being persecuted for his decision to set up a new political party.

Presenting his party’s program in April, Saidov had criticized the government for «inefficient reforms» and «widespread corruption.»

ALMATY, Kazakhstan — An independent newspaper in Kazakhstan has lost its appeal against its suspension. 

On August 22, the Almaty City Court upheld the decision to halt the operations of «Pravdivaya gazeta» (The Truthful Newspaper) for three months.

Earlier this month, the Almaty Administrative Court suspended the newspaper, saying that the periodical’s editors had failed to correctly report its circulation numbers.

The weekly newspaper’s editors say the court’s decision is politically motivated.

In April, officers from the city’s Interior Policies Department confiscated the newspaper’s first issue.

The authorities cited a «failure to clearly show exact publication dates in registration documents.»

Also in April, the European Parliament adopted a resolution criticizing Astana for failing to respect political, media, and religious freedoms.

Kazakh authorities banned dozens of opposition and independent media outlets in December for carrying what Kazakh authorities deemed «extremist content.»

http://www.rferl.org/content/kazakhstan-gazeta-newspaper-suspended/25082848.html

London-based rights group Amnesty International is expressing concern over the fate of a Tajik citizen reportedly detained in Uzbekistan.

In a statement issued on August 21, the group said that Abdumavlon Abdurakhmonov, 38, has been detained without access to his family since April.

His family fears that he is at risk of being subjected to torture and other abuse.

Abdurakhmonov’s ex-wife in Uzbekistan called his relatives in Tajikistan after he visited her and their child in April and said Uzbek security officers had taken him away without any explanation.

Tajik officials later received an official statement from the Uzbek Foreign Ministry denying that Abdurakhmonov had been detained.

The Tajikistan’s ombudsman has not received a reply from his Uzbek counterpart to his letter requesting assistance in the matter.

http://www.rferl.org/content/uzbekistan-tajik-citizen-detained-amnesty/25082830.html

Acorrespondent with Kazakhstan’s independent «Svoboda Slova» («Freedom of Speech») newspaper has been severely beaten by unknown attackers in the northwestern city of Aqtobe. 

The Almaty-based media rights organization, Adil Soz (A Just Word), announced on August 21 that Igor Larra was assaulted by four men who beat him with a metal rod.

Larra said he sustained wounds to his scalp and lost consciousness after the attack late on August 20.

He said the assailants did not take his wallet or any of his journalistic equipment.

Larra believes the attack is connected with his recent reports criticizing the Aqtobe region’s governor.

He managed to reach police station after being beaten, and he reported the incident.

Larra said the police promised to contact him on August 21 and arrange a medical examination, but this did not materialize.

Based on reporting by adilsoz.kz and Interfax

http://www.rferl.org/content/kazakhstan-journalist-beaten/25082020.html

Georgian authorities have released opposition Tajik journalist Dodojon Atovulloev. 

Atovulloev was detained on August 20 upon arrving at Tbilisi’s airport.

Atovulloev told RFE/RL by telephone on August 21 that he was released several hours after his detention and is currently back in Germany, where he has political asylum.

Atovulloev said that, after he arrived in Georgia from the Czech Republic, he was told that he was wanted by Tajik authorities, who accuse him of extremism and terrorism.

The Paris-based international media rights group, Reporters Without Borders, urged Georgian authorities to immediately release Atovulloev, calling the request by Tajik authorities politically motivated.

Atovulloev is well-known for his reports that are critical of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and members of his family.

Last month, he was denied entry at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, where he also arrived from Prague.

http://www.rferl.org/content/georgia-tajik-journalist-released-/25081773.html

By Heather Maher

The Kremlin-funded network Russia Today (RT) abruptly pulled an American journalist off the air for talking about the Russian government’s antigay laws instead of the topic at hand. 

The drama unfolded as James Kirchick, a gay journalist who has written for «The New Republic,» and «The Washington Post,» among other publications (includingRFE/RL), was being interviewed from Stockholm by the Moscow-based television station for a panel discussion about U.S. Army Private Bradley Manning.

When the host turned to Kirchick for his thoughts, he pulled on a pair of rainbow-colored suspenders and quoted the American playwright and actor Harvey Fierstein as saying, «Being silent in the face of evil is something we can’t do.»

«You know, being here on a Kremlin-funded propaganda network, I’m going to wear my gay-pride suspenders and I’m going to speak out against the horrific antigay legislation that Vladimir Putin has signed into law, that was passed unanimously by the Russian Duma, that criminalizes homosexual propaganda, that effectively makes it illegal for people to talk about homosexuality in public,» Kirchick says.

The puzzled RT host responds, «Yes..?» and Kirchick continues, saying, «We’ve seen a spate of violent attacks on gay people…» before the host jumps in again to suggest they get back to the discussion about Manning.

