(Adil Soz/IFEX) – The following is a joint National Association of Independent Mass Media of Tajikistan (NANSMIT) and Adil Soz alert: On 29 July 2004, unidentified individuals assaulted Radzhabi Mirzo, editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper “Ruzi Nav”. The attack took place near Mirzo’s home on Sino avenue in the capital, Dushanbe. The assailants struck the […]
(Adil Soz/IFEX) – The following is a joint National Association of Independent Mass Media of Tajikistan (NANSMIT) and Adil Soz alert:
On 29 July 2004, unidentified individuals assaulted Radzhabi Mirzo, editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper “Ruzi Nav”. The attack took place near Mirzo’s home on Sino avenue in the capital, Dushanbe. The assailants struck the journalist several times with a heavy iron bar. Mirzo suffered serious head injuries and was taken to a Dushanbe hospital. According to witnesses, the assailants had been waiting for the journalist near a grocery store. The Sino regional internal affairs department registered the assault and has begun investigating the case. Mirzo was sent home from the hospital, but is still recovering from the assault.
Mirzo believes that the assault is linked to his professional activities. He and three of his colleagues were assaulted on a previous occasion in January 2004. The incident took place in the city of Khujand, northern Tajikistan. At the time, the newspaper did not publish any information about the assault. Following the more recent attack, however, “Ruzi Nav” staff published a statement by Mirzo in a special edition of the newspaper.
Many Tajik journalists believe the assault was pre-planned and is related to Mirzo’s professional activities. While still recovering from his injuries, Mirzo addressed President Emomali Rakhmonov and expressed his hope that the assailants will be found and punished.
According to Radio Deutsch Welle, First Vice-Minister of Internal Affairs Abdurahim Kahharov is in charge of the investigation into the attack on Mirzo.
NANSMIT and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) centre in Dushanbe condemned the assault. NANSMIT stated that the assault was an attempt to hinder freedom of speech and intimidate journalists.
The OSCE centre in Dushanbe and NANSMIT call on the Tajik authorities and law enforcement agencies to thoroughly investigate the case and bring the assailants to justice.
