DUSHANBE (Reuters) — Tajikistan’s opposition threatened today to call street protests to challenge the result of a parliamentary election in the impoverished nation bordering Afghanistan.

Any unrest in Tajikistan could worry the West, which uses the Muslim nation of seven million as part of a northern route supplying NATO troops fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Western monitors have denounced the February 28 vote for failing democratic standards. President Emomali Rahmon’s party won 54 out of 63 seats in the lower house of parliament.

The opposition Islamic Revival Party — Central Asia’s only official Islamic party — won only two seats and has vowed to challenge the result in court.

«If the courts take unfair decisions, we can organize public acts of protest as well as other actions within the country’s legislation,» said the party’s leader Mukhiddin Kabiri.

Speaking at a party meeting, he said he would take legal action as soon as this week but gave no further details.

Kabiri’s party is a reformed wing of the once-powerful United Tajik Opposition which fought Rahmon’s government in a 1992-1997 civil war. More than 100,000 people died in that war.

Spurred by an economic crisis, discontent has been on the rise in Tajikistan in the past year because of growing poverty and crumbling Soviet-era infrastructure.

The inflow of remittances, one of the country’s key sources of foreign currency, dropped almost by a third in 2009.

Despite growing hardship, outward gestures of protest remain rare in a country where Rahmon tolerates little dissent.

The election monitoring arm of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said on March 1 that serious irregularities meant Tajikistan’s parliamentary election failed to meet basic democratic standards.

The opposition has said it had evidence of mass vote rigging. The central election commission has rejected all criticism, saying it had no evidence of large-scale violations.

Rahmon has ruled Tajikistan, the poorest nation in the ex- Soviet Union with an average monthly wage of $70, since 1992.

Signaling a possible succession plan to his long rule, Rahmon’s 23-year-old son Rustami Emomali was elected into the capital Dushanbe’s city council in a separate election held on February 28, the central election commission said.

http://www.rferl.org/content/Tajik_Opposition_Threatens_Protests_After_Poll/1973551.html

(RFE/RL) — Europe’s main election watchdog says Tajikistan’s parliamentary and local elections on February 28 failed to meet basic democratic standards.

«I’m happy that election day took place in a generally good atmosphere, but I’m even more disappointed that these elections failed on many basic democratic standards,» said Pia Christmas-Moller, vice-president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

In a statement, the OSCE said its hundreds of observers had «highlighted serious irregularities on election day, including a high prevalence of family and proxy voting and cases of ballot box stuffing,» claims seconded by opposition politicians.

«Such serious irregularities weaken genuine democratic progress,» Christmas-Moller said.

In a report ahead of the vote, the OSCE had expressed concern over a lack of transparency and accountability among election officials. The organization also cited reports from several political parties alleging that their campaigning had been obstructed by the authorities.

Tajikistan has never held an election judged free and fair by Western observers.

According to the Central Election Commission, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon’s ruling People’s Democratic Party won 71.7 percent of the vote. The party held more than 50 of the 63 seats in the outgoing parliament and its leader has ruled the former Soviet republic for more than 17 years.

The opposition Islamic Revival Party and pro-government Communists also secured some seats in the lower house, it said.

Official final results will be announced in two weeks.

Rahmon’s 23-year-old son, Rustam Emomali, widely seen as a successor to his father, is also using the election to launch his political career, seeking a seat on the city council of the Tajik capital, Dushanbe.

Electoral authorities in Tajikistan said more than 85 percent of some 3.5 million eligible voters cast ballots.

Rahmatillo Zoirov, the head of the opposition Social Democratic Party of Tajikistan, complained that in Dushanbe, his party’s observers were made to sit in corners of the polling stations and were unable to keep an eye on the process.

«In several polling stations we detected illegal activities such as multiple voting. They [the authorities] are not allowing filming or taking pictures in the polling stations. At the same time they have restricted the functions of voting monitors,» Zoirov told RFE/RL’s Tajik Service.

Young Leadership And Swelling Ranks

The Communist Party and the Islamic Renaissance Party (IRP) have emerged as the main contenders to the ruling People’s Democratic Party. Both parties held a small number of seats in the outgoing assembly.

The IRP is Central Asia’s only Islamist political party that is registered to work legally. With its young leadership and swelling ranks, the party aimed to use the election to strengthen its representation in the parliament.

But despite campaigning hard, IRP leader Muhiddin Kabiri says he is discouraged by what he saw on election day.

«We hoped that these elections would be better in comparison to the elections of 2005. But unfortunately, according to reports we received in our election headquarters from polling stations, authorities in districts are still not ready for transparent and democratic elections,» Kabiri said.

News agencies quoted Kabiri as saying his supporters have registered numerous violations, including multiple voting and obstruction of the work of electoral observers and poll workers. Kabiri said he believed his party could have won 10 seats in parliament in a fair vote. The party has two seats in the outgoing legislature.

