DUSHANBE, October 4, 2011, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan’s media community is seriously concerned that a prosecutor in the trial of Mahmadyusuf Ismoilov, a regional reporter for the Dushanbe-based independent weekly
Nouri Zindagi
, has asked to sentence Ismoilov to a 14-year prison term (with taking into account this year’s amnesty).
A joint statement released Tajik Journalists’ Union, the National Association of Independent Media (Nansmit), the Media Council and the Media Alliance of Tajikistan (MAT) on October 4, in particular, notes that such a drastic punishment, which is incommensurate with the journalist’s actions, is a serious threat to freedom of media and damages the image of Tajikistan as a state that has chosen the democratic way of development.
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, and cited corruption, abuse of office, and mismanagement of funds.
At a hearing on September 29, the prosecutor – an aide to the chief prosecutor of the city of Tabaoshar – asked the court to sentence Ismoilov to 16 years in jail and cut his jail term by two years under this year’s amnesty.
Ismoilov’s defense lawyers, Muhabbat Jourayeva and Sadriddin Saidov, told the court that investigators had failed to prove the journalist”s guilt, and asked them to drop the charges and release him. They also consider that the process of instituting criminal proceedings against their client and the investigation process were carried out with serious violation of the country’s legislation.
The media organizations applied to the president, asking him to ensure respect for the presumption of innocence and a fair trial for Ismoilov.
Ismoilov”s trial began in June, and 12 officials were named as plaintiffs in the case. At the second court hearing, several witnesses who had initially testified against the journalist reportedly changed their statements to his defense.
