TAJIKISTAN'S MEDIA TO GOVERNMENT: GIVE US INFORMATION OR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000909 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO KDEM PHUM TI SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN'S MEDIA TO GOVERNMENT: GIVE US INFORMATION OR WE'LL REPORT RUMORS Ref: Dushanbe 906 ¶1. (U) Sensitive But Unclassified - Not for Internet Distribution. ¶2. (SBU) Summary: During a June 26 roundtable to discuss government-media relations, journalists, media advocates, and spokesmen unanimously advised the government to talk to journalists to prevent the spread of rumors, such as those reported during the winter energy crisis. They said the newly enacted "Law on the Right to Access Information" actually hindered access to information and promoted corruption by allowing government agencies to charge journalists for information, indicating the government's real lack of interest in supporting freedom of the press. End summary. ¶3. (SBU) Prominent journalists from government and independent media, media advocates, and government spokesmen said the government is to blame for rumors spread during the winter energy crisis and law enforcement actions in Garm and Kulyob. The comments were made June 26 during a lively two hour debate on government and media relations, hosted by the media rights group "Independent School of Journalism," and funded by the Helsinki Commission. ¶4. (SBU) Mahmoudkhon Sarayev, the chief information analyst for the presidential administration, opened the discussion with an overview of the government's public relations plans, which include the establishment of an "information center to manage the image of Tajikistan" (reftel). In response, the head of a local media advocacy group said that Tajikistan did not need another government organization to promote a positive image - the current government ministries just need to do their jobs. He said if the government was concerned about its image, it should provide information to prevent the publication of unsubstantiated rumors. As an example, he cited the rumors that Hasan Assadullzoda, the President's brother-in-law and head of Orion Bank, was shot to death by the President Rahmon's son and is now represented by a body double (or his twin brother) at public events. ¶5. (SBU) Sarayev also said the government needed a "structure for a single voice" and would strengthen "traditional media" like television. To achieve that goal, he said the government plans to launch a new government television channel in September which would provide only official information, particularly in the regions, to keep out "negative information from neighboring countries" (a reference to Kyrgyz and Uzbek stations that have stronger TV signals in the border areas). (Note: Tajikistan currently has three official nationwide television stations: one for children, two that broadcast about 10 minutes of evening news, along with file footage of the President's public appearances, and other official events. ¶6. (SBU) Journalists said the "Law on the Right to Access Information" signed by President Rahmon on June 19, 2008, hindered access to information, promoted corruption by allowing government agencies to make journalists pay for information; and violated the constitutional right to media freedom. One reporter pointed out that the law did not specify how much ministries should charge, leaving even more ambiguity to be exploited by corrupt officials. Another said that reporters would opt not to pay at all and instead rely on reports published in foreign media. ¶7. (SBU) Given all the problems with the law, journalists asked Sarayev to explain why Parliament forwarded it to the President for signature without revisions. Sarayev said that when the law was Qsignature without revisions. Sarayev said that when the law was being written, the presidential administration collected comments and suggestions from many government structures, summarized the feedback, and presented it to Parliament. Parliament then decided to pass it on to the President for signature. ¶8. (SBU) Independent journalists complained that the government's strategy to communicate with media by mandating quarterly press conferences from each ministry disadvantaged independent journalists. They said the public had a right to know about government activities, which was why all media needed access to government sources. The ministries, they said, only invited state run media and not the independent media, especially those that "cooperate with international organizations." The director of an independent TV station also said government officials dictated the timing of his news programs so that the official stations could broadcast their news first. ¶9. (SBU) Besides the perceived bias, other reporters said government spokesmen simply lacked the skills to interact with the media. One noted that "in each state structure 10-12 people are involved with the press, but no one speaks TO the press." Another said the ministers themselves had no interest in effective press relations and delegated press conferences to "lower level officials" who did not know the issues. In one example, a reporter said he asked a DUSHANBE 00000909 002 OF 002 deputy foreign minister at an MFA press conference for the government's position on Iran joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization; the deputy minister replied, "I have no idea." The participant said the government damages its own image with this kind of response. ¶10. (SBU) Comment: The debate shows that Tajik journalists believe the government remains hostile to independent media. Measures taken to ostensibly promote press freedom have been illusory; officials remain committed to a media strategy rooted in government control. In practice, most journalists are struggling financially in a country where basic information is hard to come by and advertising revenue supports few outlets. Given their tenuous position, journalists tend to censor themselves; to maintain cooperative relations with sources in government and business, they bow to pressure when told to back off controversial issues in order to keep publishing. As the head of the media advocacy group advised, "Our reporters need to be more courageous." End comment. HUSHEK