DUSHANBE — Facebook and several independent news websites remain blocked in Tajikistan, and an official has suggested the cutoff may be linked to potential national security concerns.

Access by Tajiks to Facebook and the Russian-language sites centrasia.ru, tjk.news.com, zvezda.ru, and maxala.org has been cut off since March 3, apparently in response to an order from the state communications agency.

Tajikistan’s representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), said in a statement that Internet sites and media have to be «accountable» for their actions.

The statement, from envoy Nuriddin Shamsov, also said government has a duty to provide national security and «combat cybercrimes.»

Earlier this week, the OSCE called on Tajikistan to end the Internet blocks, calling the development «worrying.»

With Asia Plus reporting

Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty

Источник: http://www.rferl.org/content/tajik_envoy_osce_cites_crime_facebook_news_sites_still_blocked/24510537

An online social network for Muslims around the globe? That’s how Salamworld, a private firm with origins in former Soviet republics, promotes itself.

Salamworld says that when it goes online in August, it will be unlike Facebook or other social networks because it will be «halal» compliant — in accordance with Islamic principles.

Salamworld also plans to provide Islamic content to its users — including an online Islamic library, podcasts of sermons by Islamic scholars, and video games created «by Muslims for Muslims.»

With its first offices at Moscow’s Islamic Cultural Center and in Cairo, and with a new headquarters in Istanbul, Salamworld says it wants to attract 30 million Muslim users within three years.

But some Muslims express concerns about Salamworld’s apparent links to Moscow and governments of other former Soviet republics. They also want to know who provided the firm’s $50 million in start-up capital — still undisclosed despite company pledges to eventually release the names of what it says are «private businessmen in Kazakhstan.»

Afghans have an inherent distrust for any Moscow-linked project purporting to be Islamic, says Noori Wali, who heads Afghan German Online, a website for expatriate Afghans around the world.

«As a Muslim and as an Afghan, I think it is a plot that by no means would benefit Islam,» Wali says. «On the contrary, it would damage Islam. Using the ways they have known over the years, they want to spoil Islam and damage its reputation.»

Azerbaijan’s «donkey blogger,» Adnan Hajizada, who was imprisoned for a year on hooliganism charges after satirizing Azerbaijan’s government in 2009, says he has heard fears expressed about who is behind Salamworld.

«I still think it is a business project, but I also heard from some Muslims on Facebook that they are not going to join the Salamworld network because they fear this is a network created by some forces that want to identify active Muslims in different parts of the world and, later, do surveillance on them, or persecute them, or things of that sort,» Hajizada says. «However, I do not possess any proof [of that.]»

Kremlin Connections

The identities of Salamworld’s executives is the source of much of the concern. The company’s director-general is Abdul-Vahed Niyazov, who also heads the Moscow-based Islamic Cultural Center, a public division of Russia’s official Council of Muftis, a Kremlin-linked body.

An ethnic Tatar, Niyazov has a long history of ties to the Russian authorities and was elected to the State Duma in 1999 as a member of the Unity bloc, which later became Prime Minister and President-elect Vladimir Putin’s ruling United Russia party.

He has spent the past year trying to build support among Muslim leaders around the world. Traveling across North Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Niyazov has won support from authorities like Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Said Aqil Siraj, the leader of Indonesia’s largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama.

Niyazov declined to speak to RFE/RL, referring questions about Salamworld’s «no politics» policy to his spokesman, Yavuz Selim Kurt, who insists the firm is apolitical and has no government ties or agenda.

«We say no politics. This means no politics for us. We are not in favor of any party. We are neutral. Everyone may express themselves freely, but Salamworld is not [getting involved] in any political discussion,» Kurt says.

«We are just providing a service for users. They may have political ideas. They may express themselves freely,» he adds. «However, we will have some criteria. There will not be any [promotion of] violence. There will not be any terrorist statements or expressions, and there will not be anything against humanity and human rights.»

Pushing ‘Official Islam’?

Salamworld’s vice president, Akhmed Azimov moved from his native city of Makhachkala, capital of Russia’s republic of Daghestan, in 1998 to study at St. Petersburg State University. He moved to Moscow after completing his studies in St. Petersburg, and now serves as the vice president of the Council on Nationalities Affairs under Moscow’s municipal government. He also coordinates the Expert Board of the Russian Council of Muftis.

