DUSHANBE, November 7, 2012, Asia-Plus — Tajik authorities reportedly intend to establish a special center to monitor IP network.
According to a draft regulation of the government, the center will be established at open joint-stock company (OJSC) Tajik Telecom (state-run Internet-provider and fixed-line telecommunications network).
The communications service agency has sent the draft regulation and the covering letter to relevant ministries and organizations.
The covering letter, in particular, notes that the main objective of center is in ensuring implementation of requirements of a number of laws, information security, prevention in cases of violation of rights of legal and physical entities, and prevention in cases of providing low-quality services.
The communications service agency, in particular, claims that requirements of laws on information, protection of information, copyright and allied rights, and innovations as well as the information security concept and the program of ensuring information security are not observed.
Meanwhile, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reports that Beg Zuhurov, Chairman of the Communications Service under the Government of Tajikistan, has denied information about the communications service agency’s initiative to establish such a center as baseless.
An official source at the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MoEDT), however, confirmed in an interview with RFE/RL that their ministry had received those documents (draft regulation and covering letter).
Experts noted that establishment of such a center is contrary to the country’s legislation. “Thus, establishment of this center is contrary to the country’s law on public-private partnership and the antimonopoly legislation and its activity will lead to the weakening of information and economic security of the country and infringement of rights of legal and physical entities,” Asomuddin Atoyev, Head of the Association of Internet-Providers of Tajikistan, told Asia-Plus in an interview.
