The Committee to Protect Journalists has once again demanded the immediate release of imprisoned journalists in Tajikistan. The Committee to Protect Journalists writes on Twitter that Tajik journalist Khurshed Fazilov was detained two months ago. According to the committee, Khurshed Fazilov is not the only Tajik journalist who has been detained on fabricated charges of […]
The Committee to Protect Journalists has once again demanded the immediate release of imprisoned journalists in Tajikistan.
The Committee to Protect Journalists writes on Twitter that Tajik journalist Khurshed Fazilov was detained two months ago.
According to the committee, Khurshed Fazilov is not the only Tajik journalist who has been detained on fabricated charges of collaborating with banned extremist organizations.
“It has been two months since the detention of Tajik journalist Khurshed Fazilov on fabricated charges of membership in extremist groups,” the Committee to Protect Journalists writes.
According to the committee, “this is the fifth Tajik journalist to face such charges in less than a year.”
“The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for his release and that of other imprisoned journalists,” the statement notes.
Khurshed Fazilov reported news and stories for independent media from the Zarafshan region. Previously, he and several other journalists were accused of collaborating with the news portal Akhbor.com, which has been banned in Tajikistan.
On March 6, around 15:00, two unidentified individuals in civilian clothes detained Tajik journalist Khurshed Fazilov at the building of the labor, migration, and employment management in the city of Panjakent and took him away in an unknown direction.
Currently, the journalist is being held in a pre-trial detention center in the city of Khujand.
Law enforcement agencies have accused him of membership in banned organizations. A criminal case has been initiated against him under Article 307/3, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of Tajikistan. The journalist himself has denied all charges and stated that he acted within the law. According to his lawyer, Khurshed Fazilov claimed that he was forced to testify against himself and plead guilty. The journalist has filed a complaint with the prosecutor’s office of the Sughd region for arbitrary detention, violation of personal inviolability, and coercion to testify against himself.
The authorities have yet to comment on the detention of Khurshed Fazilov.
Over the past year, Tajik law enforcement agencies have imprisoned several journalists and bloggers on fabricated charges. International organizations have repeatedly criticized the Tajik authorities and called for the release of all imprisoned journalists in Tajikistan. However, the Tajik authorities consistently ignore the recommendations and demands of international organizations.
Repression against journalists in Tajikistan has led to a decline in the country’s position in the press freedom ranking.
In the report “World Freedom Index 2023” by the international non-governmental organization “Reporters Without Borders” (Reporters Sans Frontieres), Tajikistan ranked 153rd among 180 countries this year. Even Afghanistan, where the Taliban seized power, ranked 152nd, which is one position better than Tajikistan.