Elcin Asgarov, an Azerbaijani citizen who is a Salamworld board member, also has government ties. Until last year he served as deputy chairman of Baku’s State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations, the body that supervises religion in Azerbaijan.

In that government post, Asgarov worked against the politicization of Islam, using the parliament’s official newspaper to accuse the Islamic Party of Azerbaijan and its leadership of «sabotage against our nation and statehood» after they had criticized President Ilham Aliyev and had protested a ban on head scarves in schools.

Working for Salamworld, Asgarov traveled to Iran last year to discuss cooperation with the offices of the Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi, and with Iran’s ministries of Communication, Youth, and Sports. Kurt says the firm now plans to open a Tehran office.

Salamworld’s leadership also includes other prominent Muslims and businessmen from Russia, Azerbaijan, Daghestan, and former Soviet republics in Central Asia.

The chief editor of the website’s Islamic content is Elmir Guliyev, author of a Russian interpretation of the Koran. Russia’s Council of Muftis has also signed a memorandum of understanding with Salamworld.

…Or Infiltration?

There’s a rich history of government infiltration into technology companies, notes Simon Davies, a fellow at the London School of Economics and director of Privacy International, either by starting companies that achieve market status or by gaining a controlling interest, because of national security interests.

The Kremlin associations of the Salamworld leadership raises suspicion, Davies says. «I was a bit skeptical at first and my instinct was this is just a front for a financial investor who is tapping the political motivation. But it sounds like it could be more than that. They seem to be playing a two-handed game here. This is intriguing. Definitely a political stitch-up. There is definitely an intent here to infiltrate.»

But Kurt, the Salamworld spokesman, insists the project is nothing more than a commercial venture seeking profit for its unnamed investors by tapping into a growing global market for Islamic products.

With additional reporting by RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani and Tatar-Bashkir services and Radio Free Afghanistan

Ron Synovitz, Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty

Источник: http://www.rferl.org/content/salamworld_social_network_aims_to_attract_worlds_muslims/24510469.html

Press release / Communiqué de presse

Reporters Without Borders strongly condemns the sudden escalation in cyber-censorship by the Tajik government. Since 2 March, a dozen local Internet Service Providers have received orders to block access to the social network Facebook and four independent news websites.

“A year and a half after the last episode of this kind, the Tajik authorities have gone back to large-scale cyber-censorship,” Reporters Without Borders said. “This major blocking initiative is as inacceptable as it is absurd.”

For the most part, it has been impossible to access Facebook, the Russian geopolitical analysis site Polyarnaya Zvezda (Polar Star), the Tajik exile political news site Tjknews.com, the Uzbek news site Maxala.org and the Central Asian news site Centrasia.ru since the morning of 3 March.

State telecommunications chief Beg Zukhurov denied on 5 March that any orders had been given to ISPs and blamed “technical problems.” But the local press obtained a copy of a letter signed by Zukhurov’s deputy which was received by the main ISPs and which told them to “block access” to these five sites “in connection with preventive technical work (LINK).”

According to the information obtained by Reporters Without Borders, Poliarnaya Zvezda was the first site to be blocked, on the evening of 2 March. This tends to support the theory of several commentators that the cyber-censorship was prompted by an article on this site entitled “Tajikistan on the eve of a revolution” that was very critical of President Emomali Rakhmon’s government.

It is thought that the other sites were blocked when they, too, posted the offending article. Central Asia’s leading Russian-language news website, Fergananews, has meanwhile been surprised to learn that it has also been partially blocked in Tajikistan for several days.

The blocking of Facebook is especially absurd as it has only 35,000 users, far fewer than the Russian-language social networks Moy Mir and Vkontakte, which have 150,000 and 100,000 respectively.

The ruling People’s Democratic Party meanwhile announced yesterday that it plans to launch an alternative social network. The plan is reminiscent of the Uzbek government’s recent creation of Muloqot.uz, a national social network that is monitored and expurgated.

Generalized content filtering and attempts to move Internet users to “national” social networks are spreading alarmingly in Central Asia. So is the idea that the Internet should be carved up into national segments that are subject to locally-determined norms in the name of “security” and “local values.”