Javharshoh Himmatshoev, a voter in Dushanbe, says that despite being registered to vote, his five-member family didn’t receive voting cards. «Are they blind to lose five names? You can forget one name, two names but five is too much,» he says.

Despite the criticism of his opponents, Rahmon called the elections an important political event to promote the country’s economic and social life. While voting close to his official residence in Dushanbe, Rahmon told journalists that he prefers to keep quiet on election day and will answer questions later.

«From the point view of improvement of the international image of Tajikistan, the more transparent, more free, and more democratic parliamentary elections are, the more important they for the people and the country of Tajikistan,» Rahmon said in response to a question from RFE/RL’s Tajik Service.

http://www.rferl.org/content/Early_Fraud_Allegations_Emerge_In_Tajik_Vote/1970460.html

Kyrgyz human rights activist Nematillo Botakoziev has been reported missing in Dushanbe, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reports.

Botakoziev, 42, has not been seen since February 26 when he was at the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Dushanbe applying for refugee status.

Botakoziev had applied for UNHCR protection after reportedly being repeatedly harassed by police in the southern Kyrgyz town of Nookat since 2004.

He said he was being persecuted by the police because of issues related to his Uzbek wife, Mavlyuda Abdulazizova, who had been sentenced more than a decade ago in Uzbekistan on charges of attempting to overthrow the government.

She was pardoned in July 1999 and fled to Kyrgyzstan, where she met and married Botakoziev.

In September 2008, Nookat residents attacked the local administration building to protest an official refusal to allow a public celebration of the Muslim holiday of Eid. Botakoziev was accused of organizing the protest and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He fled to Tajikistan and denies any involvement in the protest.

Botakoziev was also an associate of Kyrgyz journalist Alisher Saipov, who was shot dead in the southern Kyrgyz city of Osh in 2007.

http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyz_Human_Rights_Activist_Reported_Missing/1971735.html

The governing People’s Democratic Party of Tajikistan is cruising to victory in the country’s parliamentary election with almost 72 percent of the vote, according to a preliminary tally. Western election monitors, however, expressed disappointment with the conduct of the polling, saying that fraud boosted the governing party’s winning margin.

The PDPT did not face a strong test from opposition parties in the February 28 election, in which all 63 seats in the lower house of parliament were up for grabs. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. Even so, the election was marred by irregularities, prompting opposition parties to call for an investigation.

In the weeks leading up to the vote, public interest in the elections seemed tepid. But authorities claimed 85 percent of the country’s 3.5 million registered voters turned out to cast ballots.

A preliminary report issued March 1 by observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) contained a dose of disapproval. «Despite certain positive steps, Tajikistan’s parliamentary elections failed to meet many key OSCE commitments,» the statement said.
Pia Christmas-Moller — special coordinator of the OSCE short-term observers, and vice-president of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly — said she was «disappointed that these elections failed on many democratic standards.» In 2008, Christmas-Moller participated in an OSCE observation mission that monitored the conduct of the US presidential election, won by Barack Obama.

«Such serious irregularities weaken genuine democratic progress, Christmas-Moller added during a March 1 news conference, referring to the Tajik vote. «There is still a long way to go, and hopefully the new parliament will take up this challenge.»

The US Embassy in Dushanbe also criticized the electoral process, noting that «the vote was beset by procedural irregularities and fraud, including cases of ballot stuffing.»

Representatives of the opposition Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), which holds two seats in the outgoing parliament, and which had hoped to form a larger block in the next legislature, say they will protest the results of the February 28 voting.

«Even in conditions of tough competition with the ruling party, our party hopes to get seven or eight seats in the new parliament,» party Chairman Muhiddin Kabiri told the ITAR-TASS news agency on March 1. «Otherwise, we will file a lawsuit in court within the law to defend each vote given to [our] party,» he added.

Rakhmatillo Zoirov, chairman of the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDPT), which currently does not hold any seats in parliament, echoed Kabiri’s criticism.

There «are violations involving ballot papers which were marked in advance of vote counting. Reports about all violations registered by our party’s observers will be prepared and given to the relevant bodies in the near future,» he told Asia Plus on March 1.

Prior to the vote, at a two-day briefing held February 26-27 and organized by the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), opposition leaders expressed concerns over campaign violations.

Leaders of several opposition parties complained that PDPT loyalists dominate membership in district elections commissions. These purportedly independent bodies are charged with overseeing a fair vote. The US Embassy, in its post-elections assessment, described «cases of bias by local election officials in favor of the ruling People’s Democratic Party of Tajikistan.» Other international observers suggested that the members of the Central Commission for Elections and Referendums (CCER) unfairly supported the PDPT.

«All executive officials in every administrative unit countrywide are appointed personally by the president [who is also the PDPT chairman]; and, virtually all of them are members of PDPT,» said IRPT leader Kabiri. «It gives them opportunities to interfere and breed impediments.»

Kabiri noted that his party’s activists faced continuous harassment during the campaign. He added that he personally had to work to secure the release of four young men on February 25, members of IRPT arrested by municipal policemen in Dushanbe simply for wearing blue scarves, a new symbol of the party.

