Jehovah’s Witnesses in Tajikistan are expecting a verdict from the Supreme Court on their appeal of the decision that terminated the religious group’s activities in the country, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reports.

Yury Toporov, a spokesman in Moscow for the Jehovah’s Witnesses, told RFE/RL that the organization filed an appeal with the Supreme Court in December and, according to the law, a review of the appeal must be made within two months of the filing.

Toporov said the congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses was legally registered in Tajikistan in 1994.

But the Culture Ministry banned the religious group’s activities in Tajikistan in October 2007 because the group’s literature attacks other religions, its members actively proselytize, and they have prayer meetings in their homes rather than designated buildings.

On September 29, 2008, a trial judge in Dushanbe dismissed an application by the Jehovah’s Witnesses asking that the Culture Ministry’s decision be overturned. An appeal was also dismissed by the Supreme Court’s Military Collegium in February 2009.

Toporov told RFE/RL: «In fact, Tajik authorities say their country is a modern country respecting all the religious groups and confessions and therefore we believe that Jehovah’s Witnesses will be allowed to gather and to preach their faith in Tajikistan as they used to do before. That would correspond to international standards and Tajikistan’s international obligations.»

http://www.rferl.org/content/Banned_Jehovahs_Witnesses_Appeal_To_Tajik_Supreme_Court/1950502.html

“Independent Tajik media have become more courageous; they attracted attention of citizens to acute social problems, such as corruption and inefficiency of government agencies. This is an explanation to the growing trend of filing legal cases against the media by the authorities”, — said Muhiddin Kabiri, chairman of the Tajik Islamic Renaissance Party.

Kabiri interpreted the actions of officials as “a certain pressure on the media, whereas the latter apply very strong censorship towards themselves”.

“It is obvious that the authorities decided to organize a “united front” [against the private media], since it is not in their interests to make their shortcomings public – when the society learns what’s going on within these [government] structures”.

The political leader advised representatives of “the fourth power” to unite and protect their own interests. “There have been cases when certain journalists or media had to confront the government bureaucracy alone. Some officials feel confident that they can easily intimidate the media, especially private outlets”, — he added.

Kabiri also says that in this situation journalists should publish more audacious articles, since “withdrawal means weakness, which would further stimulate pressure from government officials on the media”.

Asia Plus

«The Tajik authorities must stop using the judicial system to harass independent news media», Reporters Without Borders said today in reaction to an appeal court’s decision to uphold an astronomical damages award against a news weekly and the announcement of new lawsuits against a total of four leading newspapers.

The damages award of 300,000 somoni (49,000 euros) against the weekly Paykon (“Arrowhead”) was confirmed on 26 January by a Dushanbe court. The newspaper had been ordered to pay this amount on 26 October in a libel suit by Tajikstandart, a government agency that monitors the quality of imported goods.

Last summer, the newspaper published an open letter to President Emomali Rakhmon from a number of businessmen accusing Tajikstandart of corruption and incompetency. Although the agency was accorded the right of reply, it nonetheless brought the legal action claiming that the letter’s authors had used false names.

“Tajikistan’s defamation law should be amended to ensure that damages awards are proportional to the resources of the media concerned,” Reporters Without Borders said. “Such high awards threaten the publication’s survival and therefore the diversity of the country’s news media, which is already very limited.”

The press freedom organisation added: “Aside from the flawed legislation, a new tendency is emerging in the lawsuits that have been brought against the country’s leading independent newspapers in the past few days. With just weeks to go to parliamentary elections on 28 February, there is clearly an all-out drive to intimidate news media and get them to censor their coverage of state authorities.”

The official newspaper Khovar reported on 28 January that the agriculture ministry has brought a libel suit against the leading newspaper Millat (Nation) in which it is demanding 1 million somoni (165,000 euros) in damages. When contacted by Reporters Without Borders, editor Zohir Davlat refused to comment until he received formal notification of the suit.

But he said he was surprised because the offending report, published last December, was “short and purely factual, referring to investigations into corruption within the agriculture ministry that were carried out and published by parliament.” The ministry was accorded the right of reply in this case as well.

Libel actions were brought the next day against three other leading newspapers – Asia-Plus, Ozodagon (“The Independent”) and Faraj – by three supreme court judges and a judge based in the Dushanbe district of Sino over their coverage of a conference about corruption and bias within the Tajik judicial system. The suits demand a total of 5.5 million somoni (900,000 euros) in damages.

One of the plaintiffs, supreme court judge Nur Nurov, has even requested that the newspapers be closed pending the outcome of the case. It is ironic that President Rakhmon himself lambasted the work of the supreme court and prosecutor-general’s office in a recent cabinet meeting.

A Tajik journalist based in Europe told Reporters Without Borders that the lawsuits could be the result of contradictory signals from the government in recent months. The press was emboldened by a meeting between the president and media representatives last autumn and had started publishing more critical articles.

Serving as a reminder that it is dangerous to criticise the authorities, the current lawsuits appear to signal the end of the détente. The journalist also pointed out that, in a February 2009 decree, President Rakhmon had explicitly encouraged government officials to bring actions against news media that criticised them.

