This monitoring presents a compilation of reports from Tajikistan’s media and private reports from the NANSMIT monitoring network in the country.

Coordinator of the Monitoring Network in Tajikistan:
Abdufattokh Vokhidov

Head of the Legal Service:
Orifjon Azimov

Head of the Project in Tajikistan:
Nuriddin Karshibayev

Situation in the sphere of Freedom of Speech in Tajikistan June 2008

In June 2008, the NANSMIT Monitoring Service received 31 reports concerning violations of legal rights of journalists. Twenty of them describe the factual situation in the media in the light of socio-legal and political environment; seven reports describe direct violations of rights of media professionals; and four reports describe conflicts and accusations against the media and journalists.

I. PECULIARITIES OF POLITICAL, SOCIAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGAL CLIMATE IN THE COUNTRY DEFINING THE FACTUAL SITUATION IN THE MEDIA

1. Actions and behavior of officials defining the factual situation in the media

4 July
Guljakhon Bobosadykova, Chair of the NGO “Women with University Education”, Dushanbe

“The media should be used wider in tackling the problems in the educational system”, — said Guljakhon Bobosadykova, Chair of the NGO “Women with University Education” at a round table on the issues of financing of education. Bobosadykova considers that the Ministry of Education, donor agencies and NGOs should systematically invite the media.

July 11
B. Bobokhonov, Prosecutor General of the Republic of Tajikistan, Dushanbe

On 11 July, at a press conference in Dushanbe, Prosecutor General of Tajikistan, Bobojon Bobokhonov called the leader of the Tajik opposition movement “Vatandor”, Dodojon Atovullo “an information terrorist”. Atovullo is known as a journalist and editor of his newspaper “Charogi Rouz”. The Prosecutor stated that Atovullo, living abroad, far away from his country, humiliates and defames the honor and dignity of the Tajik nation.

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

July 2
Central Asian bulletin, BBC, Persian Service, Dushanbe

On 30 July, the Persian Service of BBC finished publishing its Central Asian bulletin. Inoyati Foni, editor of the Persian Service said that the bulletin will be replaced next year with a new web site “BBC – Tajikistan”. Besides that, the British Broadcasting Corporation is launching its Persian-language television.

BBC opened its office in Dushanbe in 1993.

July 7
Somon Video, Ltd., Khujand, Sughd province

On 7 July, the Somon Video venture received the license for audio and video production. The firm was registered in 2002, after which it applied for license to “TajikKinoVideo”, the licensing agency in the sphere of the visual media.

Bakhtiyor Kosimov, director of Somon Video says that his enterprise intends to produce audio and video products for TV companies in Sughd province.

July 10
All media

The Millat weekly (#28, 10.07.08) informs that representatives of the governments of Tajikistan, Iran and Afghanistan have signed a memorandum on the creation of a unified Persian-language television. The headquarters of the new TV company will be located in Dushanbe.

July 10
Vaisiddin Azamatov, deputy director of the Drug Control Agency under the President, Dushanbe

On 10 July, at a press conference in Dushanbe, Major General Vaisiddin Azamatov, deputy director of the Drug Control Agency under the President’s Office stated that the Russian media disseminate “incorrect and dozed information” about drug flows via Tajikistan. The General stressed that Tajikistan does not have any drug-manufacturing laboratories.

July 22
Fergana.ru web site, Dushanbe

During the last two months, Tajikistani have not had access to the web site www.fergana.ru. The OSCE Media Resource Center approached the COMPUWORD Internet providing company requesting explanation. The company said in response that the web site is closed in accordance with the order issued by the Ministry of Communication almost two years ago.

Jamshed Mamadjanov, employee of the OSCE Media Resource Center said that up to quite a recent time, he had access to the web site on his office (via COMPUWORLD); the web site “got closed” after he received accreditation as an official representative of Fergana.ru in Tajikistan.
July 29
Abdurasul Rakhmonov, correspondent of the 1-st Tajik TV Channel, Kulyab, Khatlon province

On 29 July 2008, journalists of the regional news bureau of the First Tajik TV Channel in the city of Kulyab spent many hours at the TV Safina office to get access to editing equipment and send the materials to the Dushanbe studio for broadcasting.

The Monitoring Service found out that the Kuluabi branch of the First TV Channel does not have its own studio for editing; neither has it an office where the personnel could meet and discuss work plans and ongoing activities.

