Hot News 2004

January 18

Statement of the National Association of Independent Mass Media of Tajikistan

The state of freedom of speech got worse in the run-up to the Tajik parliamentary elections. Monitoring service under the National Association of Independent Mass Media of Tajikistan (NANSMIT) documented 337 cases of violations of journalists’ rights. Of these 204 indicate direct infringements on rights of journalists and media outlets. Denied or restricted access to information of public significance as well as obstacles to distributing it are among the most significant problems faced by journalists and media outlets in Tajikistan. 123 violations of that kind were registered last year.

Authorities use various means to prevent journalists from accessing information of public significance, despite the fact that the Constitution and other laws guarantee them a right to receive and distribute information, except those records containing state secrets. The following violations are among the above means: denials of journalists’ accreditation and requests for information by state officials, privileges granted to the state-controlled media outlets to have wider access to information as compared to independent and opposition media outlets. Instructions given by senior officials or agencies are the main reason for state officials to decline to provide information.

Hikmatullo Bahodurov, an editor for Pravo i obshestvo newspaper, requested information about the procedure of allocating sown areas from Isfar City Land Committee. However the committee officials demanded that the editor get 2 permissions first: from the Land Use Committee of Sogdyi region and Isfar city mayor, under the pretext that the permissions are needed to report to high-ups.  

Currently, journalists are more restricted from distributing the medium.

On November 4, 2004 edition of Tajik newspaper Ruzi nav, published in Bishkek, was seized by tax police officers at Dushanbe airport. However till now authorities gave no explanation for the incident.

On September 6, Tolibsho Saidov, a founder of a new social political independent newspaper Bomdod in Halton region, informed that all Dushanbe publishing houses, including publishing company “Sharki Ozod”, refused to publish the newspaper for different reasons. The only exception was a printing house “Sanadvora” in Dushanbe, which currently publishes the paper.  

Journalists’ rights are restricted during the court proceedings as well. On December 30, Judge Faizali Nozilov, presiding over Firdavsi district court in Dushanbe, prohibited journalist Valentina Kasymbekova from attending trial against Neriu Suhan weekly. Further Kasymbekova tried to get permission from Saifullo Gieyev, who rejected the request as well.

In connection with the above violations of the Constitution of the Republic of Tajikistan and law of the Republic of Tajikistan “On Press and Other Media”, the NANSMIT expresses its concern over the current situation. The NANSMIT calls on state officials and persons in charge to observe the laws of the Republic of Tajikistan and take reasonable steps to change the media situation.

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