In April 2012, the Monitoring Service received 32 reports. Seventeen of them describe the factual situation in the media in the light of social, legal and political environment; twelve reports describe direct violations of rights of media professionals; and three reports describe conflicts and accusations against the media and journalists.
I. 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
10 March
Emomali Rakhmon, President of Tajikistan
“The main objective of the government media and the independent media – the two interrelated branches of the Tajik press – is to perform their professional mission. In other words, their mission is to serve the interests of the people and the motherland honestly,” – said Emomali Rakhmon at a meeting in Dushanbe on the occasion of the 100-th anniversary of the Tajik press.
“I look at the press as at an important element of the political, social and cultural environment. I stress that I am familiar with many articles written by journalists, and whenever needed, I use them. Along with that, I would like to remind that the media should not abuse of their professional mandate. They should not allow any stories instigating discord; neither should they allow inattention to the national values and interests; they should not allow insult and libel against honorable individuals; and they should not allow any propaganda of immoralities and indecent behavior. The media should restrain from publishing the materials, which affect our image at the international arena, which become a reason for pessimism among the people, which affect the people’s spirit and lead to instability”, — said the President.
10 March
Emomali Rakhmon, President of Tajikistan
“There is a lack of correct perception of criticism among public officials; and not all of them take measures to rectify existing shortcomings after publications in the media,” – said Emomali Rakhmon commenting the implementation of his Decree “On the reaction of public officials to publications in the mass media”.
“Some of them [public officials] see the criticism and depiction of shortcomings in the society as the criticism targeted against them; they express discontent and resentment”.
10 March
Tajik Union of Journalists, Dushanbe
Speaking at a ceremony on the 100-th anniversary of the Tajik press, the chairman of the Tajik Union of Journalists Akbarali Sattorov noted that in the last 20 years the Tajik media community has paid a high price for the democratic, secular civil society; many of them lost their lives in the line of duty.
The official birthday of the Tajik journalism is 11 March 1912 – the day when the first Tajik-language newspaper – Bukhoroi Sharif (Sacred Bukhara) – was printed.
26 March
Secretary General, OSCE
Speaking with the Tajik media, the OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier stressed the importance of the media freedom and access to information. Mr. Zannier arrived in Dushanbe to take part in the Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan.
The OSCE official called on the Tajik authorities to restore access to certain web sites. This concern was raised by the OSCE special media freedom envoy in March 2012.
Mr. Zannier expressed his appreciation over the decision of the Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon on decriminalization of Articles 135 and 136 (libel and insult) in the national Criminal Code.
“For productive public discussion, it is important to ensure that state officials would be more tolerant to criticism in the media. They should not see this criticism as infringement of their rights”, — said the Secretary General.
2. Actions of officials defining the factual situation in the media
10 March
Chairman of Khatlon province, Kurgan-Tube
Speaking at a meeting with the media on the occasion of the 100-th anniversary of the Tajik press on 9 March, the chairman of Khatlon province Gaibullo Avzalov said that the main problem for the province periodicals is the lack of proper printing facilities.
“After the dissolution of the USSR, our printing houses have become obsolete. The existing ones do not meet technical requirements, and most of the newspapers are printed in Dushanbe”.
Avzalov urged journalists to find entrepreneurs who could make investments and open printing facilities in Kurgan-Tube or in Kulyab. The province administration is ready to allocate premises and ensure no-break power supply in winter period.
26 March
OSCE media freedom envoy
The OSCE special envoy on the issues of freedom of the media Dunja Mijatovic stressed the decisive role of independent regulating bodies ensuring pluralism in the media. The official delivered a speech at the opening of a master class on regulations in the area of broadcasting in Central Asia and South Caucasus in Istanbul on 26 March.
The master class was attended by more than 40 representatives of broadcasting regulating bodies, legal experts, law-makers and the civil society from the countries of Central Asia and South Caucasus.
“Although the media landscapes and regulatory mechanisms are different in the countries, which we discuss here, the principle to be followed remains the same for all – the independent regulation should strengthen freedom of the media; it should not limit the freedom and diversity of opinion”, — said Mijatovic.