July 30
Tajik television

Journalist Rajabi Mirzo in his article titled “Personnel” (Farazh weekly, #30, 30.07.08) complains that the quality of programs produced and broadcast by the Tajik television leaves much to be desired. New TV companies, such as Safina and Bakhoriston, appeared in the country in the recent years. Conditions of work for media professionals have improved. However, during the same period, TV Somoniyon and Radio Imrouz faced problems; broadcasting of BBC on FM scale was terminated by the Tajik authorities; and many private TV and radio companies cannot receive licenses. The quality of the government electronic media was criticized even by the President.

3. Journalists protecting their civil and professional rights

July 4
All media, Dushanbe

A national conference “Expanding the free dialogue between the licensing body and broadcasting organizations” was held at the Strategic Research Center under the President’s Office.

The conference was organized by the OSCE Center in Dushanbe, the Public Council of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Tajik Association of Independent Electronic Mass Media, Internews Network and F. Ebert Foundation.

The two-day conference was attended by representatives of the President’s Office, TV and radio companies, political parties and journalists.

July 11
Union of Journalists of Tajikistan, NANSMIT, Dushanbe

On 11 July, the board of the Tajik Union of Journalists and the National Association of Independent Mass Media of Tajikistan (NANSMIT) put out a statement in defense of former correspondents of Radio Ozodi (Radio Liberty) Sayofi Mizrob and Khioliki Sangin. Akbarali Sattorov, chairman of the Union of Journalists, and Nuriddin Karshibayev, director of NANSMIT expressed concern about the professional rights of the former employees of the Tajik bureau of Radio Ozodi.
July 11
All media

A workshop “Internet and Journalism” was held on 11 July, in Penjikent city, Sughd province. The event was organized by the Tajik NGO “Women of the East” with financial support from the Helsinki Norwegian Committee.

Zukhra Sharipova, trainer at the seminar told the NANSMIT Monitoring Service that the main goal of the event is to attract the attention of journalists in Penjikent to the global information network and provide them with knowledge and skills so that they would use the Internet in their daily activities.

July 11
Newspaper “Jomea va Tamaddun”, Kairakkoum city, Sughd province

On 11 July, the Association of Teachers of Journalism “Jomea va Tamaddun” (Society & Civilization) opened the Third Summer School for university teachers “Contemporary methodologies of teaching and online journalism”. The initiative is supported financially by the Open Society Institute.

Rukhshona Olimova, the OSI public relations officer told the NANSMIT Monitoring Service that the main goal of the project is to facilitate to the implementation of reforms and introduction of innovations in the educational process of Tajikistan’s universities. Another goal is to help professors and teachers in establishing closer professional contacts.

July 13
All media, Dushanbe

Training sessions for two groups of editors were held from 7 to 13 July in Dushanbe. The educational program is being held within the framework of the project “Mobilization of the media for protection of rights of women and children in Central Asia” implemented by the National Association of Independent Mass Media (NANSMIT) jointly with the BBC Trust Fund, and under support of the European Commission.

Participants have learned about methodologies for covering social topics in the media, especially the problems of women and children. The organizers hope that after the training editors would be able to include these themes in their editorial policies.

A similar workshop was organized for editors in Sughd province of Tajikistan.
July 14
All media, Dushanbe

A round table on the issues of professional ethics code for journalists was held on 18 July in Dushanbe. It was organized by the Tajik Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the public organization “Ittilot va Muoshirat”.

July 18
All media, Dushanbe
A workshop on the issues of Corporate Governance was organized by the International Financial Corporation (IFC) in Dushanbe for local journalists.
Takhmina Nurova, the IFC project coordinator says that the Corporate Governance should be studied as a system of interrelations between various sectors of shareholding companies. These studies should be expanded, and held not only in the form of seminars, but also to be introduced as disciplines in higher educational institutions.
IFC intends to carry put a wide-scale public awareness campaign on the importance of the Corporate Governance.
July, 24
Voulf Lapins, coordinator of Fredrick Ebert Fund in Central Asia, Khorog, GBAO

On 24 July, Voulf Lapins, coordinate or of F. Ebert Fund in Central Asia met with GBAO journalists in Khorog. Lapins said that one of the priorities of his agency is support to the media and training programs for media professionals. The Fund cooperates with both government and non-State organizations.
Июль, 17
All media, Dushanbe

A Jour Fix Club is opened in Dushanbe. The term “jour fix” is the French for “definite day”. In the last century, this term meant a certain regular day for guests, i.e. some kind of reception.
The initiative of Jour Fix for journalists is supported by the OSCE Media Resource Center.