«I’m not really interested in talking about Bradley Manning. I’m interested in talking about the horrific environment of homophobia in Russia right now,» Kirchick says. «And to let the Russian gay people know that they have friends and allies and solidarity from people all over the world, and that we’re not going to be silent in the face of this horrific repression that is perpetrated by your paymasters, by Vladimir Putin. That’s what I’m here to talk about.»

A Russian law aimed at blocking «homosexual propaganda» that went into effect last month «bars the public discussion of gay rights and relationships anywhere children might hear it.»

For more than two minutes, Kirchick dominated the live broadcast, at one point telling the sputtering anchorwoman, «You have 24 hours a day to lie about America, I am going to tell the truth with my two minutes.»

He also got in a swipe at the hostile media environment in Russia, saying he doesn’t know how employees of RT can sleep at night, «knowing how journalists in Russia are routinely harassed, tortured, and in some cases, killed by the Russian government.»

Reached afterward by RFE/RL at the Stockholm airport where he was about to board a plane to Tallinn, Kirchick said he normally didn’t agree to appear on networks like RT, which he called «propaganda channels of dictatorial governments.»

«But I thought, because of what’s going on in Russia right now, that this would be a really good way to draw attention to this cause,» he explained.

No More Taxi Ride

Kirchick said that after RT producers in Moscow abruptly cut off his audio feed, he headed to the airport in a prearranged taxi that the station agreed to pay for as part of his appearance agreement.

«So about halfway down the highway on the way to the airport, my driver gets a phone call from his boss, saying that the car ride has been canceled and that he’ll have to drop me off on the side of the road,» Kirchick said.

«And I told him that I would pick up the tab. But at the end, actually, at the airport, he said that the ride was free, so maybe we have some anti-Putin activists in the Swedish taxi company.»

He said RT didn’t explain their actions but did call him to tell him his ride was being canceled. Kirchick said he used «adult language and told them where to put it.»

RT bureaus in Moscow and Washington did not respond to e-mailed requests for comment.

The journalist said he planned to keep speaking out on against Russia’s antigay law, and added that he would «encourage anyone who goes on RT to hijack the forum» and do the same.

http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-today-kirchick-gay-law/25082432.html

Reporters Without Borders calls on the Georgian authorities to quickly release Dodojon Atovulloyev, a well-known Tajik journalist and government opponent who was detained shortly after landing at Tbilisi airport at 3:40 p.m. today. Atovulloyev says the Georgian police arrested him on an Interpol warrant.

“Under no circumstances should Atovulloyev be handed over to the Tajik authorities,” Reporters Without Borders said. “Germany has granted him refugee status. His enforced return to Tajikistan would violate the international convention on refugee rights.

“The Tajik government has for years been using all kinds of means to get its hands on this journalist. The arrest warrant that it apparently sent to Interpol is just its latest scheme.”

A leading opponent of President Emomali Rakhmon’s government, Atovulloyev is also the founder and editor of the Tajik monthly Charogi Ruz(Daylight), independent Tajikistan’s first privately-owned newspaper, which is well-known for its fierce criticism of the regime.

Atovulloyev fled Tajikistan in 2001 after receiving death threats and being the repeated target of judicial proceedings.

Persecution of the government’s opponents in exile has been growing in the run-up to presidential elections scheduled for November. Umarali Quvvatov was briefly detained in Dubai last December. Former Prime Minister Abdumalik Abdullajanov was arrested in Kiev in February, while Atovulloyev survived a murder attempt in Moscow in January 2012.

Last month, Atovulloyev was denied entry to Russia, where Charogi Ruz is now produced. The media recently reported that pressure was being put on his 83-year-old mother in an attempt to force him to return to Tajikistan.

Atovulloyev nowadays hosts a weekly programme on K+, an independent Central Asian TV station, which has raised his profile in Tajikistan even more.

“My K+ programme is really irritating the Rakhmon government,” he told Reporters Without Borders by phone. “I am currently at the airport but I am being treated well. I cannot complain about the Georgian police, who are just doing their duty as regards Georgia’s membership of Interpol.”

Reporters Without Borders, a Paris-based international media-rights group, has called on the Georgian authorities to quickly release a prominent Tajik opposition journalist. 

Dodojon Atovulloev told RFE/RL by phone that he was stopped at passport control on August 20 and is being held in Tbilisi’s airport after arriving from the Czech Republic.

Atovulloev said he was told he was detained at the request of Tajik authorities, who accuse him of extremism and terrorism.

Atovulloev is well-known for his reports that are critical of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and members of his family.

Reporters Without Borders said on August 20 the Tajik authorities’ request to arrest him was politically motivated.

Last month, Atovulloev was denied entry at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, where he also arrived from Prague.

Atovulloev, who has lived in the Russian capital for the last 20 years, survived an apparent assassination attempt last year.

He was stabbed several times in a Moscow restaurant.

He believes the attack was connected with his journalistic work.

http://www.rferl.org/content/tajikistan—journalist-atovulloev-held-tbilisi/25080471.html