Azda TV responded to the statements of the General Prosecutor’s Office

The editorial team of Azda TV has issued a statement regarding the claims made by the General Prosecutor’s Office of Tajikistan.

Photo: Internet

The editorial team of Azda TV categorically denies and considers the statement of the General Prosecutor’s Office of Tajikistan regarding the case of convicted journalist Abdullo Gurbati to be unfounded, claiming that he allegedly subscribed to the Azda TV YouTube channel on November 13, 2019, and “followed its videos and used them to color his programs.”

Azda TV believes these accusations from the General Prosecutor’s Office are merely a pretext for initiating a criminal case against journalist Abdullo Gurbati and yet another attempt by the authorities to exert pressure on the independent press.

The editorial team also informs all state bodies of Tajikistan, as well as its readers and viewers, that Azda TV is a media project of the Intercultural Integration Fund. This fund is registered in Warsaw, Poland. The project is funded by NED (National Endowment for Democracy), an independent U.S. organization, and is not affiliated with any political parties or movements.

As an independent publication, Azda TV monitors and covers news from the official state authorities of Tajikistan, and likewise covers official news and statements from opposition groups in Tajikistan.

Monitoring news and covering events is the duty of every independent publication, and Azda TV also considers these actions to be its responsibility. Therefore, if anyone or any institution consciously or unconsciously claims that fulfilling this mission constitutes collaboration with groups or institutions, they are mistaken.

We also want to emphasize that Azda TV officially began its activities as an independent publication on July 1, 2020, and to date, Abdullo Gurbati has never used Azda TV videos “to color his programs.”