II. VIOLATIONS OF RIGHTS AMONG JOURNALISTS AND THE MEDIA

1. Impediments to legal professional activities of journalists and the media

July, 18
Radio Liberty, Khorog, GBAO

On 18 July, Mirzojalol Shokamolov, correspondent of the Radio Liverty Persian service was denied access to the airport in the city of Khorog. The correspondent had his accreditation card and a special permission from the GBAO administration on media coverage of the Tajik President’s visit to Gorno Badakhshan. The Radio Liberty administration interprets this incident as a violation of professional rights of its representative.

COMMENT

The legislation of the Republic of Tajikistan (Article 30 of the Constitution, Articles 2 and 36 of the Law “On printing and other mass media”, and Article 3 of the Law “On television and radio broadcasting”) guarantee and protect the freedom of speech and the fight to use the mass media.
According to Article 31 of the Law “On printing and other mass media”, journalists have the right to seek for, receive and disseminate information, to produce any records, including those involving the use of audio and video equipment, to carry out video and photo shooting, except for the cases described in the law.
Impediments in any form to professional activities of journalists, as well as compulsion to dissemination or refusal from dissemination of information forms corpus delicti, according to Article 162 of Tajikistan’s Criminal Code, and envisages imprisonment for up to five years.

2. Ungrounded denial of providing publicly important information

July 7
Valentina Kasymbekova, freelance journalist, Dushanbe

On 7 July 2008, Valentina Kasymbekova, a freelance journalist received a denial from the Council of Justice of Tajikistan on her request concerning the number of lawsuits and housing cases. The letter from the Council of Justice signed by Matluba Khabibulayeva, First Deputy of the Chairman said contained the following explanation: “Your request concerning the number of housing cases during the period of 1995 – 2007 has been considered. According to the legislation of the Republic of Tajikistan, the requested data refers to secrecy. In this regard, the Council of Justice cannot provide you with these data”.
Kasymbekova applied to the Council of Justice thrice requesting this particular information, and only one time she received a written denial.
July 30
Abdulmumin Sherkhonov, editor of the Pazhvok newspaper, Kulyab, Khatlon province

Abdulmumin Sherkhonov, editor of the newspaper Pazhvok faced unmotivated denial of information from the colonel Kayum Talbakov, deputy head of the city police department.
COMMENT

Freedom of speech, press and the right to use the mass media are guaranteed and protected by Article 30 of the Constitution of the Republic of Tajikistan. Only information constituting the State or other secrets protected by the legislation could be considered as an exception. In the cases described above, journalists were interested in obtaining information, which do not have any reference to the State or other essential secrets. Article 31 of the Law “On printing and other media” provides journalists with the right to look for, receive and disseminate information by any legal means. Article 5 of the Law in question, obliges the State, political and public organizations, institutions and officials to provide the mass media with requested information. The denial of information, in accordance with Article 27 of the same Law, can be appealed by the media representatives in court.

3. Ungrounded limitations in providing publicly important information

July 10
Vecherny Dushanbe weekly, Dushanbe

Vecherny Dushanbe weekly (#28, 10.07.08) published a material containing a retort addressed to press services of ministries and government institutions. The publication contains specific criticism against press services of the Dushanbe Municipal Interior Department and the Tajik Interior Ministry.
July 21
Varorud newspaper, Khujand, Sughd province

The Panjshanbe marker laboratory in the city of Khujand, Sughd province, refused to share information n sanitary-hygienic conditions and standards of sale of food at the market to three interns of the public-political newspaper Varorud. The laboratory personnel explained that they are afraid of criticism.
In response to that, Varodud published and article (16 July 2008, #29 (319), requiring a feedback from the Sughd province Sanitary-epidemiological Station.
July 28
Mirzoazam Maksudov, correspondent, Sogdiyskaya Pravda newspaper, Khujand, Sughd province

Administration of the shareholding company Lal avoids meetings with journalists. Mirzoazam Maksudov, correspondent of the local newspaper Sogdiyskaya Pravda came to the company to find out the reasons of deficit of glass containers in food canning factories.
COMMENT

