Freedom of Speech in Tajikistan
December 2013
In December 2013, the Monitoring Service received 32 reports. Fifteen of them describe the factual situation in the media in the light of social, legal and political environment; fifteen reports describe direct violations of rights of media professionals; and two 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
26 December
Dunja Mijatovic, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Vienna, Austria
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Ms. Dunja Mijatovic expressed concern over the arrest of Abdurakhim Shukurov, the cameraman of the Ozodagon news agency in Tajikistan.
“It is especially alarming that Shukurov was taken out of the other people being present [at the public demonstration] and arrested, although it was clear that he was on duty as a journalist. I am afraid that this case is an attempt of the law enforcement agencies to discourage other journalists from covering the legal procedure”.
On behalf of OSCE, Mijatovic called on the Tajik law enforcement agencies to immediately release the Ozodagon cameraman.
27 December
Ramazon Rakhimov, minister of interior, Dushanbe
The minister of interior Ramazon Rakhimov received a request from leaders of the Tajik media organizations who asked the public official of a meeting. The minister responded that he is ready to hold a meeting in January 2014.
Heads of media organizations expressed concern over the arrest of Abdurakhim Shukurov, the cameraman of the Ozodagon news agency, as well as over other serious issues related to the freedom of expression.
2. Factual situation in the media and the freedom of speech
6 December
Asia Plus weekly, Dushanbe
The Asia Plus weekly is acknowledged as the best Tajik newspaper of 2013. Olga Tutubalina, the editor of Asia Plus received the award “best journalist of the year”.
These achievements are registered by the Statistical Research Center “Zerkalo”, which conducted an opinion poll among experts – editors of the leading Tajik media and representatives of non-governmental organizations.
10 December
All media, Dushanbe
“In 2013, the NANSMIT monitoring service registered 10 lawsuits against the media in Tajikistan; three of them are considered as politically grounded”, — Nuriddin Karshiboev, chairman of NANSMIT was quoted as saying by Radio Ozodi (Tajik service of Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty).
Karshiboev voice these figures at the international conference “Media and safety of journalism in Central Asia” held in Dushanbe on 30 November 2013.
Karshiboev stated that the case of Makhmadyusuf Ismoilov, lawsuits against the Asia Plus weekly and its editor Olga Tutubalina, the complaint of the former chairman of the union of writers Askar Khakim against the Samak weekly, and other cases have political reasons behind them on the eve of the presidential elections.
“The major purpose of these moves was to distract attention of the media community from important political developments in the country. The “organizers” have partially achieved their goal – since the disputes around the media involved in litigations have affected the image of these media.
The chairman of NANSMIT advised the journalists involved in media investigations to double-check information they acquire – to avoid complaints from public officials.
18 December
Reporters Without Borders, Paris
The Paris-based organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) presented its traditional annual report on the freedom of the media in 2013. The document, inter alia, says that the number of abducted journalists has doubled, and the number of journalists killed I the line of duty has slightly decreased compared to 2012.
According to RSF, 87 journalists and bloggers were kidnapped in 2013 (compared to 38 in 2012); 71 journalists and 39 bloggers were killed (compared to 88 and 47 respectively in 2012). It should be noted that the year of 2012 hit the all-time high for the period from 1995 (when RSF published its first annual report) in terms of the killed journalists.
The RSF report says that in 2013, 178 journalists were held in prison in different countries. Among the worst “leaders”, RSF names China, Eritrea, Turkey, Iran and Syria. The number of attacks and intimidations of journalists has increased by 9 percent compared to the previous year (RSF registered 2,160 cases).
“The profession of journalist has not become any safer. The most dangerous place for media professionals in 2013 was Syria – 10 journalists and 35 bloggers were killed in that country”, — the RSF press secretary Astrid Frohloff said. — “Among the countries where journalists don’t feel safe are India, Philippines, Somali and Pakistan.
30 December
Committee to Protect Journalists, NYC
According to the Ney-York-based organization Committee to protect Journalists (CPJ), not less than 70 journalists were killed in the line of duty in 2013; two journalists were killed in Russia.
According to Robert Mahoni, the CJF deputy director, the countries of Middle East have become a “battle field” for media professionals. Twenty nine journalists were killed in Syria, and 10 in Iraq. Three out of the six journalists killed in Egypt were victims of clashes between the public and the police during street demonstrations in August 2013.
