While cloned websites are nothing new in Uzbekistan, the latest attempt to set up a local social network in the Central Asian country pulls out all the stops. Youface.uz’s resemblance to Facebook is hard to overlook, and it doesn’t stop with the welcome page.

The site’s founder, who gave his name as Ayub Abdulloh in an Internet chat with RFE/RL’s Uzbek Service, admits that at «first glance» his new website may look like the world’s biggest social-networking site, but this is just to help it gather new members, and as his site gets more users, «this will be changed.»

Launched on May 21, Youface has just 300 members so far (no word on how many of them are New York comedians). But Abdulloh, who gives his age as 22 and didn’t want to give an interview, has high hopes for his website.

Abdulloh says that Youface is intended to «develop the patriotic spirit in our youth.» He also says the network is intended to promote the Internet among young Uzbeks and the «concept of finding information on the Internet.»

However, when RFE/RL’s Uzbek Service attempted to post material from its website, it was promptly deleted.

While Uzbekistan blocks the websites of many foreign and independent news sources (the BBC, RFE/RL’s Uzbek site, among many), for the most part social networks are permitted, with the exceptions of the Russian blogging platform LiveJournal and Wikipedia, of all things.

In fact, the state telecom monopoly even makes access to the Russian-based social network Odnoklassniki free for mobile-phone users. Odnoklassniki recently added Uzbek as its second available language for translation after Ukrainian.

But after the role social media played in the Arab Spring, as well as in organizing opposition protests in Belarus and Russia, «social media» has become something of a dirty word in the Uzbek state media. Many wonder if the day isn’t coming when foreign social networks will be blocked and local sites might be the only option for Uzbekistan’s Internet users, whose numbers have surged in recent years to almost 8 million out of a population of 28 million.

It’s likely no coincidence that Youface’s Abdulloh makes pains to promote his new social network as «clean» in addition to «patriotic.» It may not be Iran or China just yet, but betting on a more restricted future for Internet users in Uzbekistan is hardly a risky undertaking.

http://www.rferl.org/content/newest-uzbek-social-network-looks-like-facebook/24599461.html

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbaev has condemned online social networks and information technologies for what he describes as “spreading lies and propagating violence and evil.”

Speaking at the Fourth Congress of the World’s Traditional Religions in Astana, Nazarbaev said that “instead of distributing real knowledge, social networks often pour floods of lies, split societies, and create walls within countries.”

The president proposed the creation of an online portal that could help people get involved in the work of the world’s traditional religions.

In April, speaking to the Russian television channel Rossia-24, Nazarbaev criticized Western countries for “pushing their values to other countries via social networks and information technologies.”

He blamed social networks for triggering the Arab Spring movement and pushing Arab nations back 15 years economically.

http://www.rferl.org/content/kazakhstan-nazarbaev-social-networks-lies/24597621.html

DUSHANBE — Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament has passed a draft law decriminalizing libel.

The proposed legislation, proposed in March by President Emomali Rahmon, removes libel and insult from the Criminal Code and places it under the bailiwick of administrative law.

That means journalists accused of libel would face an administrative court rather than criminal prosecution. Administrative courts could issue fines for a libel conviction but not a prison sentence.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) welcomed the decision. The OSCE’s representative on freedom of the media, Dunja Mijatovic, expressed hope that all remaining criminal provisions related to defamation would eventually be abolished.

The draft law must be approved by the upper chamber of parliament and signed by the president.

Under the existing legal code, Tajik journalists face the possibility of several years in jail for a libel conviction.

The new draft legislation would not alter a criminal law calling for up to five years in prison for those who libel or insult the president.

http://www.rferl.org/content/tajikistan-lower-house-passes-bill-to-decriminalize-libel/24599087.html

BISHKEK — The owner of the pro-opposition «Maidan.kz» newspaper in Kyrgyzstan has been arrested.

Interior Ministry officials told RFE/RL that Nurgazy Anarkulov was detained in Bishkek on May 30 in connection with a lawsuit filed against him by a local citizen.

No further details about the case were given.

The chief editor of «Maidan.kz,» Gulzada Turdalieva, has confirmed that Anarkulov was detained.

She said officials have not yet provided his relatives and colleagues with details about the reasons for his arrest.

According to Turdalieva, the newspaper has recently published several articles critical of President Almazbek Atambaev and other officials. But it was not immediately clear if there was any link between those pieces and Anarkulov’s arrest.

Kyrgyzstan is generally considered by human rights groups to have freer media than other autocratic Central Asian countries.

http://www.rferl.org/content/owner-of-kyrgyz-opposition-newspaper-website-maidan-arrested/24599048.h

MOSCOW – Moscow police say an investigation has been launched into the stabbing of a journalist who works for the Ekho Moskvy and Mayak radio station.

Reports say remarks the reporter made about Islam may have been a motive for the attack.

