Professional media organizations applied to the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rakhmon to take under personal control the court case of Mahmnadyusuf Ismoilov, a journalist from Sughd province accused of defamation, insult, localism and blackmailing. The Tajik National Association of Independent Mass Media (NANMSIT), the Tajik Media Council and the Media Alliance of Tajikistan express concern over the journalist facing 14 years in prison for his publications where he criticized authorities and revealed cases of corruption.

It is especially confusing that complaints in this case are a group of officials from the administration of Asht district in Sughd province; they say they are offended by Ismoilov who dared to criticize them in his articles published in an independent newspaper Nuri Zindagi. The 51-year-old journalist who also suffers from physical disabilities has been held in custody for 11 months.

The case of the Tajik journalist cause a way of criticism among local and international human rights organizations. Experts say that the arrest and punishment of the journalist are absolutely disproportionate to what he could “allegedly do” performing his professional duties.

The US government has also joined the calls for releasing Ismoilov. A few days ago, in the course of discussion of human rights in Tajikistan at the UN Human Righs Council in Switzerland, a representative of a US delegation, the 2-nd Secretary of the US Mission in the UN John Mariz expressed concern over persecutions of journalists and the freedom of speech in Tajikistan. The official also mentioned the increased level of self-censorship in the Tajik media caused by frequent cases of legal prosecution.

The Tajik independent weekly Asia Plus, referring to the new statement released by public organizations, says that “in the process of persecution of Ismoilov, there was a number of egregious blunders violating the national legislation”. Human rights advocates believe that Emomali Rakhmon, as a guarantor of constitutional rights will take this case under his control and the case will be resolved in a fair manner.

http://rus.ozodi.org/ & http://nansmit.tj/news/?id=2251