JOINT STATEMENT
By the Union of Journalists of Tajikistan and the National Association of Independent Mass Media
31 January 2011

The Union of Journalists of Tajikistan (UJT) and the Tajik National Association of Mass Media (NANSMIT) express their concern in relation to persecution of journalists who use their right to expression, which contradicts the standards of the national and international law.
On 26 January 2011, the Asia Plus weekly published a legal notice of claim by the head of the Organized Crime Control Unit of the Tajik Interior Ministry Anvar Tagoimurodov, who states that the newspaper has disseminated slanderous information thus affecting the reputation of the law enforcement agency. The official demands a compensation from Asia Plus in the amount of 1 million Somoni (about $225 thousand).
The reason for the claim was an article y Ramziya irzobekova “Investigation or inquisition?” published in Asia Plus on 21.12.2010. The article contained information about tortures against persons on remand in the law enforcement units of Sughd province.
Tagoimurodov states that “correspondents write their stories based on quotes of people who are biased, and these stories are slandering and insulting”. He also alleged in his statement that Mirzobekova and other journalists who were covering the terrorist attack in Khujand (in September 2010) “personally knew those who committed the attack; and they were aware of the criminals’ evil intentions, and, probably, had relations with them”.
He editor of Asia Plus Marat Mamadshoev called this statement of the law enforcement official accusing journalists of helping terrorists “outrageous”. Ramziya Mirzobekova has been repeatedly invited to the Prosecutor General’s office – allegedly for clarification of facts in her article; however, the officials are not really interested in lerning about the sources of information. The correspondent is incriminated in committing grave crimes; but she is not allowed to apply to a lawyer. This is a violation of the legislation; namely, the clauses prohibiting the disclosure of names and sources of information.
According to Article 19 of the International Pact on Human and Political Rights, which Tajikistan signed in 1999, citizens are guaranteed their right to freedom of expression, including the right to seek for and disseminate any information or ideas, regardless of the state boundaries – verbally or in written form, by means of printing or in artistic forms.
According to Article 30 of Tajikistan’s Constitution, citizens are guaranteed the freedom of speech, printing and the use of mass media; the state censorship and persecutions are prohibited.
The growing number of persecutions of journalists in Tajikistan and the court cases prove that the final goal of the complainants is not to “rectify mistakes”, but to shut down journalists. The pressure upon Tajikistan’s independent media might lead to serious restrictions of the freedom of speech in self-censorship, which has a negative impact on the image of Tajikistan in the international arena.
UJT and NANSMIT call the Prosecutor General’s office and other law enforcement bodies on investigating this case in order to stop any violations of constitutional rights in the country, in particular, the right to expression and access to information.

A. Sattorov, Chairman of UJT
N. Karshibaev, Chairman of NANSMIT

www.nansmit.tj