Freedom of speech, press and the right to use the mass media are guaranteed and protected by Article 30 of the Constitution of the Republic of Tajikistan. Only information constituting the State or other secrets protected by the legislation could be considered as an exception. According to Article 25 of the Law of the Republic of Tajikistan “On Information”, any limitations on receipt of open information are not lawful.
According to Article 27 of the Law “On printing and other mass media”, citizens have the right to promptly receive reliable information through the mass media about activities of State bodies, public units, and public officials. This provision obliges the State bodies and public officials to provide journalists with any requested information about their activities, without delays. Such artificial impediments in receiving requested information are unlawful.

4. Violation of labor rights

July 9
Sayofi Mizrob, correspondent, Radio Liberty, Dyshanbe
Sayofi Mizrob, correspondent of the Radio Liberty Tajik service resigned from his position of his own free will. He stated that this step is taken in protest against the terms of reference in labor contracts composed by the Tajik Bureau of Radio Liberty, and, according to his opinion, they contradict to the Tajik labor legislation.

COMMENT

In this case, the labor contract is terminated upon the employee’s initiative, which does not contradict to the labor legislation. If the employee considers that his rights are impaired, he can appeal to the court.

III. CONFLICTS AND ACCUSATIONS AGAINST OF MEDIA AND JOURNALISTS

1. Protection of honor, dignity and business reputation

July 17
Social Party of Tajikistan, Dushanbe

The Social Party of Tajikistan (Mirkhuseon Nazriev’s wing) asked the Tajik law enforcement agencies to apply measures against authors working for two private newspapers – Farazh and Nigokh.
The journalists are accused of defaming the honor and dignity of Safarali Kenjayev, the founder of the political party.
July 24
Sayofi Mizrob, ex correspondent of Radio Liberty, Dushanbe

Sayofi Mizrob, former correspondent of Radio Liberty appealed to prosecutor general’s office against the Tajik service of Radio Liberty. The journalism claims that the Tajik service’s pulications and reports defame the President, his relatives, government officials, the prosecutor’s office personnel and some well-known personalities in the country.
The journalist states that Radio Liberty describes the Tajik government only from the negative and critical point of view. He also accuses Kudrat Shakhidi, director of the Tajik service based in Prague of incorrect opinion poll conducted among the population of Tajikistan and containing provocative questions.

July 30
Kommersant newspaper

The Russian newspaper Kommersant published a “sensational” article saying that the “Tajik government has agreed with the Russian conditions regarding the terms of construction of the Roghun hydropower plant”. Kommersant referred to a letter allegedly signed by Asadullo Gulomov, Tajik deputy prime minister, saying that the Tajik side is ready to give Russia 75% of shares in the Roghun hydropower plant (similarly to Sangtuda-1 hydropower plant).
Asadullo Gulomov confuted the allegations of the Russian newspaper saying that “there was a letter addressed to the Russian party, but it was misquoted in Kommersant’s publication”.

July 31
Tajikstandard, metrological agency, Khujand, Sughd province

The Center for Standardization, Metrology and Certification (Tajikstanfard) in Sughd province is going to appeal to the court against the Sughd weekly. This intention was voiced at a press conference by the Tajikstandard administration who claim that the newspaper groundlessly criticized the agency in its publications.
COMMENT

According to Articles 24, 26 of the Law of the Republic of Tajikistan “On printing and other mass media”, the individual who considers that the published material contains untrue or unreliable information, has the right to demand publication pf an answer or refutation of the previously made statement. In case of refusal or avoidance of the medium to publish the answer (explanation), or in case of untimely publication (beyond the established term), the individual or legal entity can appeal to the court.

This report is based on compiled materials from the media and private information presented by correspondents of the NANSMIT Monitoring Network

Coordinator of the Monitoring Service

Abdufattokh Vokhidov

Project Manager
Nuriddin Karshibayev

Managers of the Center of Standardization, Metrology and Certification in Sughd province is going to file a charge against the Sughd weekly for poorly grounded criticism.

The reason for such a complaint was an article published in a private weekly newspaper Sughd (#29, 19 July 2008) describing activities of the Sughd province Customs service. Administration of the Center of Standardization, Metrology and Certification considers that the author of the publication groundlessly criticized the Center’s personnel referring to a material disseminated at a press conference held by the Center.