During the pre-election campaign, free-speech advocates complained about numerous press freedom violations. In early 2010, three senior judges filed lawsuits against five private Tajik newspapers demanding exorbitant financial compensation for the «defamation» of their «dignity and professional honor.» [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

Such cases were designed to quiet the fledgling independent press during the parliamentary campaign, said Nuriddin Karshibaev, chairman of the Tajik National Association of Independent Media (NANSMIT). «The court hearings are postponed until the elections are fully over, but the fact of persecution of the private media seriously spoils Tajikistan’s adherence to the principles of democracy,» Karshibaev told EurasiaNet.

Editor’s Note: Konstantin Parshin is a freelance journalist based in Dushanbe.
Posted March 1, 2010 © Eurasianet
http://www.eurasianet.org

Konstantin Parshin, EurasiaNet

Источник: http://eurasianet.org/departments/insightb/articles/eav030110.shtml

According to Tajikistan’s election officials, President Emomali Rahmon’s People’s Democratic Party is on course to win the vast majority of 63 seats in the next parliament — winning nearly 72 percent of the vote.

For the first time, the Islamic Renaissance Party (IRP) appears to have moved ahead of the Communist Party. Partial results give the party 7.7 percent of the vote. The Communists were in third place with 7.2 percent. Other opposition parties, including the Democratic Party and the Social Democrats, likely failed to pass the 5 percent threshold needed to get a seat.

But for the first time, election officials say two other small, progovernment parties — the Economic Reforms Party and the Agrarian Party — possibly made it into parliament.

The results released today are from the 22 seats decided through a party-list system — considered the best chance for opposition parties to win any parliamentary seat. The rest — 41 seats — are decided through votes in single-mandate constituencies. Those results have yet to be announced.

The official turnout in the February 28 vote in the impoverished former Soviet nation was high as usual, reaching 87 percent.

‘Serious Irregularities’

Monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) cited «serious irregularities» on election day, including «a high prevalence of family and proxy voting and cases of ballot-box stuffing.»

In a statement, Pia Christmas-Moeller, special cocoordinator of the OSCE’s short-term observers and vice president of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, said: «I’m happy that election day took place in a generally good atmosphere, but I’m even more disappointed that these elections failed on many basic democratic standards.»

OSCE observers delivered their scathing report about the elections in Dushanbe today.
The ruling party’s landslide victory did not come as a surprise to a majority of voters. Neither did the OSCE’s criticism of the elections.

Rahmon has been ruling the Central Asian nation with an iron fist since 1992, handily winning every presidential election, while his party has held an absolute majority in each parliament since a party-based elections system was introduced in 2000.

Each Tajik election since then has been criticized by the OSCE for failing to meet democratic requirements.

Opposition parties were swift in their criticism of the election, saying the vote was far from transparent.

Muhiddin Kabiri, the leader of the IRP — seen by many as the main rival to the ruling party — accused election officials of facilitating multiple voting and of not allowing IRP monitors to vote count. At least one IRP candidate, Ashurali Abdulhaev, abruptly withdrew from the parliamentary race two days before the election, saying he was «threatened by two unknown assailants in the middle of the night.»

The Social Democratic Party, which has never made it into parliament, said «the names of all but one candidate – from the ruling party – were scored out in voting ballots» in some districts.

Attracting New Supporters

While the ruling party’s victory was a foregone conclusion, many Tajiks were curious to know who would come in second.

In the past two legislatures, the Communists were the second-largest party, once holding a parliamentary faction with five MPs. Despite its occasional criticism of the ruling party, the Communist Party has never been considered a real opposition to Rahmon. Its presence in the parliament as the second-largest party suited the ruling party, as well as staunch supporters of the secular system in the country.

However, the IRP has managed to enhance its presence in society since the last election in 2005, attracting new supporters among a young generation increasingly dissatisfied with a lack of jobs and opportunities. Investing money and effort in the election campaign, IRP leaders said they were «eyeing to form at least a parliamentary faction» in the next Majlisi Namoyandagon (Chamber of Representatives).

Even its critics admit the Islamic party was the most active political group during the election campaign, trying to gain support even in areas that traditionally backed the ruling party or other secular groups.

Democracy Versus Secular System

In a country that borders Afghanistan and shares the same language and culture with Iran, the IRP’s growing influence in Tajik society has caused anxiety and suspicion. Despite an increasing respect for Islamic values, most Tajiks still firmly favor a secular system.

The IRP is the only officially registered Islamic party in Central Asia. Any success by the party will be seen by Tajiks as a victory for democracy but also as a real threat to the secular system of governance.

Faridun Ali, an expert on domestic politics in the northern town of Khujand, tells RFE/RL that boosting its presence in the parliament even by one additional seat would be the first step for the IRP in its «obvious long-term plan.»