Tajikistan submitted a proposal for an “Internet code of good conduct” to the United Nations on 23 September. Supported by China, Russia, and Uzbekistan, it basically aims to subject the free flow of information to local standards and government imperatives.

http://en.rsf.org/tajikistan-facebook-and-four-news-websites-08-03-2012,42043.html

New York, March 7, 2012—Authorities in Tajikistan must immediately lift the order blocking domestic access to several news websites and Facebook, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

On Friday, the Tajik state communications agency ordered local Internet providers to block access to Facebook and the independent news websites Zvezda, Maxala, CentrAsia, and TjkNews, according to news reports. The agency cited scheduled technical maintenance although it did not explain why it would need to shut down these particular websites, the independent regional news website Ferghana News reported.

Reuters reported that the authorities issued the order the day after Zvezda published a political commentary, headlined «Tajikistan on the eve of revolution,» which TjkNews and CentrAsia republished shortly after. It is unclear if Maxala was targeted for similar reasons. The article covered a recent meeting in which Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon allegedly ordered security services to increase surveillance of local religious groups and members of the Islamic Party of Tajikistan, news reports said. The article also criticized Rahmon for growing authoritarianism, inattention to government corruption, and increasing poverty, CPJ’s review of the articles found.

Minutes of Rahmon’s meeting were also posted on Facebook, which spurred several public comments, before access to the social networking site was blocked, Radio Ozodi, the Tajik service of the U.S. government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, reported.

«We call on officials to immediately restore access to Facebook and to news websites Zvezda, Maxala, CentrAsia, and TjkNews,» CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova said. «Rahmon’s administration should tolerate the criticism and scrutiny that come with holding public office, and stop censoring critical media.»

One local Internet provider told independent news website Asia-Plus that when it resisted the order, state Internet and communications company Tajiktelekom cut its service. The provider, which asked Asia-Plus not to reveal its name, eventually blocked access to the websites in exchange for restored service.

In a statement published Tuesday, Tajikistan’s Internet Providers’ Association condemned the censorship order and urged authorities to drop it, Radio Ozodi reported.

http://www.cpj.org/2012/03/tajikistan-orders-internet-providers-to-block-webs.php

The Organization For Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has called on Tajikistan to reverse instructions to block social-networking website Facebook and four independent news websites.

Access to the world’s most popular social networking site and Russian-language sites centrasia.ru, tjk.news.com, zvezda.ru, and maxala.org has been cut off since March 3, apparently in response to an order from the state communications agency.

The OSCE described the move as a «worrying development.»

Tajik officials have cited «technical reasons» for the problem and pledged that it would be corrected «soon.»

http://www.rferl.org/content/osce_tajiks_reverse_ban_facebook_news_websites/24508122.html

Officials in Tajikistan are heaping new confusion onto the ongoing shutdown of Facebook. While users triumphantly explain to each other how to access the site through proxy servers, a group close to President Emomali Rakhmon has suggested that Tajikistan should build its own social network to promote “the ideals and national values of the Tajik people.”

The state agency in charge of IT and telecommunications has claimed the March 2-3 block – condemned by a Tajik Internet lobby and US-based Freedom House – is “temporary” and for “prophylactic maintenance.”

Internet service providers have said they were ordered to block Facebook last weekend, along with three or four news portals, by the state Communications Service, after one of the portals published an article severely criticizing Rakhmon and his government. When queried by news agency Asia-Plus, the head of the service, Beg Zukhurov, denied any order to block Facebook, but said the authors of offensive online content “defaming the honor and dignity of the Tajik authorities” should be made “answerable.” Tajikistan frequently uses libel cases and extremism charges to silence critical journalists.

Zukhurov promised to restore the Facebook connection “soon.” (Meanwhile, what seems to be a copy of his order is circulating on – you guessed it – Facebook.)

Now, the head of the youth wing of the president’s party says his organization has decided to build its own Facebook for Tajikistan.

«On the website that’s being created preference will be given to the ideals and national values of the Tajik people, and it will serve as a platform for Tajik youth to exchange opinions,» the chairman of the People’s Democratic Party’s youth wing, Adham Mirsaidov, told Asia-Plus.

That might remind some readers of Uzbekistan, where the government launched its own tightly controlled social-networking platform last September. But even Uzbekistan, which has blocked hundreds of websites including the Uzbek-language version of Wikipedia, allows Facebook to function.