NANSMIT Monitoring Service

The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) in Washington, D.C. invites print and TV journalists from the United States or from majority Muslim countries to propose reporting projects on issues of importance to audiences in both places. Deadline for applications: September 1.

Applicants whose projects are selected will be paired with a reporting partner from another country and will receive funding through ICFJ.

Each of the four pairs of journalists selected will attend the “Faith in Media: Improving Coverage of Islam and Other Religions” conference, to be held December 14 to 16 in Istanbul, Turkey. Projects will be discussed and refined at the conference.

Pairs will have several months to conduct reporting together and will be encouraged to collaborate on the writing of the stories, but they are not required to publish or broadcast identical stories. The conference and the reporting projects are sponsored by Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Reporting projects that explore issues in Islam and other religions are encouraged, but other topics will also be considered. Ability to work in English is required. All expenses for the conference and the joint reporting projects will be covered, but ICFJ cannot pay participants’ salaries.

For more information and to apply, go to www.icfj.org/istanbul or please write to istanbul@icfj.org.

http://www.ijnet.org/?P=Article&ID=307963&LID=1

On 1 August, the Ismoili Somoni district court in Dushanbe continued the litigation on the case of Jaloliddin Sadriddinov, police officer and former press secretary of the Tajik Interior Ministry.

Jamoliddin Sadriddinov was dismissed from the police in May 2008. The ground for his dismissal was a verdict of the Interior Ministry’s staff security department saying that “the police officer committed actions defaming his professional status”. Sadriddinov denies this accusation and says that his dismissal resulted from machinations and intrigues plotted by his former colleagues.

The court hearings will continue.

NANSMIT Monitoring Service

Mainstream and citizen journalists from around the world are invited to apply for the Every Human has Rights Media Awards. The deadline to apply is September 15.

The awards, which will be given by Internews, are in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Applicants are asked to send “creative and eye-opening works” that help illustrate one or more of the Declaration’s articles.

The award seeks to encourage greater press freedom and support human rights reporting worldwide.

To learn more visit: http://media-awards.everyhumanhasrights.org/

http://www.ijnet.org/Director.aspx?P=Article&ID=308002&LID=1

Muhammadi Rakhmatullo is the head of Salafiyyah, an unregistered religious organization in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe. Educated in a Pakistani madrasah, Rakhmatullo is known as Mullah Muhammadi in Tajikistan and is one of the country’s Salafi leaders.

He and his fellow members — most of whom are young men in their 20s and early 30s — differ from most other Tajik men. They all have beards and wear their trousers rolled up. Those signs show that they practice Salafism, a form of Islam that is quite different from Hanafism, the traditional, more liberal brand of Islam practiced by the huge majority of Tajiks.

But it is not the look of the Salafis that concerns people. It is not even their growing presence in mosques and the differences in the way they pray and perform other religious rituals.

Some devout Hanafi Muslims — including Islamic scholars and Tajik officials — seem most worried by the growing influence and exclusionism of the Salafis. The danger, they say, is that Salafis see themselves as the purest Muslims and exclude others, renouncing many kinds of Islam — Shi’ism and Sufism among them.

Rakhmatullo claims that 20,000 people have joined his organization in Tajikistan in recent years, and the number of Salafis coming to Friday Prayers — including to the biggest central mosque in Dushanbe, Imam At-Termezi — has been rising steadily.

Rakhmatullo and other Salafis shy away from the media. However, Salafi ideology is widely disseminated in brochures and other such materials available on the streets and in bookstores at mosques. Reports say Salafis distribute nearly 6,000 audio and videotapes, books, and brochures every week.

One of the videos features Rakhmatullo giving an anti-Iran speech. He is also very critical of Tajik officials who say that Tajiks and Iranians are brothers (they share the same language and ethnicity).

«Even my [Muslim] brothers [from Tajikistan] did not prove useful to me. So why would I want other ‘brothers’ to come from Iran?» Rakhmatullo said. «Look, there are 7 million people in Tajikistan. Half of them are men. A million and a half out of 3.5 million are children. Another million Tajiks are in Russia. Only 1 million [Tajik men are] left in Tajikistan. Out of them, only 225,000 attend Friday Prayers. The rest are an absolutely useless bunch of people.»

Salafis advocate a pure form of Islam that is said to be similar to that practiced by the earliest generations of Muslims starting with the Prophet Muhammad (Salaf means «ancestors» or «early generations» in Arabic).

