(Adil Soz/IFEX) – The following is a 16 February 2007 Adil Soz report: Freedom of expression in Central Asia The free expression situation in Central Asia remains disturbing for many reasons, including: undemocratic legislative restrictions, attacks on journalists, arbitrary court rulings, obstacles to registering new independent media outlets, and illegal restrictions imposed on the receipt […]
(Adil Soz/IFEX) – The following is a 16 February 2007 Adil Soz report:
Freedom of expression in Central Asia
The free expression situation in Central Asia remains disturbing for many reasons, including: undemocratic legislative restrictions, attacks on journalists, arbitrary court rulings, obstacles to registering new independent media outlets, and illegal restrictions imposed on the receipt and distribution of information. Throughout the region, defamation and insult, insulting high-ranked officials and – in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan -insulting the honor and dignity of the president are still criminal offences.
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There is an ongoing trend toward more rigid legislation, aimed at restricting freedom of expression under the pretext of national security. In 2006, the Parliament passed seven new laws, imposing additional restrictions on freedom of expression. Along with establishing a more complicated media registration procedure, they increased state control over media outlets. Another two draft laws were proposed by the government in 2006: “On increasing responsibility for defamation” and “on licensing printing offices”; their hearings by Parliament are scheduled for 2007.
Criminal cases and court sentences for insulting the president and defamation against state officials have increased in number. The number of civil proceedings against media outlets for insulting honor and dignity has increased; 132 of them were registered in 2006. Most of plaintiffs are state officials, state departments and business enterprises. Two “ordered murders” were registered last year – that of the former information minister Altynbek Sarsenbayev, who had been chairing a local opposition party; and of a foreign journalist, Gregorie de Bourge, with robbery as the purported intention. Most of the 13 journalists who were attacked believe the incidents were linked to their professional activities. Journalists face many obstacles when trying to access information of public interest, such as having to fulfil irrelevant requirements for formal requests for information; often officials refer to the need to coordinate their activities with their superiors.
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The worst situation remains in Uzbekistan. Since the Andijan disturbances of 2005, the freedom of expression situation has radically worsened. Government continues to block access to opposition websites and websites of international organizations. Foreign journalists there are refused accreditation. Local journalists have to be accredited by the Uzbek Foreign Ministry. Seven journalists were arrested and sentenced to long prison terms for defamation during 2006. A newly-adopted media law sets a more severe level of responsibility for media outlets regarding the content of reports and establishes mandatory registration for web editions. Media outlets are now obliged to register their equipment by order of the state and to submit reports and work plans every month to the Information and Press Agency. State bodies conduct inspections of media outlets, to check if they are “politically loyal”.
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Socio-political life in Kyrgyzstan continues to intensify, so the media outlets in Kyrgyzstan remain the freest of all among Central Asian countries. However, there are certainly risks that freedom of expression will be restricted. Indeed, the number of journalists attacked has increased. As well, an attack involving arson at the offices of Piramida TV Company caused the destruction of all its equipment.
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The main problems relate to the closure of media outlets by means of re-registration, and the imposition of obstacles to the registering of new outlets, as well as barriers to opening new printing offices. Media outlets can be suspended by an order from the executive bodies, with no need for a court decision.
