Freedom of Speech in Tajikistan
August 2013
In August 2013, the Monitoring Service received 26 reports. Fourteen of them describe the factual situation in the media in the light of social, legal and political environment; six reports describe direct violations of rights of media professionals; and six reports describe conflicts and accusations against the media and journalists.
I. POLITICAL, SOCIAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGAL ENVIRONMENT DEFINING THE FACTUAL SITUATION IN THE MEDIA
1. Statements and actions of public officials defining the factual status of the mass media
30 August
Gaibullo Avazov, head of administration, Khatlon province
Head of the Khatlon province administration Gaibullo Avazov visited the printing facility in Vosse district.
According to Najot Safarzoda, the editor of the local newspaper Gulkhani Vose, the official promised to render logistical assistance to the facility and purchase modern printing equipment.
Safarzoda considers that the printing house in Vose district could accommodate other periodicals in the province providing them with services at a good level.
2 . Factual situation in the media and the freedom of speech
6 August
Asia Plus, media group, Dushanbe
The page of the Asia Plus media group on Facebook has gained five thousand “likes” by 6-th August. Asia Plus is within the ten most popular media resources on Tajikistan on Facebook.
According to the portal Socialbakers.com, the most popular are the web page of the US embassy in Dushanbe (43 thousand “likes”), the T-Cell mobile phone company (5,5 thousand “likes”), and the Asia Plus media group.
The Asia Plus’s FB page has more than 500 constant members participating in discussions.
According to independent monitors, the number of FB users is Tajikistan has reached 52 thousand.
7 August
Ruzi Nav weekly, Dushanbe
The private Tajik weekly Ruzi Nav has celebrated its 10-th anniversary.
The newspaper was closed by the authorities in 2004. Rajabi Mirzo, the editor of Ruzi Nav told the monitoring service that so far, the authorities have not explained the reason for the closure of the periodical. “Maybe, we will republish that particular issue – the one, which was printed in Bishkek in 2004 and confiscated at the Dushanbe airport upon arrival”, — he said.
12 August
TV Safo, Moscow
The first Tajik-language TV station started broadcasting in Russia.
Temur Varky, the editor of TV Safo told the monitoring service that the programs in Russian and Tajik are available through the Hotbird satellite – 11585/27500.
The editor explained that the new TV station is founded by representatives of the Tajik ethnic and business diasporas in Russia.
In summer 2012, a group of Tajik entrepreneurs in Moscow set up an online radio station called Mukhojir; its targeted audience is labor migrants.
13 August
Khamrokhon Zarifi, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dushanbe
The minister of foreign affairs of Tajikistan Khamrokhon Zarifi told the media that somebody has launched his fake page on Facebook.
“The owner of that account copied data from my timeline and placed it on his page. At present, the fake account sends out “friend requests”. I would like to ask the people to be careful and ignore the requests”, — the minister said.
Observers note that fake accounts in social networks are quite popular in Tajikistan. One can easily find a page of “Emomali Rakhmon”, “Rakhmatillo Zoirov”, Khojiakbar Turajonzoda” and a number of other politicians and spiritual leaders on Facebook.
14 August
Radio Asia Plus, Khujand, Sughd province
On 14 August, Radio Asia Plus started broadcasting in the northern city of Khujand, the administrative center of Sughd province.
The broadcasting covers Khujand and its satellite cities and settlements – Zafarabad, Chkalovsk and Bobojon-Gafurov district.
Asia Plus received technical support from the Babylon-T company. The potential audience in that region is 600 thousand listeners. At present, the total estimated audience of Asia Plus in the capital and its suburbs is about one million. Another estimated 500-600 thousand listeners reside in Khatlon province (Kurgan-Tube, Sarband, Vakhsh, Rumi and Bokhtar).
Asia Plus, the first independent radio company in Tajikistan, broadcasts in the 24/7 mode on the FM scale.
15 August
Jumkhuriyat, the government printing outlet, Dushanbe
The president of Tajikistan Emomali Rakhmon gave an errand to the government to make proper arrangements for the daily issuing of the Jumkhuriyat newspaper, the government’s official printing body.
Atoi Mirkhoja, the editor of Jumkhuriyat told the monitoring service that starting from January 2014 the periodical will be published five days a week.
19 August
Radio Mukhojir, Moscow
The media company Tajinfo has purchased a popular online radio channel Mukhojir.
The manager of Tajinfo Gufron vakhobov told the media that the procurement of the online radio channel implies further registration of the medium at the federal state body with potential rebranding.
According to the Tajik journalist Abubakri Faizali, Radio Mukhojir intends to reorient itself towards information-analytical programs, including consultative and legal talk shows for the target audience – Tajik labor migrants working in the Russian Federation.
