27 January 2006
Alert
Journalist detained, prevented from covering demonstration
Incident details
Zafar Murodov journalist(s)Journalist prevented from covering demonstration
On 23 January 2006, Zafar Murodov, a reporter for "Kulyabskaya Pravda" newspaper, was detained by police while covering a demonstration by a group of market vendors outside the Hukumat building, where local administrative offices are located, in the town of Vosei, southern Tajikistan.
Murodov saw the police using violence against the demonstrators. He was questioned by police colonel Abdufahhob Iskandarov, who then seized his ID and ordered that the journalist be taken to the nearest office of the interior department. Murodov was held there for about an hour, then released.
The journalist believes the arrest was an attempt to prevent him from covering the demonstration. The police were later reported by unverified sources to have arrested one of the protesters, Ilhom Holov.
Preventing a journalist from carrying out his or her professional activities is a criminal offence under Article 162 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Tajikistan.
Source
Adil Soz - International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech
Office 828, 142 Bogenbay Batyr St.
Almaty
Kazakhstan
info (@) adilsoz.kz
Phone: +7 7272 911670
Fax: +7 7272 501025