Asia-Plus readers seemed uninspired by the idea of a Tajik “Facebook” controlled by the governing party. To Mirsaidov’s search for funding, one wrote to ask why someone in impoverished Tajikistan should spend money on a new web platform when there already exists a successful one that has connected people all around the world.

George Camm, EurasiaNet.org

Источник: http://www.eurasianet.org/node/65097

DUSHANBE — Two rights groups have condemned Tajikistan’s state communications service for blocking Tajik users’ access to social-network website Facebook and several independent news sites.

Facebook and the Russian-language sites centrasia.ru, tjk.news.com, and zvezda.ru on March 6 remained blocked in Tajikistan.

Access has been cut off since March 3, apparently in response to an order from government authorities.

Tajikistan’s Internet Service Providers Association denounced the move as a «direct threat» to Tajik national information security, according to the Tajik Civil Internet Policy Initiative’s website.

U.S.-based Freedom House has also condemned the Tajik government for regularly restricting access to websites critical of the government.

Tajik officials have cited «technical reasons» for the loss of access to the sites and pledged that the reported problem would be corrected «soon.»

http://www.rferl.org/content/tajik_groups_condemn_blocking_of_facebook_news_websites/24506665.html

The Dag Hammarskjöld Fund for Journalists is now accepting applications from professional journalists from developing countries for its 2012 fellowship program. The application deadline is Wednesday, March 30, 2012.

The fellowships are available to radio, television, print and web journalists, age 25 to 35, from developing countries who are interested in coming to New York to report on international affairs during the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The fellowships will begin in early September and extend to late November and will include the cost of travel and accommodations in New York, as well as a per diem allowance.

The fellowship program is open to journalists who are native to one of the developing countries in Africa, Asia, South America and the Caribbean, and are currently working full-time for a bona fide media organization in a developing nation. Applicants must demonstrate an interest in and commitment to international affairs and to conveying a better understanding of the United Nations to their readers and audiences. They must also have approval from their media organizations to spend up to two months in New York to report from the United Nations. Click here for full eligibility criteria and documentation requirements and the fellowship application form.

In an effort to rotate recipient countries, the Fund will not consider journalist applications for 2012 from nations selected in 2011: China, Ethiopia, India and Nigeria. Journalists from these countries may apply in 2013.

Four journalists are selected each year after a review of all applications. The journalists who are awarded fellowships are given the incomparable opportunity to observe international diplomatic deliberations at the United Nations, to make professional contacts that will serve them for years to come, to interact with seasoned journalists from around the world, and to gain a broader perspective and understanding of matters of global concern. Many past fellows have risen to prominence in their professional and countries. The program is not intended to provide basic skills training to journalists, as all participants are media professionals.

Questions about the program, eligibility and application process can be directed to fellowship(at)unjournalismfellowship.org.

http://www.scholarshipwarrior.com/2012/02/29/united-nations-journalism-fellowships-for-developing-co

In February 2012, the Monitoring Service received 21 reports. Fourteen of them describe the factual situation in the media in the light of social, 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

22 February
Olimjon Salimzoda, Parliament, Dushanbe

The Tajik private weekly Vetcherny Dushanbe published an interview with the Tajik parliamentarian Olimjon Salimzoda. The official said the Parliament has set up a working group to revise the draft media law.

Salimzoda says that the working group has received 140 suggestions and remarks from different media institutions and government agencies. “Prior to submitting this draft document to the lower chamber, we need to study opinions of all interested parties”, — he said.

The draft media law has been studied for a year and a half by parliamentarians, media professionals, representatives of the civil society, independent lawyers, political parties, the Ministry of Justice, and the President’s Office.

2. Amendments in the legislation affecting the media

16 February
All media, Dushanbe

On 16 February, the public organization Journalist held a session at the round table to discuss the draft media law.

According to the results of the discussion, most of the articles and legal provisions in the new document need to be revised and edited. Participants of the discussion paid special attention to Articles 19 and 25 – respectively, “The right for disallowance” and “Special conditions for confidentiality of the source of information”.

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

1 February
Millat weekly, Dushanbe

The Millat weekly touched upon the issue of poor professionalism of the Tajik national television (#5, 1 February 2012).