Paykon has not been particularly critical of the government since its launch last March although its editor, Jumaboy Tolibov, used to upset the authorities with his investigative reporting and was beaten and given a two-year jail sentence in 2005.

Tajikistan’s last parliamentary elections led to a crackdown on the media and it seems that history could be in the process of repeating itself.

http://www.rsf.org/Officials-bring-libel-actions.html

Kyrgyz Interior Minister Moldomusa Kongantiev has repeated a report that a suspect in the killing of independent Kyrgyz journalist Alisher Saipov was detained in Tajikistan, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reports.

Kongantiev told RFE/RL on January 26 that Kyrgyz and Tajik officials are discussing the suspect’s extradition to Kyrgyzstan.

Meanwhile, Tajik officials told RFE/RL’s Tajik Service the same day that they have no information about such a suspect being detained in Tajikistan.

Kyrgyz officials first reported the arrest of the suspect on January 16, and Tajik officials also denied the claim at that time.

Saipov, a Kyrgyz citizen of Uzbek origin who was chief editor of the «Siyosat» (Politics) newspaper, was shot dead near his office in the southern Kyrgyz city of Osh on October 24, 2007.

He often wrote about the political and social affairs in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. His colleagues and human rights activists say he was killed for his critical articles about Uzbek officials.

Meanwhile, an Osh city court ruled on January 26 that Saipov’s case will not be the subject of an additional investigation.

Saipov’s father, Avaz Saipov, had asked the court to have the case reinvestigated. He said the investigations done thus far had been unprofessional and that he believes Uzbek secret agents — with assistance from their Kyrgyz colleagues — had killed his son.

He also said he believes that Abdulfarid Rasulov, the detained suspect, is innocent.

http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyz_Minister_Says_Suspect_In_Journalists_Killing_Arrested_In_Tajikis

The media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) says it is concerned about the arrest of prominent Uzbek journalist Khayrulla Khamidov, RFE/RL’s Uzbek Service reports.

RSF said in a statement that «the haste with which the [Uzbek] authorities have acted is very suspect given their readiness to brand all government opponents and civil society activists as extremists.»

Khamidov, one of the most famous sports reporters in Uzbekistan, was arrested at his Tashkent home on January 21. Police also searched his apartment and confiscated his computer, several books, and CDs.

Khamidov was charged with «organization or active participation in an illegal religious group.» If found guilty he could face up to five years in jail.

The RSF noted that the arrest of Khamidov, 35, who used to work for Uzbek television as a soccer commentator and also was a former radio show host, comes two weeks after five independent Uzbek journalists were summoned to the Tashkent prosecutor’s office for questioning about their professional activities.

RSF said the Uzbek government «is pursuing its offensive without fear of any reaction from the international community.»

Khamidov’s lawyer, Alisher Zaynutdinov, told RFE/RL on January 25 that an appeal has been made in a Tashkent regional court regarding Khamidov’s case, but he does not know when it will be considered.

Zaynutdinov said Khamidov has admitted that he took part in two events dedicated to the birth of a child in the Tashkent region where the Salafiya branch of Islam — which is officially banned in Uzbekistan — was discussed by some people.

As the founder of a religious newspaper, Khamidov said he is frequently invited to religious events.

Surat Ikramov, a Tashkent human rights activist, told RFE/RL that Khamidov was working for a state television channel and his commentary was always agreed on with authorities.

Khamidov gained great popularity while anchoring a series of radio programs called «Among People,» and he founded a newspaper with a similar title in February 2007 that explained the role of Islam in people’s lives.

The newspaper was closed in August 2007, reportedly due to a violation of the media law.

http://www.rferl.org/content/Media_Watchdog_Concerned_By_Uzbek_Journalists_Arrest_/1940875.html

The family of Kyrgyz journalist Gennady Pavlyuk has a new lawyer recommended to them by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reports.

Akmat Alagushev, the head of the nongovernmental Media Commissioner Institute in Kyrgyzstan, has agreed to represent Pavlyuk’s family following a complaint to the OSCE from Pavlyuk’s wife, Olga, about lawyer Galina Dadabaeva.

Pavlyuk, 51, died in hospital on December 22, six days after he fell from a high building in Almaty with his hands and feet bound.

Some Kazakh media quoted police sources saying there were indications that three Kyrgyz secret service officers were involved in his death. But Kyrgyz secret service officials have accused the Kazakh media of disseminating false information.

Kyrgyz Interior Minister Moldomusa Kongantiev said today that the involvement of Kyrgyz citizens in Pavlyuk’s murder has not been confirmed. He added that Kazakh investigators who came to Kyrgyzstan to investigate the case last week returned on January 23.

Meanwhile, the head of the NGO Citizens Against Corruption, Tolekan Ismailova, told RFE/RL that Pavlyuk’s family and friends will mark 40 days since his death on January 30.

Pavlyuk, an ethnic Russian, was the founder of the «White Steamer» newspaper and website and had worked for the newspaper «Vecherny Bishkek» and the Russian weekly «Argumenty i fakty.»

http://www.rferl.org/content/Slain_Kyrgyz_Journalists_Family_Takes_OSCEAppointed_Lawyer/1940156.html

Prominent Uzbek sports journalist Khairulla Khamidov has been arrested, RFE/RL’s Uzbek Service reports.