However, echoing a sentiment shared by many, Ali says that, despite all its efforts, «in the foreseeable future, in the next decade, the IRP will not be able to form an Islamic government or to reach a majority in the parliament, even if we had democratic elections.»

«The majority of voters were raised during Soviet times. These people’s mentality is a big barrier for the IRP to gain popular support,» Ali says. «Besides, the IRP doesn’t have a strong program to convince people to change their minds.»

Final results, including the vote count from single-mandate constituencies as well as the exact number of seats won by each party, are expected in the coming days. A run-off vote is to take place in at least one district.

Farangis Najibullah, RFE/RL

Источник: http://www.rferl.org/content/Presidential_Party_Wins_Tajik_Landslide_But_Who_Came_In_Second/1971306.

This report is based upon messages from the Tajik media and the NANSMIT monitoring network.

Moderator of the monitoring network in Tajikistan
Abdufatoh Vohidov

Chief of legal service
Orifjon Azimov

Chief of project in Tajikistan
Nuriddin Karshiboev

Freedom of Speech in Tajikistan
February 2010

In February 2010 the NANSMIT Monitoring Service received 21 reports. Twelve of them describe the factual situation in the media in the light of socio-legal and political environment; five reports describe direct violations of rights of media professionals; and four reports describe conflicts and accusations against the media and journalists.

I. PECULIARITIES OF POLITICAL, SOCIAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGAL CLIMATE IN THE COUNTRY DEFINING THE FACTUAL SITUATION IN THE MEDIA

1. Public speeches and statements of superior officials defining the factual situation in the mass media

2 February
Muhiddin Kabiri, leader of the Tajik Islamic Renaissance Party, Dushanbe

“The Tajik independent mass media have become more courageous turning the attention of the society to such problems as corruption, inefficiency of the public bodies, etc., which is the explanation to the frequent facts legal cases initiated by the authorities against the independent outlets”, — Muhiddin Kabiri, leader of the Tajik Islamic Renaissance Party told the Asia Plus news agency.

Kabiri noted that this trend is seen as a peculiar pressure upon the media, whereas the non-state newspapers, radio and TV companies apply self-censorship in their own activities.

Kabiri advised media professionals to unite and jointly protect their interests. “There have been certain cases when journalists remained alone in their struggle with the judicial system, and certain officials know that it might be easy to daunt the media, especially private outlets”, — he added.

The Party leader also said that “in this situation, journalists should publish even more audacious stories – because the “retreat” is seen as weakness, or it might stimulate officials to keep pressing the media.

2. Factual status of the media and the freedom of speech

4 February
Committee for Protection of Journalists (CPJ, USA), Dushanbe

The Committee for Protection of Journalists (CPJ) called Tajik judges to revoking their legal actions against the three popular Tajik weeklies.

“Asserting that the newspapers Ozodagon, Farazh, and Asia Plus published stories discrediting their honor and dignity, two judges of the Tajik Supreme Court and one judge of the Dushanbe city court made a claim against them demanding 5,5 million Somoni (about $1,2 million) as a moral compensation. The judges also demand to terminate the issuing of these newspapers until the end of the trial. The first hearing is scheduled for 23 February”, — the report says.

Umed Babakhanov, director of the Asia Plus media holding told CPJ that the case was initiated after the publication based on the information voiced at a press conference held by a lawyer in the northern Tajik city of Isfara. The lawyer criticized the judges for an unfair verdict. He also stated that the judicial system in Tajikistan is corrupt referring to other cases and verdicts.

8 February
Miclosh Kharasti, OSCE representative on media freedom, Vienna

The OSCE representative on the media freedom in Vienna, Miclosh Kharasti condemned the legal cases initiated by public officials against the media in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Hungary. He called these actions “dangerous attempts to introduce censorship”. The cases were initiated because the publications contained quotes and statements made by public figures.

“In order to exercise their right to freely disseminate information, the media must not bear responsibility for publication of information from other sources. If certain statements are seen as offensive, legal procedures should be applied against the authors, but not against the media”. – said Kharasti.

24 February
The US Embassy in Dushanbe

The US Embassy in Dushanbe expressed concern over the recent actions against the five independent newspapers – Asia Plus, Ozodagon, Farazh, Paikon, and Millat. The media play a very important role in strengthening of the society disseminating information about the activities of the government, disclosing unfair facts and ensuring independent analysis. Legal trials might result in a termination of issuing of these newspapers, which might undermine the freedom of press in Tajikistan.

The OSCE member states have the commitment to ensure freedom of press by means of protection of the media from persecution and guarantees of journalists’ rights – so that they would be able to perform their important work. “We expressed our deep concern to the government of Tajikistan and urged it to guarantee that the judicial system would not be used as an instrument for persecution of the media and suppression of the freedom of speech”, — says the press release.

23 February
The Union of Journalists of Tajikistan (UJT) and the National Association of Independent Mass Media, Tajikistan (NANSMIT), Dushanbe

The Union of Journalists of Tajikistan (UJT) and the National Association of Independent Mass Media, Tajikistan expressed concern over the persecution of journalists exercising their right on freedom of expression, which contradicts the standards of the national and international law.

