DUSHAHNBE, December 3, 2012, Asia-Plus — After negotiations with Radio Liberty’s office in Prague, Tajik communications service agency has partially restored access to Radio Liberty’s Tajik site.
“Access to the website was partially restored Saturday afternoon after a telephone conversation between Beg Zuhurov, Head of the Communications Service under the Government of Tajikistan, and senior representatives of Radio Liberty,” Asomuddin Atoyev, the chairman of Tajikistan’s Association of Internet Service Providers, told Asia-Plus in an interview.
We will recall that Ozodi-org was blocked on November 29. Several Internet providers in Tajikistan reportedly received SMS text messages from the communications service agency on the evening of November 29 instructing them to block access to Ozodi.org.
Beg Zuhurov confirmed the site had been blocked in an interview on November 30 with Asia-Plus. According to him, the authorities acted in response to complaints from a group of concerned citizens who expressed objections about “a series of information agencies that work against the interests of Tajikistan.”
Meanwhile, Radio Liberty reported on December 1 that RFE/RL President Steven Korn said, “This is censorship, clear and simple.” “The government wants to shut down free expression, and so they”re attacking Facebook, they”re attacking us, and they”ll attack other sources of independent information as well,” Korn was quoted as adding. “This is a violation of the fundamental right to free speech, and governments, the media, the private sector, the human rights community and Tajik citizens should condemn it.”
International community has condemned blockage of access to a number of websites in Tajikistan.
In a statement released on November 30, the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe, in particular, noted that it is concerned with the apparent decision by the Communications Service of the Republic of Tajikistan to block access to Facebook, Radio Ozodi (Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service), and other Internet news sites.
“The United States believes that the right of individuals to express their views freely is universal, whether exercised in a public square or on the Internet.
“We urge the Government of Tajikistan to respect individual rights to freedom of expression and lift its restriction on Facebook, Radio Ozodi, and other blocked news sites,” the statement said.
International media watchdog, Reporters Without Borders (RWB), has also strongly condemned the Tajik authorities for blocking access to Facebook and Radio Ozodi.
“We strongly condemn blockage of Radio Ozodi in Tajikistan that has happened right after blockage of access to Facebook,” Johann Bihr, Head of the Europe and Central Asia Desk, RWB told Radio Liberty in an interview on November 30.
“We call on the Tajik authorities to restore access to these websites and express concern over the fact that the Tajik authorities have begun to frequently resort to this method. It is already the third wave of blockages of websites [in Tajikistan],” Mr. Bihr said, noting that this year Tajikistan will be added to a list of “countries under surveillance” maintained by Reporters Without Border.
The Tajik authorities have temporarily blocked numerous websites this year, including YouTube, the BBC, Asia-Plus, and Russian media sites.