Hospital officials said journalist Sergei Aslanian sustained stab wounds late on May 28 when an unknown assailant attacked him with a knife after he was called to the front door of his apartment building.

Aslanian underwent surgery and doctors say his life is not in danger. Aslanian has told friends his attacker shouted: «You do not like Allah!»

Aslanian’s colleagues say he recently expressed some personal opinions regarding Islam on one of his programs.

The mufti of Moscow and central Russia, Albir Krganov, has condemned the violence against the reporter.

With reporting by Interfax and ITAR-TASS

http://www.rferl.org/content/journalist-stabbed-in-moscow/24596408.html

The Dart Center invites midcareer journalists to apply for the 2012 Ochberg Fellowship Program. For the first time the Fellowship is truly global, welcoming applications from midcareer journalists worldwide.

The Dart Center invites applictions for the 2012 Dart Center Ochberg Fellowships — a unique seminar program for journalists worldwide who want to deepen their knowledge of emotional trauma and psychological injury, and improve coverage of violence, conflict and tragedy.

Reporting responsibly and credibly on street crime and family violence, natural disasters and accidents, war and genocide is a great challenge. Since 1999 the Dart Center has offered the annual Ochberg Fellowships to outstanding midcareer journalists in all media interesting in exploring such critical issues.

The 2012 Ochberg Fellowship Program will be truly global, welcoming applications from Africa, the Mideast, and Asia along with North America, Australia and the Pacific, Latin America and Europe.

This year’s Ochberg Fellowship Program will begin Monday, October 22 and conclude Friday, October 26, 2012. Fellows attend an intensive weeklong program of seminars and discussions held at Columbia University in New York City. Program activities include background briefings by prominent interdisciplinary experts; conversations with journalist colleagues; and a host of other opportunities for intellectual engagement and peer learning.

The application deadline is July 20, 2012.

For more details on the Ochberg Fellowship program or apply, go to the Ochberg Fellowships Guidelines page.

IWPR

The Embassy of the United States of America is now accepting applications for the 2012 Alumni Grants Program. Alumni of all U.S. Government-funded exchange and training programs, including FLEX, UGRAD, Muskie, the International Visitor Leadership Program, Community Connections, Open World, USDA Cochran and FEP exchanges, Department of Commerce SABIT exchanges, and those of other implementers are eligible.

USG alumni must be registered on the State Alumni website to participate in 2012 Alumni Grants Program. You can easily and quickly register yourself at https://alumni.state.gov.

The purpose of the program is to provide grants to organizations that have USG alumni as members or to individual alumni for activities that support democratic advancement and economic reform in Tajikistan. The program aims to provide alumni with networking opportunities; to further the professional development of alumni and their colleagues and to assist alumni in implementing and disseminating the concepts learned during exchange programs. The amount of grants must not exceed $5,000 for organizations and $3,000 for individuals.
Funds may be used for the following:
· To initiate a public or community service program;
· To provide support for alumni association events;
· To organize training programs or conferences for professional colleagues and/or other alumni;
· To provide continued funding for existing alumni centers, and minimal start-up costs for alumni associations;
· To organize and plan networking events;
· To develop and publish curricula, textbooks, or related reference or educational materials;
· To publish public information pamphlets or brochures on topics that further USG assistance goals;
· To conduct other projects that support democratic and economic reform initiatives.

Projects NOT funded by the Alumni Program include those requested by non-USG alumni organizations and individuals, those relating to partisan political activity, charitable activity and/or humanitarian aid, fund-raising campaigns, commercial projects and those that duplicate existing projects. Grant proposals for international travel by alumni must include a substantial cost share and explain how the proposed travel will benefit the wider community.

Proposals must be received no later than June 15, 2012. Proposals should contain clearly formulated goals and target groups, and show the ability of the applying organization/individual to carry out the project aims. Proposals and SF form 424 attached separately should be submitted in English.

U.S. Embassy, Public Affairs Section
109 A Ismoili Somoni Avenue, Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Email: alumnitajikistan@state.gov

Application forms are available on our web site http://dushanbe.usembassy.gov/alumnigrants.html or can be requested by email. Please use the e-mail above for any questions.

http://dushanbe.usembassy.gov/alumnigrants.html

BISHKEK — A bronze monument to the late Kyrgyz opposition journalist Gennady Pavlyuk, who died two years ago after he was bound and thrown from a building, has been stolen.

A Kyrgyz Interior Ministry official told RFE/RL that the monument was most likely removed from its foundation late on May 20 or early the next day.

The monument was unveiled in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek in October.

Pavlyuk, 51, who was of Russian origin, died several days after being thrown from a building in Almaty in December 2009.

His arms and legs had been bound.

His relatives and colleagues have alleged that the murder was politically motivated, as Pavlyuk had joined the opposition movement against former President Kurmanbek Bakiev and his government.