The joint press release disseminated by the two media organizations says that a group of unknown individuals has been haunting Mahdi Sobirov, a member of UJT for his publications. Sobirov expresses his personal opinion in his articles about the national military reform (the Dunyo weekly, #43, 22 October 2009, and the Ozodagon weekly, #43, 29 October 2009).

Another journalist, Abdulmumin Sherkhonov, correspondent of Radio Liberty received threats from the military commissioner of Vose district, Iskandar Nazarov. The incident was caused by Sherkhonov’s radio reportages and an article in the Millat weekly (#1, 7 January 2010).

Legal experts state that the journalists in both cases are persecuted for exercising their constitutional rights – freedom of speech, and the right to use information.

4 February
Persian TV, Dushanbe

Tajikistan and Iran are considering a possibility of opening a joint Persian-language TV channel.

According to the source in the Ministry of Culture, representatives of Tajikistan and Iran had a meeting on 3 February, where they discussed future relations between the countries in the areas of culture and science.

The parties decided that the new TV channel can be launched on the eve of Navruz, the ancient holiday widely celebrated in Muslim countries on 21 March.

On 10 February, the Iranian ambassador to Tajikistan, Aliasgar Sherdust told the media that the delay in the launching of the new TV is delayed mainly because of Afghanistan. The Afghan Ministry of Culture has not properly considered its share of participation in the Persian-language TV.

3. Journalists protecting their civil and professional rights

3 February
Asia Plus, Farazh, and Ozodagon, Dushanbe

Editors of three private newspapers – Asia Plus, Farazh, and Ozodagon – appealed to all media organizations and colleagues seeking moral and legal support.

The editor of Asia Plus, Marat Mamadshoev explained that the legal case initiated against the newspapers by judges of the Tajik Supreme Court and the Dushanbe City Court is related to original publications, which – according to the judges – defames their honor and dignity.

The public servants demand the amount of 5,5 million Somoni (about $1,2 million) as a moral compensation. They also require to terminate the activities of these newspapers.

12 February
All media, Dushanbe

On 12-13 February, the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) conducted a training session in Dushanbe for human rights and public organizations on the topic “Communication, communication strategies and reporting techniques”. The seminar was held within the framework of the project “Protection of human rights and legal education through the media in Central Asia” financed by the European Union.

The main task of the training was to provide NGO employees with skills of interaction with the media and maintaining public relations. Successful implementation of the information policy is an efficient way of attracting the public attention to the problems in the area of human rights.

14 February
All media

On 5 February, the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) jointly with NANSMIT held a round table in Dushanbe for media professionals and representatives of public organizations. The event was held within the framework of the project “Protection of human rights and legal education through the media in Central Asia” financed by the European Union.

More than 40 participants (journalists, lawyers, human rights activists, employees of international organizations and diplomats) indicated growing persecutions of journalists and the media. It is quite natural that the claims of the Tajik judges to the newspapers and the demand to terminate their activities for the period of the court hearings became a keynote of the round table “Legal support to Tajik journalists”.

The participants of the round table adopted recommendations addressed to the Tajik government.

A similar event was held on 13 February in Khujand.

II. VIOLATION OF RIGHTS IN THE MEDIA

1. Impediments to professional activities

1 February
Abdumumin Sherkhon, freelance journalist, Dushanbe

Abdumumin Sherkhon, a freelance journalist from Kulyab received a phone call from an unknown person who introduced himself as an investigator from the prosecutor’s office. The person required Sherkhon to come to the prosecutor’s general office in Dushanbe to make a statement of a witness.

Sherkhon said that he is not willing to show up there on the weekend, and asked the “investigator” to send him an official subpoena. The “law enforcement officer” said that “they will find the way to deliver the journalist to Dushanbe”.

The monitoring service tried to get the officer on the phone, but it turned out that the phone number belongs to the military prosecutor’s office.

Sherkhon says that the reason for the invitation to the military prosecutor’s office is his article published in the Millat weekly (#1, 07.01.2010), where he describes cases of hazing in the Tajik army.

22 february
Mahdi Sobirov, freelance journalist, Dushanbe

A freelance journalist Mahdi Sobirov told the NANSMIT monitoring service that he is being haunted by a group of unknown individuals – allegedly because of his publications in the Dunyo and Ozodagon weeklies, where he expresses his opinion about the Tajik military reform.

Sobirov calls the national armies in the countries of Central Asia “the army of peasants and working class” (implying that the army consists of the conscripts whose parents cannot bribe their children from the military service).

Since 1993, Sobirov served in the Tajik military; he participated in military operations and was wounded. Sobirov has a background in journalism, and after retirement in 2004 he started cooperating with the media as an expert.

“I comment events and developments as an expert and citizen expressing my own opinion, using my constitutional right”, — says Sobirov.