At present, the online radio Mukhojir is available among the users of the Android-based devices (smartphones).
3. Journalists protecting their rights
14 August
All media, Dushanbe
The Tajik National Association of Independent Mass Media conducts a series of training sessions on the topic of “Strategic planning in the media”.
The first seminar was held on 11-13 August for journalists and media managers from Dushanbe and the southern regions of Tajikistan. Participants discussed various aspects of media strategies and the roles of stakeholders in the process of planning. At practical sessions, participants developed planning priorities for the media – both printing and electronic. The main sessions were conducted by Mark Beckerman from the UK-based organization Media Action.
The seminars are conducted within the frameworks of the project “Management in the Media and Safety of Journalistic Creative Activities in Tajikistan” financed by the Democracy Commission under the US embassy in Dushanbe.
17 August
All media, Khujand, Sughd province
On 14-16 August NANSMIT conducted a training session on the topic of “Strategic planning in the media” in the northern city of Khujand, Sughd province.
The seminar was attended by editors of local and regional newspapers, TV and radio companies.
23 August
All media, Dushanbe
The Tajik authorities have to purchase and distribute satellite dishes among ethnic Uzbeks residing in certain areas of Tajikistan.
According to the Tojnews.tj news agencies, administrations of some districts in Khatlon province, southern Tajikistan are interested in maintaining “information security” among the people, i.e. residents of those areas have no access to the Tajik state television. Sadullo Beknazarov, chairman of Kabodiyon district in Khatlon province told the news agency that the authorities have given satellite aerials to five thousand Uzbek families, and are going to purchase and distribute another five thousand satellite dishes to ensure access to the state TV for the residents.
26 August
Tajik Media Council, Dushanbe
The Media Council of Tajikistan issued an appeal addressed to all media professionals calling them to strictly observe ethical standards, especially during the presidential election campaign.
27 August
Asia Plus weekly, Dushanbe
The Tajik independent weekly Asia Plus and her editor Olga Tutubalina took a legal action against the claimants in the case “the Tajik intelligentsia against Asia Plus and Olga Tutubalina”.
In May 2013, Asia Plus published an article by Tutubalina where she expressed her personal opinion about certain representatives of the so-called Tajik intelligentsia”. The author criticized “intellectuals” for the absence of opinion, subservience and adoration of the authorities, and disregard for social, economic and political problems in the country. In response, the Tajik Academy of Sciences and several government-controlled creative unions decided to sue the newspaper and its editor; they also demanded monetary compensation for “moral damage”.
The lawyer of Asia Plus told the media that the intelligentsia’s lawsuit is ungrounded and illegal. “The author’s opinion reflects her own analytical thinking; it is based on personal opinions, thoughts and persuasions. Journalists cannot be persecuted for expressing their thoughts. Moreover, nothing is said in Tutubalina’s articles about any of the claimants; no particular names are mentioned in her publication”, — the lawyer said.
The lawyer also added that the claimants have no authority to act on behalf of the Tajik intelligentsia.
II. VIOLATION OF RIGHTS IN THE MEDIA
1. Ungrounded limitation in access to information
1 August
Association of Internet providers, Dushanbe
The Tajik National Association of the Internet Providers sent an official letter to Beg Zukhurov, head of the government Communications Service with a request to unblock access to the YouTube video hosting.
Youtube has been blocked since early June in Tajikistan. Experts see a relation between the blocking and the video filmed at a wedding party of the Tajik president’s son, Rustami Emomali. For a short period of time, the video had gotten half-a-million of clicks.
Asomiddin Atoyev, chairman of the Internet Providers’ Association told the media that a copy of this letter was also sent to the Secretariat on Information-communication Technologies under the President’s Office.
August, 13
All media, Dushanbe
The Tajik National Bank and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade decided not to share information about the Tajik labor migrants’ remittances from abroad.
In July, these tow government institutions stated that in the future, they are not going to publish data about foreign remittances. Public officials explained that “this particular move is caused by the desire to avoid excessive politicization of reports about the remittances coming from abroad”. In their opinion, these data are often used as an argument to rebuke the Tajik authorities for “dependence and over-reliance on Tajik labor migrants”.
21 August
TV Safo, Moscow
Temur Varky, editor of the Moscow-based TV Safo told the Tojnews agency that the Tajik authorities have started jamming the TV channel on the territory of Tajikistan.
TV Safo started broadcasting on 8 August 2013.
26 August
Dodojon Atovulloev, leader of the Vatandor political movement, Moscow
Dodojon Atovulloev, the leader of the political movement Vatandor publishe a personal statement on Facebook expressing protest against the violation of basic rights in Tajikistan – namely the right to access to information. Atovulloev claims that the Tajik communications agency jams the K Plus TV broadcasting from the territory of Russia in a satellite mode.