Salafis renounce innovations, alterations, and additions that were added in succeeding centuries to their «pure» form of Islam.

The Salafis’ rejection of Sufism has caused resentment among many Tajiks because Sufism has strong roots in Tajikistan.

Most Tajiks are Sunnis, although about 5 percent of Tajiks belong to the Shi’a minority of the Islamiliyyah sect in the remote Pamir Mountains.

Some believe Salafism is similar to Wahabbism, and many people use those terms interchangeably. Even the habit of rolled-up pants is similar to the Wahhabi custom in former Soviet republics for adherents to wear their pants three centimeters shorter than normal.

Some say Wahhabis in Central Asia and the Caucasus used the name «Salafi» to mask any connections to Wahhabism and the official repercussions that could be made against them because of the negative association that comes with Wahhabism. But Salafis deny that claim, pointing out that Wahhabism is based on the teachings of a cleric from the 18th century, Muhammad Abd al-Wahhab.

The head of the Interior Ministry in Soghd Province, Abdurahim Kakhharov, said on June 30 that Salafis must be controlled «because they are associates of Wahhabis.»

The ideas and practices of Wahabbism — an Islamic doctrine of the ruling royal dynasty in Saudi Arabia — first came to the former Soviet republics in the 1980s.

Authorities often use the term Wahabbism to describe various Islamic movements outside state control, and ascribe antigovernment activities to them.

In Tajikistan, the term was discredited among even ordinary people during the 1992-97 bloody civil war in which an Islamic opposition fought the post-Soviet regime.

Because of the Salafis’ anti-Shi’a and anti-Iran positions, there have been allegations that the United States is behind the Salafi movement in Tajikistan.

Hajji Akbar Turajonzoda, a parliamentarian and prominent member of the Islamic opposition, is one of those who claims that the West finances the Salafis. In an April 30 interview with Russia’s Regnum information agency, he claimed Western secret services have instructed Salafis to «fight Shi’ites — more precisely, Iran.»

«Their goal is to create antagonism in society and destroy unity among Muslims,» Turajonzoda said.

He also claimed that the Salafis’ base could not grow without significant financial assistance from «foreign intelligence centers.»

Tracy Jacobson, the U.S. ambassador in Dushanbe, denied the allegations in an interview with RFE/RL’s Tajik Service on July 2.

«This idea that we at the [U.S.] embassy give money to religious groups is a crazy idea,» Jacobson said. «It’s not true, I can assure you. But we do work with the [Tajik] government to support freedom of conscience for all peaceful religious groups. But no, we don’t give money to the Salafi or other groups. I also read the article in which someone said we support Hizb-ut Tahrir and Salafi in order to create divisions within the Islamic world. It’s nothing but propaganda.»

Tajik authorities have been careful not to openly criticize Salafis in the past. However, several high-ranking officials have lately expressed concerns about the growth of the Salafism ideology.

There have been cases in which Salafi literature has been confiscated. The most recent incident came last month when police seized 62 books in a single raid in the southwestern city of Kulob.

Earlier this year, Interior Minister Mahmadnazar Salihov admitted that Salafis had not committed «any unlawful and unconstitutional acts.» He added, however, that Salafi followers are recognized as extremists and are banned in some countries.

Hayrullo Saidov, the prosecutor in the northern Soghd Province, announced on June 30 that authorities plan to strengthen control over the activities of Salafiyyah members in Soghd. Tajik media quoted Saidov as saying that Salafiyyah is «dangerous because it shows itself from its good side first and then gradually becomes dangerous.»

Media have reported that among the confiscated Salafi literature was a pamphlet describing how to keep young people from becoming Shi’ite.

A Kulob government official, Emomali Bulbulov, said that most of the books were high quality and had been printed in Russia. He also said that Salafis promised to pay $200 to nonmembers to distribute the books.

Turajonzoda, who has criticized the Tajik authorities for not taking a harder stance against Salafis, supports the more aggressive attitude by the Tajik government regarding Salafis.

«I heard that the Tajik government, after analyzing and studying this group — and perhaps, they have also got some information from other countries — has ordered that this movement should not be supported and even it should be restricted,» Turajonzoda said. «To some extent, I support this idea, although in my opinion not supporting the movement would be enough.»

