DUSHANBE, February 3N 2016, Asia-Plus – Deputies of Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament have decided to return the draft law on amendments proposed by the government to the country’s law on periodical press and other mass media as required improvement.

A regular sitting of the second session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the fifth convocation, presided over by its head, Shukurjn Zuhurov, took place on February 3.

When discussing the draft law, parliamentarians decided to change the amendment concerning suspension of media activity.

Parliamentarians changed the formulation “The registration body (Ministry of Culture) may suspend the media activity for three months following suit filed by prosecutor’s bodies” for “Courts may suspend the media activity for three months following suit filed by prosecutor’s bodies.”

Meanwhile, speaking at the session on behalf of Tajik media organizations, reporter for Asia-Plus news agency, Avaz Yuldoshev, noted that journalists had not been aware of the amendments prepared by the Ministry of Culture.  “Therefore, the amendments have caused various rumors,” Yuldoshev said.

Parliamentarian decided to return the draft law as required improvement.  A special working group has been set up to coordinate some terms in the draft law that will be submitted for approval to Majlisi Namoyandagon next week.   

We will recall that the amendments have displeased local media organizations.

In a statement  released on February 1, Tajik Journalists’ Union (TJU), the National Association of Independent Media of Tajikistan (Nansmit), the Homa Public Association and the Media Council of Tajikistan, noted that they come out against the amendments proposed by the government to the country’s media law.

If adopted, the amendments would legitimate censorship in Tajikistan, according to the statement.

The media organizations consider that the amendments will deal a heavy blow to the country’s media.

Tajikistan’s Law on Periodical Press and Other Mass Media was adopted on March 19, 2013.

An international, non-governmental human rights organization, ARTICLE 19, noted on October 2, 2014 that it finds that the Media Law includes a number of provisions that are in breach of international freedom of expression standards.

At the same time, ARTICLE 19 finds that the Media Law includes a number of provisions that are in breach of international freedom of expression standards, in particular, the regulations dealing with: media registration; content restrictions; the right of reply and refutation; access to state information; the protection of confidential information; the accreditation of journalists; duties of journalists; and the accreditation of foreign media.