DUSHANBE, April 20, 2011, Asia-Plus -- A legal dispute between three Tajik Supreme Court judges and three independent newspapers lasting over a year has been settled out of court, Radio Liberty''s Tajik Service reported on April 19.

Amriddin Safoyev, who presided over the hearings in Dushanbe''s Sino district court, confirmed on April 19 that a settlement has been reached. But he noted that all parties involved may challenge it within 10 days.

The case was triggered in January 2010 when the independent newspapers Ozodagon , Farazh , and Asia -Plus published a statement by lawyer Solehjon Juraev accusing the Supreme Court of corruption.

Three Supreme Court judges accused the three papers of defamation and demanded 5.5 million somoni ($1,230,870) in compensation for moral damages.

In February, the same Sino district court found another independent weekly, Millat , guilty of libel and ordered it to pay the Ministry of Agriculture 1,500 somoni ($333) in damages and publish a formal apology for an article that accused the ministry of corruption.

Millat has appealed the ruling with Dushanbe City Court.