28 March
Chairman of Khatlon province, Kurgan-Tube
Chairman of Khatlon province Gaibullo Avzalov called on all bodies of the state power to set up their own pages in the Internet; he also obliged all officials to register their e-mail accounts and make their addresses open to the public. (Millat weekly, #13, 28 March 2012).
“We live in the XXI century. It is shameful to be criticized in the media for not having our own web sites and electronic mail”, — he said.
Afzalov also urged officials to share information about the web sites and their addresses with local journalists.
3. Factual situation in the media and freedom of speech
10 March
Emomali Rakhmon, President of Tajikistan
Speaking at a meeting with journalists on the occasion of the 100-th anniversary of the Tajik press, the Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon said that the number of independent media has grown during the years of sovereignty.
In 1991, there were 139 newspapers and magazines, out of which only four newspapers were private; there was one private news agency. “Today, we have 446 newspapers and magazines, out of which 270 are public and private. Nine out of the ten registered information agencies are non-government”, — said Rakhmon.
“There are 44 domestic TV and radio channels; 28 of them are private. Indeed, this is good – since the free media activities is one of the key indicators of the democratic civil society. Each of these media, in its own way, fills in the information space in the country covering and reflecting political and socio-economic processes in the society”, — Rakhmon stated.
7 March
All media, Khujand
On 7 March, the Russian Eurasian Studies Institute stressed an important contribution of the electronic and printing mass media of Sughd province in the development of promotion of Russian language in this Tajik region.
Khursheda Sadykova, the representative of the Institute in Sughd province told the Asia Plus information agency that a number of the media received certificates of acknowledgement and gifts for their inputs in promotion of Russian language.
28 March
Inoyat Inoyatov, lawyer, Dushanbe
The Ozodagon weekly (#12, 28 March 2012) published an interview with a well-known Tajik lawyer Inoyat Inoyatov discussing the issue of decriminalization of libel and insult in the Tajik legislation.
The layer contemplates opportunities for expanding freedom of expression among Tajik media professionals due to the abolition of Articles 135 and 136 in the Tajik Criminal Code. The lawyer also says that along with these changes, it is necessary to reconsider the Civil Code, e.g. to develop clearer definitions of libel in publications, to establish civil responsibility and penalties for “libel” and “defamation”.
The lawyer stated that the decriminalization of these Articles is the first step towards professional independence of journalists.
28 March
Junaid Ibodov, lawyer, Dushanbe
The issues of decriminalization of libel and defamation are also covered in an article written by Junaid Ibodov, a well-known Tajik lawyer (Asia Plus weekly, #23, 28 March 2012).
“Declaring his intentions to relieve the media from criminal responsibility for libel and defamation, the President expressed a will for real democratic alteration and a desire to break old stereotypes,” — says the author.
Indicating the importance of this decision, the lawyer also warns that the decriminalization of Articles 135 and 136 will have an impact on editors and correspondents – it requires higher professionalism and a relevant legal education to ensure their judicial security. The author also notes the necessity of introducing additional provisions in the Tajik Administrative Code to be addressed directly to editors and journalists and establishing penalties for negligence of liubel and defamation in publications.
29 March
Facebook, social network
The Tajik President’s press service launched its page in Facebook. It contains information about the activities of the Tajik leader Emomali Rakhmon. So far, 30 percent of visitors “liked” the page.
On 2 March, the Tajik government communications service introduced limitations in access to certain web sites, among which is Facebook. The communication service refers to “technical problems”. On 9 March, access to Facebook was restored, but other web sites are reachable only through proxy servers.
Limitations in access to Facebook have provoked interest to this social network among Tajikistani. According to Socialbakers, on 4 March, the number of Tajik users was about 29 thousand users; by 10 March the figure was 34,6 thousand.
According to the official statistics, the level of penetration of Facebook in Tajikistan is 0,46 percent of the total number of residents and about 5 percent of the total number of Internet users.
27 March
Paivand Radio, Khujand, Sughd province
Another FM station started broadcasting in a test mode in the northern Tajik city of Khujand. Radio Paivand is created under the TV and Radio Company SM-1 established in April 1998.