2. Assault upon a journalist

24 February
Tavakkal Boboev, Varzob district

Tavakkal Boboev, a journalist and an active member of the Tajik Islamic Renaissance Party was attacked by an officer from the Varzob district prosecutor’s office, Sharaf Boev – reportedly, only because the journalist had a copy of the Ozodagon weekly.

The journalist told the monitoring service that the officer forcedly took the newspaper from him; he was cursing speaking obscenities. There was an article published in Ozodagon criticizing the Varzob district authorities.

After the incident, Boboev went to a forensic lab where he received a document confirming the physical traces of the attack. He wrote a letter addressed to the prosecutor general, and he hopes that the officials will take measures against the officer.

3. Ungrounded limitation in access to information

25 February
Khosiyat Komilova, Khujand, Sughd province

Khosiyat Komilova, a correspondent of the STAN TV in Tajikistan has been visiting the office of Muzaffar Rakhimkhojaev, head of the housing registration department under the Khujand mayor’s office.

Komilova received a special permission for an interview. She has visited the office five times, but the official is absent whenever she comes.

4. Violation of the principle of transparency in legal proceeding

25 February
Millat weekly, Dushanbe

On 25 February, the Firdavsi district court in Dushanbe held a preliminary hearing on the case of the Tajik Ministry of Agriculture against the Millat weekly. The court denied access of journalists, representatives of media and international organizations to the hearings.

III. CONFLICTS. VIOLATIONS INCRIMINATED TO THE MEDIA AND JOURNALISTS

1. Protection of honor, dignity and business reputation

8 February
Asia Plus weekly, Dushanbe

Ms. Salomat Safarova applied to the Firdavsi district court requiring to file a case and demanding a moral compensation in the amount of 12 thousand Somoni (about $2,700) from the Asia Plus weekly. In her complaint, Safarova refers to the article published in the newspaper, where the name of her son is mentioned (#30, 30.09.09).

The Asia Plus correspondents Mirzobekova and Gufronov wrote about the attacks upon currency exchange offices in Dushanbe last year. In particular, they mentioned the insolent murder of a 30-year-old Manuchehr Mirzoev in September 209.

Referring to the Interior Ministry, Asia Plus told that the law enforcement agencies arrested an organized criminal group headed by Shavkat Safarov. The gang acted mainly in Dushanbe and Khujand. The Tajik Supreme Court sentenced Safarov to life in prison, and the others got from 20 to 30 years.

In her appeal Safarova (the mother of the convicted criminal) says that her son was sentenced to 25 years, and after the publication in Asia Plus she fell ill and had to spend 967 Somoni to repair her health. Safarova demands this amount and another 11 thousand Somoni as a moral compensation. Above that, she demands to cover the state duty and the honorarium for her lawyer.

Commenting on that, Marat Mamadshoev, editor of Asia Plus says that the case is poorly grounded. “The mistake was made by the source of information in the Interior Ministry, and the newspaper did not have any bad intentions”, — said Mamadshoev.

22 February
Minbari Khalk, the PDPT printing outlet, Dushanbe

Rakhmatillo Zoirov, leader of the Tajik Social-Democratic Party filed a charge against the newspaper Minbari Khalk, the printing outlet of the ruling People’s Democratic Party of Tajikistan.

On 4 February, Zoirov held a press conference where he told the media that the paper published an article containing ungrounded accusations against him.
In Dushanbe demanding a compensation in the amount of 500 thousand Somoni from Faridun Saidzoda, the author of the article.

The SDPT leader says that he is going to file a charge against another state-owned newspaper – Jumkhuriyat. “Parviz Alizoda, correspondent of that newspaper accused me of treason and discrediting relations with the Uzbek special services”.

This report is based on publications in the media and private information presented by correspondents of the NANSMIT Monitoring Network

Coordinator of the Monitoring Service
Abdufattokh Vokhidov

Project Manager
Nuriddin Karshibayev

Dushanbe, February 24, 2010 — The Embassy of the United States is concerned about recent judicial actions and lawsuits against five independent Tajik newspapers: Asia Plus, Ozodagon, Farazh, Paykon, and Millat.

The media play a crucial role in fostering a stable society by reporting on government activity, exposing injustice, and providing independent analysis. The lawsuits threaten to force these newspapers to cease publication, which would be a serious blow to freedom of the press in Tajikistan.

OSCE member states have an obligation to ensure freedom of the press by protecting the media from harassment and ensuring that the judiciary defends the rights of journalists to carry out their important work. We have conveyed our concerns to the Government of Tajikistan, and urged it to ensure that the judiciary is not used as a tool to harass independent media or stifle free speech.

U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe

DUSHANBE — A Tajik court has begun hearing a lawsuit against three independent publications, in a case international rights activists say is part of a crackdown on press freedom ahead of upcoming elections, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reports.

Three judges, including two from the Supreme Court, brought the libel action against the weeklies «Asia-Plus,» «Farazh,» and «Ozodagon» for their coverage of a press conference on corruption and bias in the judicial system.