The article titled “Channel One – Adulator Number One” describes the amateurism of broadcasting materials prepared by the government television, as well as dull and boring reports about the national agriculture.

It is also noted in the article that any single achievement is related to the name of the President.

1 February
SSSR weekly, Dushanbe

The SSSR weekly also touched upon the work of state TV stations in the country regions. The article titled “The Khatlon TV trash” describes the quality of local broadcasting and the contents of TV programs.

“Those who are familiar and understand the problems of Khatlon province cannot watch the programs of “TV Khatlon”. The programs are produced unprofessionally; the station shows wedding parties and endless concerts; the existing problems are not depicted at all”, — says the article.

4 February
NANSMIT, Dushanbe

On 4 February 2012, the Tajik National Association of Independent Mass Media (NANSMIT) published a compiled report on freedom of expression in Tajikistan covering the period from 2005 to 2010.

According to the authors, the main problems in the area of freedom of speech in the country are caused by the imperfect media legislation and its incompliance with the international standards.

Another essential problem is the lack of unified application of laws in the media environment. The licensing committee under the government poses ungrounded requirements to video and audio products creating problems for private broadcasters. The system of licensing is extremely complicated; non-state TV and radio companies fall into dependence on the government licensing body. This particular condition leads to weakening of competition between the media making private broadcasters less powerful compared to the official electronic media. Thus, the audience does not have access to alternative sources of information.

The report published by NANSMIT also indicates the increased number of legal trials against the media initiated by government institutions. Six legal cases were registered in the period of 2010-2011 with the total amount of 1,4 Euro claimed as penalties and moral compensation for criticism (which government officials interpret as libel, insult and defamation).

The Tajik Criminal Code still contains Articles 135, 136, 137 and 330 (“Libel”, “Insult”, “Public insult of the President” and “Insult of a public official”). In such a way, the Tajik legislation ensures special protection of the state power from criticism. The issue of decriminalization of the Articles in question remains very relevant.

8 February
All media, Dushanbe

The Ozodagon weekly (#6, 8 February 2012) published an analytical article based on NANSMIT’s report on the freedom of expression in Tajikistan in 2010-2011.

In addition to the remarks and conclusions made in the report, well-known Tajik journalists and media experts indicate other problems and difficulties affecting the media environment in the country. Among them is the absence of private printing facilities, i.e. the printing production is fully controlled by the government institutions.

17 February
The Coalition of national NGOs, Dushanbe

On 17 February, representatives of the Tajik National Coalition of NGOs and the government working group discussed recommendations of the Universal periodical Review.

The NGO Coalition noted with regret that the recommendations on decriminalization of defamation are indicated as unacceptable in the government’s comments. The Coalition also states that the decriminalization of libel and insult does not pose any threat for the Tajik society.

It should be noted that Tajikistan is already making first steps towards decriminalization of libel, which is reflected in the verdict of the Supreme Court (23 December 2011) and in the draft media law. The decriminalization of libel would strengthen responsibility of public officials.

21 February
All media, Dushanbe

On 21 February 2012, the US-based organization Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) published a report “Attacks on the media in 2011”, which says that the Tajik authorities use accusations of extremism and defamation as an excuse for repressions and punishment of the media and journalists who dare to criticize the power.

The report mentions litigations against Makhmadyusuf Ismoilov, correspondent of the Nuri Zindagi weekly and Urunboi Usmonov, correspondent of the BBC Uzbek Service in Sughd province.

22 february
Najot weekly, Dushabe

The Najot weekly (#8, 22.02.12) published an article titled “The Voice of People has nothing to do with the people” criticizing the parliament’s printing body Sadoi Mardum (The Voice of People).

The Najot weekly states that Sadoi Mardum publishes only boring information about the government’s sessions and the President’s trips. The newspaper pays no attention to any essential problems in the Tajik society; however, the expenditures are covered by the national budget.

4. Journalists protecting their civil and professional rights

21 February
All media, Dushanbe

The second training for media trainers was held in Dushanbe from 22 to 25 February within the framework of the project “Creating the national pool of media trainers”.

The project is conducted by the public organization Khoma under financial support of the Open Society Institute. The project’s partners are the School of Journalism under the Russian School of Economics and the Higher School of Journalism in Moldova.

