TAJIKISTAN: FERMENT FOR INDEPENDENT MEDIA

UNCLAS DUSHANBE 001732

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE

STATE FOR EUR/CACEN, EUR/PPD, EUR/ACE, SA, DRL
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR PROP KDEM KPAO TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: FERMENT FOR INDEPENDENT MEDIA



1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please handle accordingly.
Not for public Internet.


2. (SBU) SUMMARY: While the Government of Tajikistan is loathe
to license new independent media outlets, ferment is occurring.
A new, independent weekly newspaper has appeared, albeit with
microscopic circulation. The same company has appealed to the
Ambassador to lend diplomatic support to its application to
register a new FM radio station. Likewise, a Tajik NGO has
appealed for help to license a new public television station.
An existing Tajik public relations company, backed by wealthy
Tajik businessmen in Tajikistan and Russia, has received a
license to rebroadcast in Dushanbe Moscow's "Europa-Plus" radio
station, and also wants to found a new television station. The
Ministry of Justice, responsible for licensing, still keeps a
tight grip to prevent anything "political" not approved by the
inner circle of decision makers. Any truly independent,
non-self-censored media will face an uphill battle. END SUMMARY


"2X2"


3. (SBU) A new weekly newspaper, "2X2," has been appearing in
Dushanbe for the last six weeks - but only with 99 copies so
that it remains under the legal requirement for registration. A
project of the Avesta Internet Agency, which already produces
reliable and independent Interet and e-mail subscription news (
www.avesta.tj ),"2X2" is centrist and
somewhat critical of the government.

A-MEDIA


4. (SBU) Chief Editor Zafar Abdullayev is also the director of
Information Agency Avesta and chairman of the Tajik NGO,
Foundation in Support of Democracy "Kuhi Nor," which is an Open
Society Institute project. Abdullayev was a co-founder of the
independent newspaper, "Asia Plus," but broke away to found his
own media outlet. A key editor for "2X2" is Zebo Tadjibaeva,
also previously with "Asia Plus" as well as a media adviser for
the Democratic Party of Tajikistan.


5. (SBU) Abdullayev sent the Ambassador a letter on October 18
recounting his attempts for the last six months to register a
new business, A-Media, with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).
A-Media would then apply separately for licenses for "2X2" and
for a new independent FM radio station. MoJ has played its
standard game of ignoring the application or repeatedly
returning it because of "grammatical errors." Abdullayev asked
the Ambassador to advocate his case with the Government of
Tajikistan as part of the broader U.S. advocacy for democracy in
Tajikistan.

TV MARKAZ


6. (SBU) The Director of the Tajik NGO "Fides," Maarouf
Muhamedov, sent a letter to the U.S. Embassy October 24
detailing his so-far failed attempts with the MoJ to gain a
license for a new public television station, TV Markaz. MoJ
made clear that TV Markaz would not be registered because of
"instruction from top officials not to proceed with registering
media organizations." Mumamedov asked, like Abdullayev, that
the U.S. Embassy, as the defender of democracy in the region,
advocate with the government for free and independent media.

EUROPA-PLUS


7. (SBU) A group of wealthy Tajik businessmen in Tajikistan and
Russia, headed by Nurullo Fasilov of MKR (an Internet,

advertising, and public relations firm),has received a license
for a new private FM radio station in Dushanbe to rebroadcast
Moscow's Europa Plus. They also hope to obtain a license for a
private TV station, but no information is available on the
origin of the programming. Reportedly the MoJ told Fazilov
he'll get his license, "but if you broadcast anything
'political' we'll close you down."


8. (SBU) COMMENT: The intriguing factor in the Europa Plus
development is that some rich businessmen in Dushanbe are not
all that satisfied with the current government but are keeping
their heads down. It's conceivable that Europa Plus might be a
way for them to position themselves for the future. Some of
them may also be involved with TV Markaz, since Muhamedov hinted
that "Fides" would be only one of the shareholders in his
proposed independent TV station. END COMMENT.


HOAGLAND


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