DUSHANBE, January 10, Asia-Plus – The BBC’s service in Tajikistan on FM frequencies has been suspended by Tajik authorities since January 10, 2006.
The issue of the resumption of the BBC FM broadcasts in Tajikistan will probably be discussed today afternoon at a meeting of three European Ambassadors (from the Great Britain, Germany and France) with Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zaripov.
According to information from the German Embassy in Dushanbe, the meeting will have an informal character and it will focus, primarily, on prospects of further expansion of cooperation between Tajikistan and the European Union. A source at the German Embassy neither confirmed nor denied the probability of discussion of the resumption of the BBC FM broadcasts in Tajikistan at the meeting.
In the meantime, according to some sources, the British Ambassador to Tajikistan, Graeme Loten will hand a note on the issue of the suspension of the BBC’s services in Tajikistan on FM frequencies to Zaripov.
We will recall that the suspension on January 10, 2006, followed a ratified Tajik media legislation requiring international broadcasters on FM to register with the Tajik Ministry of Justice and acquire a broadcasting license. However, although the BBC started the new process for registration, the 20-day deadline was unrealistic for a process. On January 18, the BBC made a formal complaint to the Tajik Government on the suspension.
In August 2006, Tajikistan’s state licensing commission formally denied the BBC a license, basing its decision on a complex interpretation of Tajik law. It was noted that the BBC failed to meet criteria outlined under Article 12 of the 2005 law On Licensing Certain Types of Activities. The legislation states that the “broadcasting of foreign media on the territory of Tajikistan is possible only on the basis of a bilateral inter-state agreement in the media sphere.” The commission insisted that such a pact was lacking in the BBC’s case.
On October 12, 2006, Asadullo Rahmonov, Chairman of the State Committee for TV and Radio-broadcasting, remarked at news conference in Dushanbe that they are preparing a document on making amendments to a memorandum between Tajikistan and BBC, which will determine conditions of the BBC’s services in Tajikistan on FM frequencies. A final version of this document will be submitted for signing to the government, according to him. “Everything depends on preparation of necessary documents by BBC,” Asadullo Rahmonov said that time, noting that “as soon as they submit all necessary documents to the licensing commission they will acquire a broadcasting license.”
A source at the BBC office in Dushanbe said that the British Embassy had sent all necessary documents to the Committee via the Tajik Foreign Ministry.
The BBC has been broadcasting in Tajikistan since 1996 on medium wave. In 2004, the BBC launched two 24-hour FM relays, in Dushanbe and Khujand, with programs in Tajik (Persian); as well broadcasts in Russian and English. The BBC is currently the only international broadcaster available on FM in Tajikistan and has legal contract and license to broadcast.
