Provincial reporter held for past five weeks for covering corruption

Reporters Without Borders calls for the release of Makhmadyusuf Ismoilov, a newspaper reporter who has been detained arbitrarily by prosecutors in Khujand, in the northern province of Sughd, since 23 November. Ismoilov was arrested at the behest of the regional prosecutor’s office one day after an article he wrote about its alleged corrupt and irregular practices was published in the newspaper Istiklol. His detention is clearly designed to stop him working as regional correspondent. He has often criticized the local authorities during the three years that he has worked as a Khujand-based reporter for various newspapers including the national weekly Nuri Zindagi. It is regrettable that the only response from the local authorities to his criticism it to arrest him. It is doubtful that regional prosecutor Anvar Kanoat’s investigation is impartial. Ismoilov is charged under various articles of the criminal code with libel, insulting an official, inciting religious and racial hatred and blackmail. Nuriddin Karshiboyev, the head of the National Association of Independent Media of Tajikistan (NANSMIT), says he is being prosecuted solely because of what he wrote. The trial is due to take place at the end of January and the Sughd regional court has ordered that Ismoilov be detained throughout the pre-trial investigation. Nuri Zindagi editor Djumo Mirzo has received a letter from the prosecutor requesting copies of all the articles that Ismoilov has written for the newspaper. Reporters Without Borders calls for Ismoilov’s release pending the start of the trial. It also supports NANSMIT’s call for a fair trial and respect for the right to an independent defence. The situation of the media and access to information has still not returned to normal after the crackdown carried out by the Tajik authorities in September. Several news websites are still experiencing hosting problems and some newspapers, including Faraj and Paikhon, are still being harassed and having problems finding a printer.