KHUJAND, October 14, 2011, Asia-Plus — Court in Khujand is expected to pass sentence on Mahmadyusuf Ismoilov, a regional reporter for the Dushanbe-based independent weekly
Nouri Zindagi
, today afternoon, at 2:00 pm.
In the meantime, Mahmadyusuf Ismoilov told the trial yesterday that he is not guilty of the charges brought against him.
In his final statement on October 13, he said he sought simply to have shortcomings rectified, and that he was detained for his activities as a journalist. Ismoilov called on the court to acquit and release him.
Mahmadyusuf Ismoilov was arrested last November on separate counts of defamation, insult, and incitement to hatred over an article titled, “Asht Is Being Destroyed. Who Is Responsible for It?” In the article, published in the August 2010 issue of
Nouri Zindagi
, Ismoilov criticized government and law enforcement officials in the Asht district in the northern Sughd province of Tajikistan, and cited corruption, abuse of office, and mismanagement of funds.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) released a statement on September 29, condemning the ongoing imprisonment of Ismoilov.
“The Tajik authorities are using the threat of prison to intimidate journalists and shield officials from public scrutiny,” said CPJ Deputy Director Robert Mahoney. “Instead of demanding a preposterous 16-year sentence for Mahmadyusuf Ismoilov, the prosecution should drop all charges against him immediately.”
The OSCE representative on freedom of the media, Dunja Mijatovic, said in a statement earlier this week that if journalists who criticize government officials face criminal charges, lengthy investigative detention, and punitive prison sentences, Tajikistan risks stifling public discourse.
Local and international press freedom advocates wrote an open letter to Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in early September, calling on him to ensure a fair trial for Ismoilov.