As of 16 April, the station will broadcast 18 hours a day in Tajik and Russian languages. Radio Paivand is the fifth FM radio station in Khujand.
30 March
Mukhojir, newspaper for labor migrants, Dushanbe
On 28 March 2012, the first issue of a newspaper for labor migrants came off the press. The Mukhojir weekly is published by the Tajik Migration service under the government.
According to Nazmishoh Majidov, deputy head of the Migration Service information unit, the newspaper will be dessiminated on the territory of Tajikistan and in the Russian Federation. The newspaper’s main goal is to explain the rights and duties of labor migrants, information about the Tajik diasporas abroad, the problems, which Tajikistani might face and potential solutions.
The first circulation is 1,5 thousand copies, most of which were sent to Moscow. The cost of one copy in retail sale is 1 Somoni in Tajikistan and 8 Russian rubles in the Russian Federation.
4. Journalists protecting their civil and professional rights
2 March
All media, Khujand
On 2 March, in the northern city of Khujand, NANSMIT and the International Media Support (Denmark) finished a two-day seminar “Interaction between the government press services and the media”.
The purpose of the training session is to improve access of the media to official sources of information. Under the guidance of media experts and trainers, 25 representatives of government press services and the media discussed the role of the media in covering activities of different branches of power and accreditation of the media in government institutions.
II. VIOLATION OF RIGHTS IN THE MEDIA
1. Impediments to professional activities
1 March
All Media, Dushanbe
The Prosecutor General’s Office, the Tax Committee and the State Broadcasting Committee launched a wide-scale auditing of the Tajik independent mass media.
The auditing is being conducted in the office of the popular radio company Imruz, in the media holding Charkhi Gardun, at the SMT TV station and in four main printing houses.
Tajik journalists and media experts see a certain relation between the auditing and the forthcoming presidential elections scheduled for 2013. It implies the desire of the authorities to establish close control over the activities of the non-state mass media.
Inspectors check the precision of implementation of the media law against financial requirements to media organizations. The auditors are especially meticulous about the sources of financing of the independent media.
Chairman of NANSMIT Nuriddin Karshiboev told the Tajik service of BBC that “in many cases, the auditing officials abuse of their mandate. Such environment is not very favorable for the freedom of expression. This is seen by the media community as an attempt to establish control over the media on the eve of the presidential elections”.
Representatives of the Prosecutor General’s Office say that the auditing is a normal routine, and it has no political grounds.
14 March
TV Jahonoro and TV Asia, Sughd province
Directors of two TV companies in Sughd province – Jahonoro and Asia – sent a letter to the director of the international airport in the northern Tajik city of Khujand with a request to provide explanations and apologies for a recent incident.
On 4 March, TV crews of both companies experienced pressure from the airport security service and the police. The TV journalists came to the airport upon a request of passengers whose flight was delayed, and the airport administration provided them with no explanation of the reasons.
The authors of the letter state that the actions of the airport security service and the police were unlawful, and the disregard of this incident by the airport management is a violation of basic human rights.
2. Threats and intimidations
4 March
Nuridding Karshibaev, chairman of NANSMIT, Khujand, Sughd province
On 4 March 2012. The chairman of the Tajik National Association of Independent Mass Media (NANSMIT) was harassed by unknown individuals, when he broke upon a conversation between the TV crews of two Tajik broadcasting companies and security officers of the international airport in the city of Khujand.
The unknown interfered into professional duties of the TV crews; prior to that, the TV journalists and cameramen were pushed out of the airport premises. Karshiboev asked the unknown individuals to provide their identification cards and required explanation. In response, they started threatening him and tried to drag him into a café.
The chairman of NANSMIT intends to report about the incident to the law enforcement agencies.
3. Ungrounded limitations in access to information
1 March
SSSR weekly, Dushanbe
The Tajik private weekly SSSR (#9, 1 March 2012) published an article analyzing the lack of public information in the northern city of Penjikent, Sughd province.
The author says that the government newspapers do not reveal any of the existing problems although they are financed from the national budget. This mountainous region is not covered by the TV signals; residents watch TV programs broadcast from the neighboring Uzbek territory.