In mid-January, the journalists reported on the press conference in which a lawyer said the judges — Fakhriddin Dodometov, Nur Nurov, and Ulughbek Mamadshoev — had sentenced a group of 33 businessmen from the northern city of Isfara to long prison terms despite weak evidence of their crimes.

The judges maintain that the printed allegations against them are false, and sued the papers for 5.5 million somonis ($1.26 million) in damages.

Some 50 journalists, NGO representatives, and other were present outside the courtroom today to show their support for the accused newspapers.

In an interview with RFE/RL’s Tajik Service ahead of today’s hearing, the editors of the three newspapers and their lawyer said the judges were merely seeking monetary gain through the claim. They also said the judges should have asked for their responses to be printed before taking legal action — a step required by Tajik media law.

Nuriddin Karshiboev, the head of the National Association of Independent Media of Tajikistan, told RFE/RL that the lawsuit was representative of a recent push by officials to shrink press freedoms and encourage journalists to censor themselves.

Earlier this month, the Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) criticized the Tajik authorities for «harassing the media» ahead of the February 28 parliamentary elections.

In their statement, RSF also said that «there is clearly an all-out drive to intimidate news media and get them to censor their coverage of state authorities.»

Mamadshoev, one of the three judges claiming libel, told RFE/RL’s Tajik Service that he filed the lawsuit as a private citizen — not as a representative of the Supreme Court.

Today’s session was a preliminary hearing. It comes in the wake of other libel suits brought by officials against Tajik publications.

In late January, a court fined the weekly «Paykon» 300,000 somonis ($69,000) in a libel suit brought by Tajikstandart, a government agency that monitors the quality of imported goods.

The Agriculture Ministry has also brought a libel suit against the «Millat» newspaper, in which it’s demanding 1 million somonis ($229,000) in damages.

That case is set for late March.

Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty

A dark horse has emerged ahead of Tajikistan’s national elections that could add some excitement to an otherwise predictable poll.

Following considerable effort to transform its image, Central Asia’s only religiously based political party, Tajikistan’s Islamic Renaissance Party, enters the gate determined to change the status quo.

Of the eight parties fielding candidates in the February 28 vote, only the ruling People’s Democratic Party is expected to hold real power in the lower house of parliament, or Majlis.

«Tajikistan’s upcoming parliamentary election is so ‘transparent’ that we can already see its results,» Dushanbe resident Dust Muhammad quipped recently in a comment to RFE/RL’s Tajik Service website.

It’s a sentiment shared by many who view the vote as a formality to extend the ruling party’s legislative stranglehold for another five years.

All eight of the country’s registered parties will participate in the poll, with a total of 221 candidates vying for 63 seats (41 single-mandate and 22 party-based seats). Just two opposition parties are represented in the current parliament, however, with a combined six seats.

And observers don’t expect any sea changes.

But the Islamic Renaissance Party (IRP), revitalized and rejuvenated following an extensive makeover, enters the race expecting to expand its parliamentary representation from two to 10.

«Of course, it would be naive to believe the election will be fair; we don’t forget we live in a closed society,» says IRP leader Muhiddin Kabiri. «We should not expect free and fair elections in Central Asia in the foreseeable future, but we hope this election will be more fair than the 2005 vote.»

Recent opinion polls rank the IRP second in terms of power and influence within Tajik society only to President Emomali Rahmon’s People’s Democratic Party. Its 35,000 members and thousands of supporters have made the IRP among the country’s best-organized parties since the late 1990s.

But after that support translated into only two seats in the last parliamentary elections in 2005, the IRP took a long look in the mirror and began making significant changes.

The IRP, the only officially registered Islamic party in Central Asia, has in the past depended heavily on support in the country’s conservative east — particularly Rasht Valley, the wartime stronghold of the Islamic opposition fighters. Today, the party boasts an increasing number of followers in other regions, including Kulob and Sughd, traditionally dominated by the pro-presidential party.

Breaking The Mold

The IRP broadened its support base in a number of ways. First, it sought to shed its image, cultivated since its founding in 1990, as a rural party followed by mullahs and religious conservatives. By replenishing its aging ranks, the party has made itself more appealing to intellectuals, businessmen, and students. Most of the IRP’s candidates in the upcoming elections are in their 30s and 40s, and they include lawyers, teachers, entrepreneurs, and at least one professional sportsman.

Forty-five-year-old party leader Kabiri has played a major role in the ongoing transformation. Kabiri took over following the death in 2006 of his mentor, Said Abdullohi Nuri, the iconic founder of the IRP.

Kabiri maintains that he has continued in the path of his predecessor, but there is a sharp contrast in their methods and presentations.

Unlike the publicity-shy Nuri, who wore a dark beard and donned a long cloak at official meetings, the clean-shaven Kabiri comes across as media-savvy, outspoken, and dynamic.