One of Khamidov’s relatives told RFE/RL that Khamidov has officially been accused of «creating an illegal religious group and participation in its activities.»

Khamidov’s wife, Dilnoza, told RFE/RL that police came to their apartment at about 5 a.m. with arrest and search warrants. She said Khamidov’s computer, several books, and CDs were confiscated.

Khamidov was arrested and taken to Tashkent’s Lunacharsky Interior Ministry jail.

Khamidov, who is among the most famous sports reporters in Uzbekistan, used to work for Uzbek television as a soccer commentator. He gained great popularity after he anchored a series of radio programs called «Among People,» which explained the role of Islam in the life of ordinary citizens.

That program became so popular that many Uzbeks were regularly downloading the program on their mobile phones.

http://www.rferl.org/content/Prominent_Uzbek_Sports_Journalist_Arrested/1937093.html

The International Association of Art Critics (AICA) has launched a campaign in support of Uzbek photographer Umida Ahmedova, who has been charged by the government with defamation, RFE/RL’s Uzbek Service reports.

The Paris-based art organization has published an appeal to Uzbek authorities to acquit Ahmedova. The appeal is signed by nearly 1,000 artists, art critics, journalists, and rights activists from around the world.

The AICA appeal calls on the Uzbek government to dismiss the charges against Ahmedova on the grounds that art is not journalism and cannot be viewed «as an agent» of defamation.

The AICA said it is attempting to draw the attention of the international community and rights organizations to Ahmedova’s case.

It says that if Ahmedova’s case is not stopped, «any photo taken on the Uzbek streets could become a pretext for legal charges.»

Ahmedova, 54, was arrested on December 16 and charged with defamation and damaging Uzbekistan’s image with a series of photos and videos she took in remote villages that she used for the documentaries «The Burden Of Virginity» and «Customs Of Men And Women.» The films focus on poverty and gender inequality in Uzbekistan.

The documentaries were sponsored by the Swiss Embassy in Tashkent.

Ahmedova, who has contributed photographs to RFE/RL’s Uzbek Service, says the charges against her are «groundless» and «absurd.»

If found guilty, Ahmedova could face a fine and up to two years in a labor camp or up to six months in prison.

A Kazakh opposition group will jointly award a democracy prize to a jailed journalist, rights activist, and businessman, RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service reports.

The unregistered Alga political group said the prize for outstanding contribution to democracy in Kazakhstan will be awarded to Yevgeny Zhovtis, the director of the nongovernmental Kazakh Bureau for Human Rights; Mukhtar Dzhakishev, the former head of Kazakh uranium producer Kazatomprom; and Ramazan Esergepov, the «Alma-Ata Info» newspaper editor.

The award ceremony will be held on January 19 at Communist Party offices in Astana.

Organizers said they had to change the original venue due to government pressure on the owners of the hotel where the ceremony was to take place.

The prize has been awarded since 2003 on January 19, which was declared «Democracy Day» at an assembly held by opposition members.

Zhovtis was sentenced in September to four years in prison for his role in a deadly traffic accident. Dzhakishev, who has been under arrest in prison since May, is accused of theft and corruption. Esergepov was found guilty in August of revealing state secrets after publishing some government documents and sentenced to three years in prison.

Supporters and human rights organizations say the charges and/or sentences against the three are politically motivated.

http://www.rferl.org/content/article/1932985.html

Regional Tajik police say they know nothing about the reported arrest of a man suspected in the 2007 murder of Kyrgyz journalist Alisher Saipov.

Kyrgyz Interior Ministry spokesman Bakyt Seyitov told RFE/RL’s Uzbek Service that his ministry was told on January 14 about the arrest of a Tajik citizen, Farrukh Sharakhmatullaev, by the Sughd police department.

Seyitov said the ministry and Prosecutor-General’s Office are currently trying to secure the suspect’s extradition to Kyrgyzstan.

But Dilyavar Alizoda, a police department spokesman in the northern city of Sughd, told RFE/RL today that reports of a man being arrested in connection with the killing of Saipov are untrue.

Sharakhmatullaev was allegedly named by Abdufarid Rasulov, who has been sentenced in Kyrgyzstan for his role in Saipov’s murder.

In February, Kyrgyz police detained Rasulov in Kyrgyzstan’s Batken region for drug trafficking and discovered a pistol without a serial number that was shown to be the weapon used to shoot Saipov.

Rasulov said the pistol was given to him in December by Sharakhmatullaev.

Saipov, 26, an ethnic Uzbek and editor in chief of the Osh-based newspaper «Siyosat» («Politics»), was shot dead as he left his office in central Osh on October 24, 2007.

Saipov had also worked as a correspondent for RFE/RL and the Voice of America.

His relatives and colleagues said he may have been killed by Uzbek secret services in retaliation for his critical articles about Uzbek President Islam Karimov and his government.

http://www.rferl.org/content/Tajik_Police_Deny_Suspect_Arrested_In_Kyrgyz_Journalists_Murder_/193108