DUSHANBE, February 2, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- A conversation of editors of three Dushanbe weeklies - Asia-Plus (Marat Mamadshoev), Farazh (Khurshed Niyozov) and Ozodagon (Zafar Sufiyev) – with a judge at the court of Dushanbe’s Sino district, Amriddin Safoyev, was held today.

The conversation took place behind closed doors in the presence of the plaintiffs – two Supreme Court judges (Nur Nurov and Ulughbek Mahmadshoev) and a judge from the Dushanbe city court (Fakhriddin Dodometov).

The Asia-Plus editor Marat Mamadshoev said that Justice Safoyev had proposed parties to a trial to come to an agreement but the plaintiffs had refused.

“Justice Safoyev suggested that the parties should submit their claims and arguments in written form to the court on February 23 and after that, the court will determine the date of the trial,” the Asia-Plus editor noted.

We will recall that three judges from the Supreme Court and a Dushanbe’s court filed lawsuits against lawyer Solehjon Jurayev and the independent weeklies Asia-Plus , Farazh and Ozodagon on January 29.

The judges are asking for a total of 5.5 million somoni (equivalent to more than 1.25 million) in damages after an open statement by lawyer Jurayev published in the weeklies’ editions allegedly insulted their honor and dignity.  Moreover, the judges requested that the newspapers be closed pending the outcome of the case.