An avid handball player, Kabiri and travels abroad frequently, giving speeches and interviews in Russian and English.

Kabiri has sought support outside the party’s traditional base — making it his goal to appeal to young and educated Tajiks, including women.

One of the four women on the IRP’s list of candidates, Zurafo Rahmoni, says the party aims to promote women’s role in society, including in the political arena.

She opposes quotas of the sort that are currently in place in Tajikistan, saying they «actually limit women’s real participation.»

«Women should be treated as men’s equal, so they could have an equal and healthy competition with men,» Rahmoni says. «If we create such conditions for women, hundreds of women will emerge as leaders on their own merits.»

Tough Task

Despite the IRP’s «new image,» however, the party still faces hurdles to mainstream acceptance. Tajik critics insist the party’s ultimate goal is to replace the current secular system with Islamic governance.

Kabiri maintains that he supports the country’s secular system and is not trying to create an Islamic state or Islamic republic in Tajikistan.

«Our goal is to create a society that lives with Islamic values,» Kabiri says.

The IRP, believed to be the most affluent opposition party in Tajikistan, battles the perception that it receives financial support from foreign Islamic states — presumably Iran and Saudi Arabia — in exchange for greater influence in Central Asia. The IRP denies any such arrangements, claiming that it benefits from charities and generous sponsors.

Some have accused the IRP of buying its support. One university student claimed to RFE/RL that he joined the party only because the IRP pays money to its supporters. The claim could not be verified.

Some have questioned how the IRP managed to list 39 candidates for the looming elections while the $1,500 registration fee — twice the amount required in the 2005 elections — proved a serious obstacle for other political parties.

The Communist Party, whose candidates advocate state control over the economy and even a return to the Soviet Union, is the only other party given much chance of garnering enough votes to make parliament. It has registered only about half that number of candidates.

The opposition Social Democrat and Democratic Party listed seven and three candidates, respectively.

Difficult Odds

To date, the IRP has launched 50 complaints pertaining to electoral violations and official interference. The IRP’s and other opposition parties’ complaints claim that their canvassers are harassed by local police, that the ruling party is given sole access to assembly halls where potential voters could be won over, and that the timing of the elections in the middle of winter makes it difficult to campaign in remote areas.

Kabiri claims that the IRP makes up for such disadvantages by having the most active supporters in the election campaign. «People show little interest in elections, so our campaigners go door to door to talk to voters, to promote our party, and to explain the importance of their participation,» the IRP leader says.

While heavy snowfall and icy roads in mountainous terrain have discouraged some candidates from traveling to remote villages, IRP representatives have donned signature blue scarves in eastern Rasht district and ventured out on horseback in an effort to meet voters.

However, despite all the efforts and financial investments, not everyone is convinced the Islamic party stands a chance of boosting its parliamentary presence.

Shokirjon Hakimov, a representative of the Social Democrat Party, predicts the IRP will get no more than three seats in the next Majlis.

«In regions like Karategin, where the IRP has most of its supporters, local authorities will try to show their loyalty to the government,» Hakimov says, «so they’ll use all kinds of methods to ensure the victory of ruling party candidates.»

IRP leaders themselves are not «overly optimistic» that the parliamentary elections will be free and fair.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has not recognized either of the country’s post-civil war parliamentary elections, in 2000 and 2005, as free and fair. IRP leaders insist Tajikistan’s authorities «still are not ready for real and transparent votes.»

Kabiri has warned officials against electoral fraud, saying that «if people, once again, lose their faith in elections, if people no longer believe they can determine their future through lawful means, it would be the authorities’ biggest gift to extremists.»

By Farangis Najibullah, Radio Free Europe / Radio

Источник: http://www.rferl.org/content/Tajik_Islamic_Party_Puts_Face_Lift_To_A_Test/1965070.html

Dozens of Kazakh journalists and human rights activists have urged senior government officials to allow unimpeded publication of the opposition weekly «Respublika,» RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service reports.

In an open letter to Prime Minister Karim Masimov, Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabaev, and Prosecutor-General Kayrat Mami, the journalists requested an official government statement that publishing houses in Kazakhstan may print «Respublika.»

Among those signing the letter were Seitqazy Mataev, chairman of the Journalists Union; Tamara Kaleeva, president of the media-monitoring NGO Adil Soz (Just Word); and Adil Dzhalilov, chairman of the Almaty-based NGO Media Alliance of Kazakhstan.

In recent months, the weekly’s editors have been constrained to print issues of the newspaper in their offices under modified titles such as «Golos respubliki» (Voice of the Republic) and «Moya respublika» (My Republic), because no publishing house in Kazakhstan would print the weekly.

The editors of «Respublika» believe printing houses have been ordered not to publish the paper.

Kazakhstan is currently the chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, a 56-member regional security organization that works to promote a range of issues, from democratization to free media, fair elections to minority rights.

http://www.rferl.org/content/Kazakh_Journalists_Urge_End_To_Newspapers_Harassment_/1963833.html