This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUSHANBE 002083 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR EUR/CACEN, SA 
NSC FOR MERKEL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  12/22/2015 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN MIN OF SECURITY CLOSELY WATCHES INDEPENDENT 
MEDIA 
 
REF: DUSHANBE 1732 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Thomas Armbruster, Charge d' Affaires, Dushanbe, 
Tajikistan, Department of State. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
¶1.  (C)  The Tajik government may be ratcheting up its already 
successful efforts to limit freedom of speech.  National 
Association of Independent Mass Media in Tajikistan (NANSMIT) 
chairman, Nuriddin Karshiboev confided to Poloff December 16 
that his contacts at the Ministry of Security--- his former 
employer-said ministry employees complained about NANSMIT during 
a staff meeting.  In response to NANSMIT's criticism of the 
government crackdown on mass media and free speech, the Minister 
himself ordered his staff to investigate the organization.   He 
has also threatened to ban NANSMIT for their statements. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Unfazed by MoS threats, Karshiboev noted NANSMIT 
fully complies with all regulations and any attempt to ban 
NANSMIT would be illegal.  However, government pressure has had 
its consequences; Karshiboev claimed certain international NGOs 
refused to fund NANSMIT projects due to government crackdown on 
independent media. 
 
¶3.  (U)  NANSMIT recently called government policies a return to 
Soviet-era censorship.  The organization particularly criticized 
the government's recent revision of the Law on Publishing 
Business, passed by parliament in November.  The change mandates 
all editorial offices and publishers deliver a copy of new 
publications prior to distribution to the Ministry which 
registered the organization, (either the Ministry of Justice if 
the media organization is its own entity, or the Ministry of 
Culture if the publication is affiliated with another 
organization). 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  NANSMIT represents Tajikistan's only true 
media watchdog organization, and even it toes a careful line in 
its regular electronic publications so as not to incur the 
authorities' wrath.  Gearing up for next fall's presidential 
election, the government has all but suspended registration of 
new media organizations, unless they are state-sponsored, and 
keeps a keen eye on mass media reporting.  While the MoS has yet 
to make an open or official investigation of NANSMIT, the rumors 
of MoS intimidation fit into the growing pattern of governmental 
interference in the media.  END COMMENT. 
 
ARMBRUSTER 
 
 
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