Russia is mentioned in the CPJ report as a country were unlawful measures were taken by the law enforcement countries against the journalists investigating cases of corruption, drug trafficking and other dangerous topics.
31 December
All media
At a government meeting chaired by the president Emomali Rakhmon, a decision was made to create the National Mass Media Academy.
According to the Asia Plus news agency, the president launched this idea on 10 March 2012, speaking at the conference on the occasion of the 100-th anniversary of the Tajik national press. Emomali Rakhmon gave the errand to relevant ministries and agencies to prepare relevant documents to facilitate the establishment of the new media institution.
3. Journalists protecting their professional rights
3 December
All media, Dushanbe
The Independent Human Rights center held a two-day seminar “Legal guarantees of access to information” in Dushanbe.
The seminar was attended by representatives of the national coalition of NGOs against tortures in Tajikistan, legal experts, lawyers and media professionals. They discussed the issues of access to publically important information in accordance with international and national standards.
According to Shoira Davlatova, project coordinator, 25 participants from Dushanbe, Khatlon, Sughd and GBAO took part in discussions at the seminar.
26 December
All media, Dushanbe
Heads of the Tajik media organizations issued a joint statement condemning the arrest of Abdurakhim Shukurov, the journalist of the Ozodagon news agency.
“It is especially alarming that such a behavior of law enforcement officers has become routine”, — the statement says.
Shukurov was detained by the police on 25 December when he was filming the incident near the detention center in Dushanbe where people gathered to support Zaid Saidov, the Tajik entrepreneur and the founder of the political party New Tajikistan. Saidov was charged on numerous alleged crimes.
Shukurov told his colleagues-journalists that he was beaten at the police station. He was held for seven days in custody for “public order disturbance”.
On 26 December, a group of media managers sent a request to the minister of interior asking him to organize a meeting and discuss the recent arrest of Ozodagon’s journalist, as well as other incidents and unlawful actions of the law enforcement agencies.
Journalists and media organizations in Sughd province also expressed concern over the arrest of Abdurakhim Shukurov and condemned the actions of the police. At a meeting on 27 December in Khujand, the Sughd journalists suggested the Ozodagon news agency to file a lawsuit against the Ministry of Interior and demand a moral compensation for the incident.
II. VIOLATION OF RIGHTS
2. Unlawful limitation of access to information
6 December
News agency Ozodagon, Dushanbe
Access to the web site of the Ozodagon news agency – www.ozodagon.tj – is frequently blocked by local Internet providers (Beeline, Tajnet, TK Mobile, TojNet, Istera, Telecomm Technology).
Ozodagon’s technical administrator Kayumarsi Ato told the NANSMIT monitoring service that the web site frequently experiences hackers’ attacks.
Managers of Ozodagon repeatedly approached the government-controlled State Communication Service asking about the reasons for the limited access to the web site, but the questions remain unanswered.
2. Denial of access to publically important information
9 December
faraj.tj, Farazh weekly, Dushanbe
The Farazh weekly approached the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a question about the reasons behind the recent dismissal of Kozidavlat Koimdodov from the position of advisor to the CIS Economic Court in Minsk, Republic of Belarus.
The Foreign Ministry refused to provide comments referring Farazh to the Economic Court of Tajikistan. The Court, in turn, stated that this issue is not under its competence.
12 December
Radio Khatlon, Kurgan-Tube, Khatlon province
Nargis Kasymova, correspondent of Radio Khatlon in the city of Kurgan-Tube approached Marifat Zaripova, head of the Women’s and Family Affairs Committee in Khatlon province with a request for information about social issues. The official demanded a written request signed by the journalist’s supervisor.
Kasymova told the NANSMIT monitoring service that she repeatedly approached Ms. Zaripova, but her requests and questions remained unanswered.
15 December
Khatlon weekly, Kurgan-Tube, Khatlon province
Asalmo Safarova, editor of the Khatlon weekly told the NANSMIT monitoring service about the complaints of journalists who cannot receive information about the activities of the province Education Department.
The editor also noted that the Education Department, the affiliate of the national Ministry of Education failed to conduct its annual press conference in 2013.
25 December
NANSMIT, Dushanbe
The Tajik National Association of Independent Mass Media approached the National Legislation Center under the President’s administration with a request to provide copies of final recommendations and suggestions on the introduction of amendments in the laws regulating the Internet communication in the country.
On 6 December, NANSMIT repeatedly approached the National Center with a request to provide the draft Internet law.
