Press Communiqué
Freedom of Speech in Tajikistan in 2010
Dushanbe, 14 February 2011
The Tajik National Association of Independent Mass Media (NANSMIT) summarized the monitoring data in the area of the freedom of speech in Tajikistan in 2010. During the reporting period, the Association registered 248 reports reflecting activities of the media and journalists in Tajikistan. Out of these reports, 138 describe the factual situation in the media in terms of social, legal and political aspects; 58 inform about direct violations of rights among journalists and the media; and 52 inform about conflicts and accusations against the media and journalists.
The issues of access to information and claims on protection of honor and dignity remain relevant for the Tajik media. In 2010, NANSMIT monitoring service registered 32 cases of limited access to information and 42 cases on protection of honor and dignity.
In 2010, the Tajik courts investigated 9 cases involving journalists and the media. The most juicy scandal was the lawsuit of three judges of the Supreme Court and the Dushanbe City Court against the three Tajik periodicals – Asia Plus, Ozodagon, and Farazh. It was related to the so called “Isfara Case”, which raised a big feedback in the society. In November 2010, the Tajik law enforcement authorities arrested a correspondent of the Nuri Zindagi weekly, Makhmadyusuf Ismoilov. This case is related to the journalist’s professional activities, and it is seen as an unprecedented in the history of the Tajik journalism.
On 16 June 2010, the Ismoili Somoni District Court in Dushanbe opened its first session on the case of Zarina Abdulvokhidova, a correspondent of the Ovozi Tojik Radio. The case concerned the journalist’s demotion in the office and a moral compensation. On 18 June, the court ruled in favor of the journalist ordering to reinstate her in the previous position. The court also obliged the TV & Radio Committee to reimburse her a particular amount for the illegal demotion. That was the first successful case when a media professional managed to protect his/her rights.
The case of the Paykon weekly was investigated in cassational procedure in the Dushanbe City Court; however, the result was unfavorable for the newspaper. The two cases – against the Asia Plus weekly and the Sughd weekly finished in favor of the newspapers.
In May 2010, the chief editor of the Tojikiston weekly Sharifi Khamdampur was arrested by the police in Ainy district. Allegedly, the reason for the incident was the journalist’s photo shooting at the Varzob district road tolling plaza.
Amendments and changes in the Tajik media legislation developed by the Tajik parliamentarians Olim Salimzod and Akramsho Felaliev are approved by the government and sent to the parliament for further consideration. In this regard, Tajik journalists got involved in the process of discussion of the draft law in order to use their chance to improve the media legislation and environment.
The first daily newspaper – Imruz News – came out off press on 30 August. Since the early 1990-s, there have not been any daily papers; after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the beginning of the civil war in Tajikistan the newspapers became weeklies, and many of them ceased to exist at all.
The forth quarter of 2010 signalized new concerns in the Tajik media: limited access to information, blocking of access to online resources, pressure on private newspapers, and the refusal of printing facilities to provide their services to the weeklies Farazh, Paykon, and Nigokh.
On 27 September 2010, heads of the Tajik independent mass media and media organizations issued a statement condemning the actions of the Ministry of Defense discrediting the private media. They expressed concern over a TV program produced by the Ministry’s press center regarding the events in Rasht valley, where the non-state media were accused of disseminating “provocative materials”. In response to that statement, the Minister, General Khairullaev accused the media of assisting terrorists.
On 29 September, deputy Minister of Transport and Communications, Bek Zukhurov ordered the main Tajik Internet service providers to block access to several online resources, namely, Avesta.tj, Tjknews.com, Centrasia.ru и Ferghana.ru. In response to the limitation of the freedom of speech, chief editors of a number of the Tajik non-state media and heads of media organizations created the Committee to Protect Professional Rights and called it “The 29 September Committee”. It was created with the purpose of developing a strategy for the Tajik media community, rehabilitation of the rights of media professionals and coordination of activities targeted to stabilizing the media environment.
“The analysis of the freedom of speech in Tajikistan shows that violations of rights among journalists remain latent since the sources, in view of subjective reasons, are reluctant to share information on that, — said Nuriddin Karshibaev, chairman of NANSMIT. — However, the collected data enables experts to make their objective conclusions about both positive and negative developments in the Tajik media environment in 2010”.
For additional information, you can approach Mr. Abdufattokh Vokhidov, coordinator of NANSMIT monitoring service: 34 Khuseinzoda St., Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Tel/fax: (992 37) 221-37-11, 223-09-68; e-mail: coordinator@nansmit.tj
www.nansmit.tj