DUSHANBE, January 17, 2013, Asia-Plus — A number of Internet service providers (ISPs) in Tajikistan have blocked access to the Facebook social network again.
The Russian version of Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service was also reported blocked as were several other websites.
The websites were reportedly blocked following a verbal instruction by the communications service agency.
The Communications Service under the Government of Tajikistan has refrained from commenting on its decision.
This is the third time the Tajik authorities block access to Facebook.
For the first time, access to the Facebook social network was blocked in March last year. Tajik authorities blocked Facebook and several online news sites, but later unblocked them.
Several ISPs blocked access to Facebook again in late November.
The chairman of Tajikistan”s Association of Internet Providers, Asomuddin Atoyev, noted on November 26 that access to the website was stopped following a request by the state-run Communications Service.
The Communications Service representatives said Facebook was blocked for what they called “technical reasons.”
Facebook became available again on the Internet in Tajikistan in early December.
We will recall that 131 websites, including social networks were blocked on December 24 following a request by the communications service agency.
The communications service agency gave instruction on December 21 to block the websites, mainly those posting music and videos. The websites became available on the Internet in Tajikistan on December 26. A letter by the communications service agency cited “technical reasons” for blocking access to those websites.
According to data of Socialbakers.com, there are 41,160 users of the Facebook social network in Tajikistan, which is 5.87 percent of the overall number of Internet-users in the country.
