The Union of Journalists of Tajikistan, NANSMIT, TajANESMI, the Media Alliance of Tajikistan and representatives of other leading mass media express their concern about the fact of assault upon Azam Nasretdinov, editor of the Radio Vatan information service on 2 April 2008.

The media community of Tajikistan has approached the law enforcement agencies with a request to conduct an immediate and comprehensive investigation of the incident and to inform the media about the results. On 11 April, the media agencies disseminated a joint statement addressed to the authorities and public at large.

The statement says that the journalist was assaulted on 2 April about 10 p.m., near the Diyor disco club. According to witnesses, three club guards attacked Nasretdinov without any obvious reason. For the time being, the journalist is at the National Medical Center with a diagnosis “compound bilateral fracture of jaw and concussion of brain”.

In their statement, the media organizations have also expressed their concern about the private radio station “Imrouz” that has not been broadcasting since 8 April 2008.

Union of Journalists
NANSMIT
TajANESMI
Media Alliance of Tajikistan