Rahmon says freedom of speech 'respected' in Tajikistan
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 5 November 2014 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Rahmon says freedom of speech 'respected' in Tajikistan, 5 November 2014, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/548ea836e.html [accessed 22 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
November 05, 2014
By RFE/RL's Tajik Service
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon says freedom of speech exists in his country because there are "hundreds" of private media outlets in Tajikistan.
At a ceremony for the Tajik Constitution's 20th anniversary in Dushanbe on November 5, Rahmon said Tajikistan has 307 private and 209 state-owned publications, 49 private and 19 state broadcasting outlets, as well as dozens of private news agencies.
Though nominally independent, most publications in Tajikistan refrain from reporting on political issues or exercise self-censorship regarding stories related to the government.
International rights monitor Freedom House reports that in 2013 "intimidation and violence against journalists persisted" in Tajkistan.
Meanwhile, Facebook, some Russian social networks, and several local and regional online news sites have been inaccessible in Tajikistan for several weeks and intermittently for the past several months.
Constitution Day will be marked on November 6.
With reporting by asiaplus.tj
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