On 25 December, NANSMIT received an official response signed by the deputy director of the Center, Mr. Bakhriddinov. The letter says that “the working group under the Center is continuing the development of the draft law”. In a conversation with NANSMIT, Umrillo Melikov, head of the Center’s unit noted that the documents being developed should be discussed and agreed upon with relevant government agencies, and only after that, the draft law will be presented to the public for further discussions.
3. Freedom of expression
10 December
All media, Dushanbe
Twenty women burst into the office of the Social-democratic Party of Tajikistan (SDPT) during a press conference.
The women started accusing Rakhmatillo Zoirov, the chairman of SDPT of destabilizing the situation in the country and the relation of the Party to the recent public commotion in the city of Khorog, the administrative center of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO).
According to the Ozodagon news agency, the women applied to the journalists asking them to ignore Zoirov’s statements.
Zoirov intended to inform the media about his recent trip to the Ukraine and the so-called Euro-Maidan developments. The chairman of SDPT tried to calm down the women; however, the press conference was broken. Journalists were informed that the press conference can be held at another time; and Mr. Zoirov welcomed the media to get in touch with him by я на этоthe telephone if they so desire.
4. Unlawful arrest and beating
25 December
Abdurakhim Shukurov, Ozodagon news agency, Dushanbe
On 25 December, the police arrested Abdurakhim Shukurov, the cameraman of the Ozodagon news agency.
Later, Shukurov told his colleagues from Ozodagon that the police officers were beating him; it was quite obvious – they had witnessed traces of beating on his face.
Shukurov also told his colleagues that the Ismoili Somoni district police officers promised to deliver him to the forensic laboratory – for medical examination – but they did not keep their promise. Eventually, Shukurov received 7 days in custody – allegedly, the journalist was charged for “disturbance of public order”.
On 26 December, commenting on the incident, the deputy chairman of the Ismoili District court in Dushanbe, Temur Khafizov told the Ozodagon news agency that the police has no right to keep a citizen under custody for seven days not having a valid court verdict.
“An individual can be detained only for three days for disturbance of public order”, — he added. The court’s secretariat also confirmed that Shukurov’s arrest was not documentarily registered.
On 26 December, the court’s cassation board ruled to replace the arrest with a fine in the amount of 320 Somoni (about $65).
The Ozodagon journalists expressed concern over the fact that the Ismoili Somoni court’s session was held at night, and the defendant was not provided with a lawyer.
After the release, Shukurov stated that he does not admit the guilt, and he was arrested while performing his professional duties. He added that his rights were violated and he was beaten by the police officers.
The court’s verdict says that Shukurov was found guilty of disturbance of public order. “…by previous concert, he joined the group of Zaid Saidov’s relatives; he was filming [the protest], and disobeyed orders of the police”, — the verdict says.
III. CONFLICTS, VIOLATIONS
1. Extortion and fraud
10 December
Makhmadyusuf Ismoilov, freelance journalist, Sughd province)
The lawyer of Makhmadyusuf Ismoilov sent a complaint regarding the verdict of the Sughd province court issued on 28 October.
The Sughd court sentences Ismoilov to 11 years in prison for alleged extortion and fraud. The judicial defense stated repeatedly that the accusations against the defendant are fabricated. Ismoilov criticized the province administration in his publications accusing officials of corruption and fraud.
2. Protection of honor, dignity and business reputation, moral compensation
12 December
Mamadsho Ilolov, former president of the Academy of Sciences, Dushanbe
The former president of the Tajik Academy of Sciences Mamadsho Ilolov, on the day of his resignation, told the Faraj news agency www.faraj.tj that he is not going to renounce his claim against the Asia Plus weekly and its editor Olga Tutubalina.
“Although I did not participate in court hearings, I will keep struggling with Asia Plus and will try to prove the existence of the Tajik intelligentsia”. He added that he is not going to attend the court hearings. “We have our lawyer who speaks on behalf of the Academy of Sciences”, — he was quoted as saying.
Last summer, the Academy of Sciences, five government-controlled creative unions and three individuals filed a lawsuit against the weekly and its editor demanding a penalty in the amount of 200 thousand Somoni as compensation for moral damage. In her article, Olga Tutubalina criticized representatives of the Tajik creative unions for the absence of their civil opinion and excessive subservience before the president Emomali Rakhmon.
Additional information on this case is available in the following publication: http://eurasianet.org/node/67986