Reports indicate that Salafism is also growing in other parts of the former Soviet Union.

Salafiyyah members frequently visit Russia — the main destination for Tajik labor migrants — and disseminate Salafi ideas among them. This comes at a time when many Tajiks have left Islam altogether, as more than 180,000 Tajiks are reported to have converted to other religions in recent years, most of them to Christianity.

RFE/RL’s Tajik Service correspondents Farhodi Milod and Kayumars Ato contributed to this report

By Gulnoza Saidazimova, Radio Free Europe / Radio

Источник: http://www.rferl.org/Content/Article/1186548.html

Experienced journalists are invited to apply for Media21 Global Journalism Network’s global issues media workshop, which will focus on the challenges of migration in the 21st century from November 24 to December 7. Deadline to apply: October 15.

The first part of the workshop will be held in Geneva, Switzerland for three days where expert panels will discuss the aspects of migration, refugees and trafficking affecting countries from Europe to Afghanistan.

The next part will be held in Andorra as part of the 3rd Future of Europe Summit. Journalists will be exposed to international businesses, academia, non-governmental organizations and policy representatives.

Chosen applicants also will receive the opportunity to participate in a week-long field trip to certain parts of Africa or Europe.

The cost for traveling, food and lodging, field trip and tuition is EU?5,400(US$8,465). Limited grants are available.

For more information, contact Daniel Wermus at dwermus@infosud.org or visit http://www.media21geneva.org.

http://www.ijnet.org/Director.aspx?P=Article&ID=308022&LID=1

The Washington, D.C.-based National Endowment for Democracy (NED) invites journalists worldwide to apply to be part of the 2009-2010 Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program.

Selected fellows will take up residence at the Forum, a research division of NED, for five to ten months. Deadline: November 10.

According to its organizers, the fellowship seeks to provide experienced journalists with an opportunity to reflect on their work, learn from counterparts in the United States, and reevaluate techniques for building democracy in their country of origin. Projects must be in English.

Each participant will receive a monthly stipend for living expenses, health insurance and reimbursement for travel. Fellows also receive a fully equipped office and research support.

For further information, including eligibility information, visit http://www.ned.org/forum/reagan-fascell.html or contact fellowships@ned.org.

http://www.ijnet.org/Director.aspx?P=Article&ID=308011&LID=1

WASHINGTON — It’s been more than 15 years since the fall of the Iron Curtain, and several states that once were firmly in the Soviet sphere of influence are now members of the European Union and NATO.

But people living in many of the former Soviet republics still face challenges, including getting access to the news that’s taken for granted in the West. That’s according to Christopher Walker, the director of studies at Freedom House, the New York-based human rights advocacy group. He spoke about this persistent problem with RFE/RL correspondent Andrew F. Tully.

RFE/RL: What is the state of the media in former communist countries?

Christopher Walker: In the non-Baltic former Soviet Union, Freedom House findings overall are quite grim. Nevertheless, there are some distinctions among the countries in the region. You have on the weakest end of the scale some of the world’s worst-performing countries. These are retrograde regimes that have not pursued really any meaningful reforms: Turkmenistan, Belarus, and Uzbekistan. And they are among the world’s worst performers, let alone the region’s worst performers.

At the same time you have countries that perform poorly in our analysis, but nevertheless have economic-modernization ambitions. And in this category you might find countries such as Russia and Kazakhstan. And here the question is whether regimes that have economic-modernization ambitions can advance their objectives while suppressing the development of a healthy and mature media sector. And that’s one of the quandaries they confront.

I think what you see is differentiation among the countries in the region, but by our measures you have — just looking at our global press freedom analysis, you’ll find only two countries that are in the «partly free» category, and those are Ukraine and Georgia. The rest of the countries in the non-Baltic former Soviet Union — the other 10 — are rated as «not free.»

Methods Of Control

RFE/RL: Can you give our readers an idea of the methods used in the region to hamper the free flow of information?

Walker: The sorts of controls that you’d find in the «not free» countries run from the sorts of intimidation that all authoritarian governments would rely on. This would be physical abuse in some cases and impunity, where you have brutality against journalists. This sends a very clear message that there are real red lines that can’t be crossed in investigative reporting.

At the same time you also have more sophisticated methods of control today in a number of countries. This would include Russia, where state-managed or state-owned commercial enterprises are now taking control of media enterprises, which then enable dominant power holders to keep their fingers on the management and editorial lines of the news entities that they bring into the fold (under the control of the owner). So this gives another line of control that’s emerged in recent years.