“These actions are the violation of constitutional rights; this is a manifestation of disregard for the international standards and rules of information exchange”, — the author said.
In this regard, the Vatandor movement called diplomatic missions accredited in Dushanbe to paying closer attention to the rude violation of the international and domestic legislation and suppression of civil rights”.
2. Violation of labor rights
20 August
Abdukayum Auybzod, journalist, Dushanbe
The cassational court in Dushanbe dismissed the complaint of Abdukayumi Ayubzod, the former correspondent of Radio Ozodi who asked the court to restore him to his labor rights.
The court denied the request. The journalist’s lawyer told the media that his client is going to appeal to a higher judicial instance.
III. CONFLICTS, VIOLATIONS, ACCUSATIONS AGAINST THE MEDIA
1. Protection of honor, dignity and business reputation
15 August
Olga Tutubalina, Asia Plus weekly, Dushanbe
Representatives of the so-called Tajik intelligentsia (government-controlled creative unions) filed a lawsuit against the Asia Plus weekly and its editor Olga Tutubalina.
The claimants demand a moral compensation in the amount of 200 thousand Somoni for the article, in which the author criticized Tajik “intellectuals” for their attitude to social, economic and political problems in the country. The claimants stated that the money received as the “moral compensation” will be donated to orphanages.
On 27 August, the Firdavsi district court held preliminary hearings on the claim of the Tajik Academy of Sciences, the Union of Writers, the Union of Artists, the Union of Composers and the Union of Architects, as well as three individuals.
Shukhrat Kudratov, the lawyer representing the interests of Asia Plus and Olga Tutubalina told the media that the lawsuit contradicts the national Civil-procedural Code.
2. Requirement to observe the national media legislation
12 August
Najot weekly, PIRT, Dushanbe
On 7 August, the Tajik Ministry of Culture sent a warning to the Najor weekly, a periodical belonging to the Rarty of Islamic Renaissance of Tajikistan (PIRT).
The letter addressed to Khikmatullo Saifullozoda, the editor of Najot accuses the newspaper of publishing slanderous information. The minister culture warned that he reserves the right to approach the Ministry of Justice (the body in charge of registration of the media) and solicit the Ministry’s decision on revoking Najot’s registration as a medium.
The editor Saifullozoda told the media that the minister’s warning is caused by the recent article titled “Khorog…”. The editor considers that the publication of this article does not contradict the Tajik media legislation, and the Ministry exerts pressure groundlessly.
3. Accusation of religious extremism
20 August
Dodojon Atovulloev, journalist, Tbilisi, Georgia
The Tajik opposition activist Dodojon Atovulloev was detained at the Tbilisi airport following the Interpol warrant.
According to the Asia Plus news agency, Atovulloev is accused by the Tajiik authorities of religious extremism and terrorism. Atovulloev, the leader of the Vatandor political movement, told the media that he came to Georgia from Prague to hold meetings with certain politicians.
On 15 July 2013, Atovulloev was detained at the Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow upon arrival from Prague. After a few hours, he was released and returned back to Prague.
4. Demand to refute inadequate information
1 August
Muhiddin Kabiri, PIRT, Dushanbe
The leader of the Party of Islamic Renaissance of Tajikistan (PIRT) Muhiddin Kabiri send an official letter to Asadullo Rakhmonov, head of the government Broadcasting Committee. Kabiri demands official refutation of inadequate information disseminated through the government electronic mass media.
The letter says that the Tajik official TV and radio companies conduct a big-scale anti-PIRT campaign accompanied by libel and insults.
“These actions are unlawful, and they can undermine the national unity, peace and accord in the country”, — the letter says.
In his letter, referring to the Tajik laws “On political parties” and “On mass media”, Kabiri demands to create proper conditions for PIRT officials to publically refute the insulting accusations.
7 August
The government Broadcasting Committee, Dushanbe
Responding to the letter of Mukhiddin Kabiri, the government Broadcasting Committee said that “the state television does not conduct any “anti-PIRT propaganda”, and refused to provide broadcasting time to the opposition party.
The letter signed by Saidali Siddikov, the first deputy chairman of the Committee, says that the government electrocin media did not defame PIRT. Siddikov noted that PIRT refers to recent TV programs involving the national spiritual leaders. “Participants of those TV shows expressed their personal opinions using their constitutional rights…”, — the official said in his written response.
The Broadcasting Committee stressed that the TV companies cannot bear responsibility for individual opinions expressed in TV shows; thus, they cannot provide the floor for refutations.