A former Kyrgyz security service officer and two Kazakh citizens were found guilty of involvement into Pavlyuk’s murder and sentenced to 17, 11, and 10 years, respectively, in October.

http://www.rferl.org/content/monument-to-slain-kyrgyz-journalist-stolen/24587773.html

Baku, 21 May 2012. The International Partnership Group for Azerbaijan (the IPGA), coordinated by ARTICLE 19, has launched its website www.AzerbaijanFreeXpression.org and Facebook and Twitter profiles ahead of this week’s Eurovision Song Competition, which will commence in Baku, Azerbaijan tomorrow, 22 May.

Looking behind the glitz of Eurovision, the IPGA website examines the alarming freedom of expression situation in Azerbaijan, where journalists and others face blackmail, intimidation, violence, and imprisonment for expressing critical views.

As the stage is set for the 57th Eurovision Song Contest, which will take place this week in Baku, the Azerbaijani authorities are working hard to promote a positive image abroad. But at home they are severely restricting the right to freedom of expression and other fundamental freedoms.

«As Eurovision approaches, our new website shows that the freedom of expression situation in Azerbaijan continues to worsen», said ARTICLE 19 Executive Director, Agnès Callamard. «The broadcast media is completely dominated by the state, leaving no room for independent voices. The organiser of Eurovision, the European Broadcasting Union, must end its policy of silence and hold the Azerbaijani authorities accountable for their freedom of expression violations.»

«With seven journalists behind bars, Azerbaijan is among the top 10 global jailers of the press», said CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova. «This crackdown comes in the run-up to the Eurovision Song Contest, which will gather journalists from more than 40 participating countries and fix the world’s eyes on Azerbaijan. The significant resources official Baku has poured to polish the country’s image abroad will be meaningless without implementing systematic reforms to improve press freedom conditions at home. The immediate and unconditional release of our colleagues would be a good start.»

«In Azerbaijan, journalists become the targets of violence when they stand up in the face of pressure from the authorities», said Reporters Without Borders Director-General Olivier Basille. «These attacks have created a climate of intimidation that is all the more frightening because those responsible enjoy complete impunity. The murders of two journalists remain unsolved due to a lack of political will. The authorities must take action now to find their killers and bring them to justice».

Along with its website, today the IPGA is launching its Facebook and Twitter profiles, through which it will provide regular updates on freedom of expression developments in Azerbaijan.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The IPGA is a coalition of international NGOs working to promote and protect freedom of expression in Azerbaijan. For more information about the Partnership, please contact ARTICLE 19 at +44 (0)207 324 2500 or ipga@article19.org.
The following IPGA spokespersons are available for interviews:
o Rebecca Vincent, IPGA Coordinator, ARTICLE 19, on +44 (0)20 7324 2500 (London, UK)

o Nina Ognianova, Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator, Committee to Protect Journalists, on +7 964 513 7267 (Moscow, Russian Federation)

o Johann Bihr, Head of the Europe and Central Asia Desk, Reporters Without Borders, on +33 1 44 83 84 67 (Paris, France)

To follow the IPGA on the web, please visit www.azerbaijanfreeXpression.org, or find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AZfreeXpression or Twitter at @AZfreeXpression. The IPGA will be tweeting live during the Eurovision Song Contest final on 26 May 2012.
###
CPJ is a New York-based, independent, nonprofit organization
that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide.

eurasia@cpj.org

It’s never a good time to be a government critic in Tajikistan, but this week has been particularly bad. Two critics have been violently attacked in separate incidents.

A leader of the minority Uzbek community in Khatlon Province, Salim Shamsiddinov, 57, was beaten with a metal pipe in broad daylight on May 5 near his home in Qurghon-Teppa.

Shamsiddinov told Radio Ozodi (Radio Liberty’s Tajik service) that he believes the attack, carried out by three athletic-looking men, was related to a recent interview he gave the newspaper “Millat,” where he criticized Tajik authorities for their “nationalist” position in dealing with rival Uzbekistan. (That statement so upset his allies that the day Shamsiddinov was attacked he was also dismissed from his post as deputy chairman of the Society of Uzbeks in Tajikistan.) He has also regularly criticized Tashkent’s approach to relations with Tajikistan. Uzbeks make up roughly 15 percent of Tajikistan’s population.

Separately, on May 7 in Dushanbe, television presenter Daler Sharipov was hospitalized in an attack by unknown assailants. Asia-Plus reports a suspect has been detained, but Sharipov’s friend, who witnessed the attack, says he is not certain the suspect is the assailant.

Sharipov, a fifth-year journalism student, hosts two popular talk shows on state television. Last week he announced he was creating an organization called Qadam ba Qadam (Step by Step) to draw attention to Tajikistan’s cronyism and corruption, RFE/RL reported. Radio Ozodi quoted Sharipov as saying he had recently received email threats from anonymous sources.

While there’s no direct evidence the attacks are related to Shamsiddinov’s or Sharipov’s work, they do testify to a trend in Tajikistan. Critics beware.

http://www.eurasianet.org/node/65378