The major goal of the project is to create the national pool of media trainers and consultants to stimulate the media industry in Tajikistan. Upon the accomplishment of the training sessions, participants will start developing their individual modules in various areas of journalism. The modules will cover various topics in both printing and electronic mass media: TV and radio reporting, newsrooms, international standards of journalism, TV editing podcasts, multi media journalism, etc.

The first training session was conducted in December 2011.

28 February
NANSMIT, Dushanbe

The Tajik National Association of Independent Mass Media (NANSMIT) has launched a new project “Improving access to reliable information from government sources” under support of the Danish organization International Media Support.

The program has educational elements for government press services and the media to ensure collaboration, as well as public lectures for university students. Consolidating the cooperation experience between the media and government press services, taking into account best practices, NANSMIT will develop a manual for journalists and press secretaries, which will be disseminated for free among beneficiaries.

II. VIOLATION OF RIGHTS IN THE MEDIA

1. Limitation of access to information

6 February
State television, Dushanbe

On 6 February, the Tajik state TV companies started transition to the digital format of broadcasting. The four stations – The First Channel, Safina, Bakhoriston, and Jahonnamo are unavailable in previous satellite format.

According to Tajiktelecom (the state communications agency) officials, those who wish to watch the state TV stations should switch over to simple TV antennae.

21 February
All media, Dushanbe

On 21 February 2012, the US-based organization Committee to protect Journalists (CPJ) published the report “Attacks on the Press – 2011” noting that in September 2011, the Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon abolished the requirement of conducting quarterly press conferences by ministries and other government institutions.

Experts see this move as an additional impediment in access to public information.

2. Violation of the right to freedom of information

25 February
Jumkhuriyat weekly, Dushanbe

The Tajik government’s official newspaper Jumkhuriyat criticized private printing outlets for “promoting” the political party “Bus!” (“Enough!”) acting abroad.

The government weekly states that by publishing such articles and advertising opposition movements private newspapers pursue the goal to increase the number of their readers; at the same time, they sow the seeds of discord in the society.

III. CONFLICTS, VIOLATIONS, ACCUSATIONS

1. Demand to refute incorrect information

2 February
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dushanbe

Responding to statements of the Russian publicist Egor Kholmogorov and the Russian politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky regarding “genocide of Russians in Tajikistan”, the head of the Information Department under Tajikistan’s Foreign Ministry Davlatali Nazriev stated that “there hasn’t been any genocide of ethnic Russians in Tajikistan”.

Kholmogorov and Zhirinovsky made their statements in a TV talk show “Honest Monday” broadcast by the NTV channel on 30 January 2012.

“Both individuals presented ungrounded allegations about genocide in the early 1990-s. They also made remarks on the necessity to stop attracting the Tajik labor force in Russia”, — said Nazriev.

The Tajik official expressed bewilderment about the ungrounded statements and regret about the lack of proper reaction and refutation by the Russian authorities regarding the hostile statements in the media.

14 February
Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan, Dushanbe

On 14 February 2012, the Party of Islamic Renaissance of Tajikistan (PIRT) released a statement accusing the National Security Committee of disseminating prejudiced information in the media.

On 13 February, the state television broadcast a report filmed and edited by the Security Committee showing two drug smugglers and explaining that the two are members of PIRT.

Representatives of PIRT stated that the persons detained by the Security Committee have no affiliation to the party. PIRT approached the National Security Committee with a request to refute the information.

The media-freedom representative of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has called on Kyrgyzstan’s government to immediately lift its block on the Fergananews.com news website.

OSCE official Dunja Mijatovic issued a statement calling on Kyrgyz authorities to ensure Internet freedom in the Central Asian country.

The website — which is also known as Fergana.ru and Fergana.news — was blocked by the state-controlled Internet services provider Kyrgyztelecom on the written instructions of the Kyrgyz State Communications Agency.

Another Internet service provider, Aknet, also reported receiving such a letter, although many other Kyrgyz Internet providers said they had no such information.

In mid-2011, the Kyrgyz parliament passed a resolution calling on the website to be blocked throughout the country, citing the site’s coverage of the June 2010 violence in southern Kyrgyzstan.

http://www.rferl.org/content/osce_urges_kyrgyzstan_to_ligt_ban_on_news_websute/24497968.html