(Adil Soz/IFEX) – The following is a 9 October 2006 statement by the National Association of Independent Mass Media of Tajikistan (NANSMIT), an Adil Soz partner: The National Association of Independent Mass Media of Tajikistan calls on the government to repeal the decision, restricting access to a number of websites The National Association of Independent […]
(Adil Soz/IFEX) – The following is a 9 October 2006 statement by the National Association of Independent Mass Media of Tajikistan (NANSMIT), an Adil Soz partner:
The National Association of Independent Mass Media of Tajikistan calls on the government to repeal the decision, restricting access to a number of websites
The National Association of Independent Mass Media of Tajikistan condemns the 5 October 2006 order by the Communications Ministry’s communication regulating agency to restrict access to a number of websites, saying it violates core principles of freedom of expression.
The order, signed by the agency’s director, Mamadjonov, stipulates that henceforward all internet service providers will have to filter local websites for security reasons and block access to those that contain information that “undermines state media policy,” the weekly “Business and Politika” reported.
Local internet providers recently received an official letter from the agency, demanding that they block access to the websites http://www.centrasia.ru , http://www.ferghana.ru , http://www.arianastorm.com , http://www.charogiruz.ru and http://www.tajikistantames.ru , even though these sites are widely considered the only alternative sources of information in the country.
The formal reason given for the decision was that the content on these sites might incite “religious, racial, social or national enmity”.
Freedom of expression and the unrestricted receipt and distribution of information and ideas through mass media are basic requirements of any democratic state. The decision to block access to these websites conflicts with Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and will severely affect the image of Tajikistan abroad in the run-up to the country’s November presidential elections.
The NANSMIT calls on the Tajik government to repeal the decision by any legal means available.
