On 13 December, after a two-month recess, the Firdavsi district court in Dushanbe recommenced hearings on the criminal case of Saida Kurbanova, editor of “Ovoza” weekly and two correspondents – Mukhayo Nozimova and Farangis Nabieva

In mid October, at the beginning of investigation in court, the attorney of defendants Inoyat Inoyatov expressed distrust to the expert opinions performed by specialists of the Institute of Language under the Tajik Academy of Sciences and presented to the court. Taking into consideration the statement made by the attorney, Chairman of the hearing, Judge Akbar Safarov assumed a decision to send the text of the article titled “Raikhona pi-pi-pi… Afghanistan” published in the newspaper “Ovoza” on 21 June 2007 for a secondary consideration of a linguistic commission in order to receive a more objective assessment.

Upon the accomplishment of the first day of hearings, editor of the Tajik newspaper “Farazh” Khurshedi Niyoz informed the audience that according to the new linguistic assessment, the article contains criticism, but contains no words defaming honor and human dignity.

However, the Judge decided to invite the members of the linguistic commission, and the hearing was postponed.

The journalists of “Ovoza” are accused of violation of three articles of Tajikistan’s Criminal Code: Article 135, part two (libel in public speeches and publications); Article 136, part two (insult in public speeches and publications); and Article 144 (unlawful collection and dissemination of information on private life).

NANSMIT Monitoring Service