Mukhiddin Kabiri, a member of the Tajik Parliament’s lower chamber expressed concern over the publication of an open letter written by the Society of Tajikistani in Russia.

The letter was published in a recent issue of Jumkhuriyat, an official weekly of the Tajik government. The paper published a letter signed by Abdullo Davlatov, chairman of the Society of Tajikistani in Russia. The letter contained a number of other signatures belonging to the ethnic society’s activists. In his letter, Davlatov and his colleagues criticized the outcomes of Kabiri’s recent trip to Russia.

It should be noted that initially, the letter was published in a private newspaper SSSR, and later was reprinted by Jumkhuriyat.

Commenting on this to Radio Liberty and the Tajik state TV, Kabiri said that private newspapers are free to publish such letters; moreover, this is a manifestation of the freedom of speech. But he is alarmed by the fact of reprinting of the publication in the newspaper belonging to the government. In other words, such a publication is an expression of the government’s official opinion.

“It is worrisome that the government media outlets – instead of calling people for peace and accord – are sowing seeds of discord among different strata of the society, practicing instigation and disseminating libel”, — added Kabiri.

Kabiri is going to bring this issue to consideration of the Parliament. He also required the Parliament to evaluate the outcomes of his official trip to Russia.