DUSHANBE, February 3, 2010, Asia-Plus — Defamation lawsuit filed by judges’ against the Dushanbe independent weeklies Asia-Plus, Farazh and Ozodagon with demand for 5.5 million has actually done the country’s judicial system a bad turn, Tajik journalist and economic analyst Zulfiqor Ismoiliyon told Asia-Plus today.
According to him, they (judges) have organized a powerful campaign on making not only Tajikistan’s population but also the whole international community aware of corruption and bias in the country’s judicial system without realizing it.
Many people who did not know about articles published in the mentioned newspapers are currently seeking those editions to read the articles, said Ismoiliyon, adding that even his colleagues from other countries are asking him to send them copies of those articles.
The expert considers that some officials do not approve of repeated calls of the president to representatives of media to be more courageous in coverage of corruption in society and his desire for finding allies in journalists for democratization of life in the country and these officials are putting obstacles in the way of media.
“I am sure that if international community and Tajik leader himself had not pay attention to development of media and principle of freedom of speech as well as cooperation between media and government bodies, many Tajik officials would had closed all independent media in the country with great pleasure,” Ismoiliyon noted.
