DUSHANBE, June 22, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Media nongovernmental organizations in Tajikistan are urging the government to unblock domestic and international news websites, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reports.

In a joint statement on June 20, the Union of Tajikistan’s Journalists, the National Association of Tajikistan''s Media, and Tajikistan''s Media Council called the ongoing blockage of YouTube, Google, and TojNews “a violation of Tajik citizens'' right to receive information.”

The three websites have been inaccessible in Tajikistan since June 9.

Reporters without Borders and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe''s representative on freedom of the media have urged Tajik authorities to restore access to the websites.

Tajik state Communications Service officials told RFE/RL on June 11 that their agency had nothing to do with the situation.

They cited "possible technical problems" as the cause for the disruption in access to those websites.