DUSHANBE, August 10, 2012, Asia-Plus — The Communist Party of Tajikistan (CPT) has asked the Tajik authorities to unblock Internet access to the Asia-Plus news agency and ensure the free flow of information in the country.
CPT leader Shodi Shabdolov, who is also deputy of Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament, considers that lack of access to information may lead to suspiciousness in society, appearance of rumors and destabilization of the situation in the country.
“The authorities should realize that blocking population’s access to information may lead to suspiciousness in society, appearance of rumors and destabilization of the situation in the country,” CPT leader said.
“Any sensible politician knows that information vacuum may seriously affect society, and the current situation in the world and in Tajikistan in particular requires free flow of information, especially as the process of stabilization has begun in Gorno Badakhshan and value of report from this region increases many times,” Shabdolov noted.
He stressed that as politician and member of Tajik parliament he has expressed his opinion on various events through the Asia-Plus news agency many times. “I have always been satisfied with professionalism of the Asia-Plus journalists, because they always ensure pluralism of opinions published on the news agency’s website,” CPT leader said.
“If the authorities do not like any report published by Asia-Plus and they consider it false and biased, let them express their point of view on that subject but not block the website,” he noted, adding that the authorities must not impose their point of view on others through restricting access to information.