Most of the authorities in these countries have an enormous advantage in making sure that controls are firm by having pliant judiciaries, so that libel laws can be applied generously — in the worst form of that word. Azerbaijan stands out in this respect, where libel laws are being used excessively to bring suits against journalists.

So you really see a variety of tools that are pulled out of the toolbox to keep journalists in check — a very comprehensive, and right now a very effective mix of tools.

RFE/RL: What are the more subtle forms of information repression?

Walker: I think the economic levers are used with greater sophistication and nuance certainly in the countries that are enjoying greater wealth today. And at the top of the list in the former Soviet Union you’d find countries that are benefiting from vast amounts of energy wealth. So Russia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan would be examples.

What you’ve seen is economic levers being used to control editorial lines to quietly or behind-the-scenes manipulate editorial coverage so that serious investigative issues aren’t pursued, so that the authorities aren’t scrutinized in a meaningful way. That would probably be one of the principal, more nuanced methods for controlling the media today.

Fighting Corruption With Blunt Tools

RFE/RL: We keep seeing reports out of countries such as Russia in which average citizens express a lack of concern for their government’s human rights record, arguing that they’re more interested in stability imposed today by a strong leader and are willing to wait a while for a government that’s more responsive to its people. Does this attitude include a lack of concern for a free press?

Walker: There are very practical reasons why these societies desperately need a greater media freedom. And the issue that’s at the top of the list is corruption. And it’s difficult to imagine how any of these [governmental] systems can start to make meaningful headway on corruption, absent a more open and vibrant media. It’s a critical linchpin for making progress against corruption in all of these settings.

If you look at Russia today, the leadership in the country has put corruption way up the agenda. [But] how this is brought under control, absent an opening in the media and having a more meaningful discussion of government policies and government behavior is very difficult to envision. And I think in a very practical way having a more vibrant and open media is a critical «sine qua non» for making headway on the corruption issue, and I think also, more fundamentally, on having more responsive governance.

RFE/RL: Yet after the earthquake in China, when many children were crushed in the collapse of shoddily built schools, the people publicly berated Communist Party leaders whom they held responsible. And yet China is a country whose people, like many Russians, tend to put up with an authoritarian government for the sake of stability. In a sense, aren’t they crying out for more information?

Walker: I think the common thread in the issues you just described is when issues of corruption touch people’s lives in a real way. And certainly the school-construction issue in China has done exactly that. People take notice, and in these instances people are hungry for more rather than less information. And, in fact, in that case the Chinese journalists courageously reported on these issues against the edicts of the central government.

I think what you see in these authoritarian settings, where such a premium is placed on controlling the media, is that at the top of the issue list that they seek to control are issues relating to corruption, environmental degradation — things that touch people’s lives on a day-to-day basis. That suggests that, at root, ordinary people really do have a desire and a hunger for meaningful information on issues that touch their lives, and it’s information they should have.

Radio Free Europe

Источник: http://www.rferl.org/Content/Free_Press_Elusive_In_Former_Soviet_States/1185917.html

Tajik web users cannot get access to the foreign web site

The OSCE media resource center in Dushanbe approached a local Internet providing company Compuworld asking to explain why access to the web site Fergana.ru is denied. The Compuworld managers said that the web site is blocked according to instructions issued almost two years ago by the Tajik Ministry of Communication, namely by its entity – the Communication Regulation Agency.

It should be noted that the official letter from the Agency was issued in October 2006. It contained the order addressed to all Tajik Internet providers to block access to the following web resources: www. «сharogiruz.ru», www. «arianstorm.com», www. «tajikistantimes.ru», www. «centrasia.ru» and www.«fergana.ru». The letter contained explanations that “the ideological contents of these web sites are targeted against the policies of the State in the information environment, and serve as propaganda and instigation of social, racial and religious conflicts”.

This order remained in force only one week, and was abolished by the authorities shortly after the release. However, Compuworld has blocked Fergana.ru again, referring to the same letter from the Communication Ministry.

Jamshed Mamajanov, who works for the OSCE media resource center says that access to the web site had been blocked shortly after he received an official accreditation as a correspondent of Fergana.ru in Tajikistan.

NANSMIT monitoring service