3. Illegal limitation of access to the Internet
4 March
All media
A number of Tajik Internet providers closed access to certain web sites. Among the blocked resources is the popular social network Facebook. According to a representative of one of the domestic providers, his company received a letter from the government communication service obliging them to block access to a number of web sites.
Representatives of other Internet companies confirmed this information. Among the web sites to block are Facebook.com, Zvezda.ru and Tjknews.com. Access to Fergana.ru and Centrasia.ru is open.
The Tajik government communication service provides no comment on that.
5 March
All media
The Asia Plus news agency discovered a copy of the letter from the government communication service addressed to the Tajik Internet providers obliging them to close access to the following web sites: www.facebook.com, www.zvezda.ru, www.tjknews.com, www.maxala.org иwww.cenrtrasia.ru.
The scanned copy of the original letter dated 2 March 2012 is posted on Asia Plus’s web site; it is signed by a deputy of the chairman of the Communication Service. Some providers say that they received the written order later, but the verbal advice to block access to the web sites mentioned above was made by the telephone.
One of the companies, which refused to block the web sites, has faced a serious problem – the company was denied access to interwork connections, which go through the state operator – Tajiktelecom.
Previously, the head of the Communication Service Beg Zukhurov in his interview with Asia Plus categorically denied the existence of the written order to the Internet providers; he also stated that there was no verbal order either.
6 March
All media
The Tajik Union of Journalists (UJT), the Tajik National Association of Independent Mass Media (NANSMIT), the Tajik Media Alliance (MAT), the Tajik Media Council and the Tajik Memorial Foundation of Journalists decisively condemn the actions of the Communication Service under the government of Tajikistan leading to limited access to the social network Facebook and other certain Internet resources covering the issues of public and political life.
Since last week, citizens of Tajikistan have had no access to Facebook and a number of other Internet resources, which is a violation of the constitutional right of access to information. Tajikistan’s Internet providers report that on 2 March they received an order from the government Communication Service to block access to Facebook and to the following four web sites: www.tjknews.com, www.maxala.org, www.centrasia.ru and www.zvezda.ru (the Internet portal of the Russian periodical Polyarnaya Zvezda). As an excuse for the blocked access, the communication authorities chose “prophylactic maintenance”, which does not sound very convincing.
Information and communication experts say that the blocking of social networks and web sites is seen as an inefficient and short-sighted action. The state communications agency used to perform similar actions. Such ungrounded and unjustified acts damage Tajikistan’s image; this is a direct threat to the national information security.
According to Tajikistan’s Information Security Concept, “…the striving of potential adversaries to infringe Tajikistan’s interests in the global information space along with attempts to push the country out of domestic and international markets, and aggravation of international rivalry in the area of ownership of information and communication technologies are the main sources of threat to the national information security”.
We are confident that nobody has authorized the Communication Service under the government to violate the right of citizens to information, and we demand to immediately lift the order blocking domestic access to Facebook and other web sites.
7 March
OSCE, Vienna
The Organization For Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has called on Tajikistan to reverse instructions to block social-networking website Facebook and four independent news websites.
Access to the world\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\’s most popular social networking site and Russian-language sites centrasia.ru, tjk.news.com, zvezda.ru, and maxala.org has been cut off since March 3, apparently in response to an order from the state communications agency.
The OSCE described the move as a “worrying development”.
Tajik officials have cited “technical reasons” for the problem and pledged that it would be corrected “soon”.
10 March
All media, Dushanbe
On 10 March 2012, following a permission from the government communication service, Tajik Internet providers restored access to the social network Facebook.
III. CONFLICTS, VIOLATIONS, ACCUSATIONS
1. Protection of honor, dignity and business reputation
19 March
Millat weekly, Dushanbe
The Dushanbe city court discharged the order of the Firdausi district court against the Millat weekly.
The newspaper was sued by the Ministry of Agriculture for a publication titled “The Ministry of Agriculture is the most corrupt government agency” (#49, 10.12.2009). Along with other relevant facts, the authors referred to figures voiced at the session of the parliament, where the Ministry was acknowledged as the most corrupt agency in terms of misused funds (more than 6,5 million Somoni in 2009).