TAJIKISTAN: RFE/RL CONTROVERSY BOILING OVER IN DUSHANBE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000940 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA and PA/PR/FPCW E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO KDEM PHUM TI SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: RFE/RL CONTROVERSY BOILING OVER IN DUSHANBE ¶1. (U) Sensitive But Unclassified - Not for Internet Distribution. ¶2. (SBU) Summary: A personnel management dispute at the RFE/RL bureau headquarters in Dushanbe has spilled into the public domain and Tajik journalists are siding with the reporters. Two former employees - one was dismissed, the other resigned - filed lawsuits against the station and held separate press conferences in Dushanbe July 10 and 15 to enumerate their grievances. A local media rights organization and the union of journalists issued a statement July 11 expressing concern about "a systematic pattern of pressure" at RFE/RL. RFE/RL's director of Tajik service suspects Tajik security forces are behind the public denunciations and worries that the MFA may decline to re-register RFE/RL, which has been waiting for the renewal of its annual registration since May 16. End summary. Press Conference by Disgruntled Employee No. 1 -------------- - ¶3. (SBU) On July 10, Sayofi Mizrob, formerly a reporter for RFE/RL's Tajik service, held a press conference outside RFE/RL's offices in Dushanbe and charged RFE/RL management with violating employees' rights and the local labor code by demanding long working hours and offering low pay. Rod Shahidi, the Director of RFE/RL's Tajik Service (resident in Prague),told PAO that Mizrob was unhappy with a newly negotiated contract and refused to sign it. Before the press conference local reporters tried to get the reaction of the Tajik bureau chief Mirzonabi Kholiqzoda, but he did not know about Mizrob's press conference, was caught off guard, and had no answers to the questions. Reporters said Kholiqzoda was rude and were put off by his manner. In response to press queries the PAO commented that the dispute was a management issue to be decided between RFE/RL supervisors and employees and referred reporters to Shahidi. Embassy contacts said Shahidi apologized to reporters for Kholiqzoda's behavior. Press Conference by Disgruntled Employee No. 2 -------------- - ¶4. (U) On July 15, Kholiq Sangin, an RFE/RL reporter who was fired in October 2007 for being absent without leave, held his own press conference at the union of journalists headquarters to explain "each and every point in [his employment contract] that violates Tajikistan's labor code." He also took a few swipes at Shahidi and the embassy for failing to champion his cause. ¶5. (U) Sangin said that RFE/RL employed him as a freelance reporter to avoid paying him overtime and other weekend and holiday premiums to which he would be entitled as a full time staff reporter. He said RFE/RL had followed an illegal policy for "the past 10-11 years" of employing freelance reporters. He said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs only accredits full time reporters, meaning the freelance RFE/RL reporters had been working without accreditation or obtained accreditation illegally. He said the station changed the contracts to full time staff only after he filed his suit, because management knew the previous policy had been illegal. Judge Dismisses Sangin's Lawsuit -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Sangin criticized the embassy for not commenting on a U.S. Government supported organization violating the rights of reporters. Sanginov also mentioned the embassy had nominated him for a reporting tour in the United States, then revoked the offer after Qreporting tour in the United States, then revoked the offer after finding out about his lawsuit. (Note: In late April PAO informed Sangin that the Washington Foreign Press Center was concerned he would not be able to make court appearances in Tajikistan if he were in the United States and cancelled his participation in the Foreign Press Center tour. End note.) Shahidi told PAO that Sangin was in fact called to appear in court for his lawsuit on six separate occasions from February to May, but he failed to appear most of the time. He said the judge threw out the current suit on July 15, but said Sangin could open a new case if he chose to do so. RFE/RL Convicted in the Court of Public Opinion -------------- -- ¶7. (U) Public statements and private comments by embassy contacts indicate the mood of Dushanbe's media community has turned against RFE/RL. On July 11 NANSMIT, an influential local media rights organization, and the local union of journalists issued a joint statement expressing concern about a "systematic pattern of pressure" applied by RFE/RL's Tajik Service on reporters, and citing the dismissal of Kholiq Sangin and the resignation of Mizrob in protest of unfair policies as examples of "a discriminatory policy in resolving internal disagreements." During Sangin's July 15 press conference, Akbarali Sattorov, head of the Union of Journalists, DUSHANBE 00000940 002 OF 002 said that the union supported Sangin because his case was not political, but a human rights issue about a reporter asserting his rights with a media organization. Finally, the editor of a progressive Tajik language newspaper told emboff he had done freelance work for RFE/RL and had never collected his pay, but in light of the allegations against the station, would not work with the station again. RFE/RL Waits Anxiously for Re-Registration -------------- ¶8. (SBU) In several conversations the past week with PAO, Shahidi has said he suspects Tajik security forces are behind what seem to be coordinated denunciations. He said a source in the MFA, the accrediting agency for foreign media, had told Dushanbe bureau chief Kholiqzoda that the prosecutor and the security services are pressuring the MFA to "shut RFE/RL down" or considerably limit its activity. Shahidi also said a source told him other former RFE/RL reporters have "been approached and asked to hold press conferences" against the station. The station's registration, which has to be renewed annually, expired on May 16. Kholiqzoda said he was told by Suleymon Rashidov, deputy head of the MFA's Information Service, that 80% of the foreign media in Tajikistan, including BBC, are waiting for registration, pending receipt of special notarial ink and forms. Kholiqzoda said Rashidov expects decisions would be made in the next couple of days. ¶9. (SBU) Comment: When reporting for RFE/RL, both Sangin and Mizrob were bold in investigating and publicizing issues in the public interest, even if that meant criticizing government performance. Their comments in the past week sounded more like defensive talking points we've sometimes heard from the Government. Sangin said RFE/RL often criticized the Government for violating people's rights, but refused to explain why he was fired. Mizrob said RFE/RL had broadcast only critical articles which "hurt the image of the Government and its people." He said he was quitting his job rather than "oppose his people and homeland." He challenged the station to openly declare whether it was a real news source or a "mouthpiece for the opposition." He said, "Incidents in Kulyab, Badakhshan, and Garm add more oil to the fire. What does Radio Liberty want, another civil war?" End Comment. JACOBSON