DUSHANBE, February 26, 2014, Asia-Plus – Judgment filed against newspaper Asia-Plus is the beginning of authorities’ preparations for the next parliamentary elections and a signal for starting pressure on other popular independent media outlets, editor-in-chief of the Dushanbe independently weekly Farazh , Khurshed Atovullo, who is also the head of the Media Alliance of Tajikistan (MAT), told Asia-Plus in an interview.

“Pressure on media ahead of presidential elections was predictable.  Similar situation was in 2004, when three media outlets were shut down ahead of election campaign.  Last year, there was no so strong pressure on journalists because the joint opposition candidate in the presidential election, Ms. Oynihol Bobonazarova, withdrew from the race early,” Atovullo noted.

“Meanwhile, the pressure on media became stronger lately.  Over the past ten days, we have become witnesses to two such cases: the license of the independent weekly Hafta (The Week) has been withdrawn; and the second case is the judgment filed against Asia-Plus and its editor Olga Tutubalina on February 25.  This judgment was predictable because there probably was an order from above,” MAT head noted.

“It can be expected that pressure on independent media will become stronger and only media outlets praising the authorities will get to the parliamentary elections,” Atovullo said.

We will recall that a court tin Dushanbe’s Firdavsi district ruled on February 25 that newspaper Asia-Plus and its editor Olga Tutubalina must apologize and that Asia-Plus must publish a retraction in addition to 30,000 somoni in damages.