VZCZCXRO4832
RR RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #0909/01 1931155
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111155Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0770
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0202
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0171
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0140

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000909 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO KDEM PHUM TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN'S MEDIA TO GOVERNMENT: GIVE US INFORMATION OR 
WE'LL REPORT RUMORS 
 
Ref:  Dushanbe 906 
 
¶1. (U) Sensitive But Unclassified - Not for Internet Distribution. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Summary: During a June 26 roundtable to discuss 
government-media relations, journalists, media advocates, and 
spokesmen unanimously advised the government to talk to journalists 
to prevent the spread of rumors, such as those reported during the 
winter energy crisis.  They said the newly enacted "Law on the Right 
to Access Information" actually hindered access to information and 
promoted corruption by allowing government agencies to charge 
journalists for information, indicating the government's real lack 
of interest in supporting freedom of the press.  End summary. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Prominent journalists from government and independent 
media, media advocates, and government spokesmen said the government 
is to blame for rumors spread during the winter energy crisis and 
law enforcement actions in Garm and Kulyob.  The comments were made 
June 26 during a lively two hour debate on government and media 
relations, hosted by the media rights group "Independent School of 
Journalism," and funded by the Helsinki Commission. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Mahmoudkhon Sarayev, the chief information analyst for the 
presidential administration, opened the discussion with an overview 
of the government's public relations plans, which include the 
establishment of an "information center to manage the image of 
Tajikistan" (reftel).  In response, the head of a local media 
advocacy group said that Tajikistan did not need another government 
organization to promote a positive image - the current government 
ministries just need to do their jobs.  He said if the government 
was concerned about its image, it should provide information to 
prevent the publication of unsubstantiated rumors.  As an example, 
he cited the rumors that Hasan Assadullzoda, the President's 
brother-in-law and head of Orion Bank, was shot to death by the 
President Rahmon's son and is now represented by a body double (or 
his twin brother) at public events. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Sarayev also said the government needed a "structure for a 
single voice" and would strengthen "traditional media" like 
television.  To achieve that goal, he said the government plans to 
launch a new government television channel in September which would 
provide only official information, particularly in the regions, to 
keep out "negative information from neighboring countries" (a 
reference to Kyrgyz and Uzbek stations that have stronger TV signals 
in the border areas).  (Note: Tajikistan currently has three 
official nationwide television stations:  one for children, two that 
broadcast about 10 minutes of evening news, along with file footage 
of the President's public appearances, and other official events. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Journalists said the "Law on the Right to Access 
Information" signed by President Rahmon on June 19, 2008, hindered 
access to information, promoted corruption by allowing government 
agencies to make journalists pay for information; and violated the 
constitutional right to media freedom.  One reporter pointed out 
that the law did not specify how much ministries should charge, 
leaving even more ambiguity to be exploited by corrupt officials. 
Another said that reporters would opt not to pay at all and instead 
rely on reports published in foreign media. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Given all the problems with the law, journalists asked 
Sarayev to explain why Parliament forwarded it to the President for 
signature without revisions.  Sarayev said that when the law was 
Qsignature without revisions.  Sarayev said that when the law was 
being written, the presidential administration collected comments 
and suggestions from many government structures, summarized the 
feedback, and presented it to Parliament. Parliament then decided to 
pass it on to the President for signature. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Independent journalists complained that the government's 
strategy to communicate with media by mandating quarterly press 
conferences from each ministry disadvantaged independent 
journalists. They said the public had a right to know about 
government activities, which was why all media needed access to 
government sources.  The ministries, they said, only invited state 
run media and not the independent media, especially those that 
"cooperate with international organizations."  The director of an 
independent TV station also said government officials dictated the 
timing of his news programs so that the official stations could 
broadcast their news first. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Besides the perceived bias, other reporters said government 
spokesmen simply lacked the skills to interact with the media.  One 
noted that "in each state structure 10-12 people are involved with 
the press, but no one speaks TO the press."  Another said the 
ministers themselves had no interest in effective press relations 
and delegated press conferences to "lower level officials" who did 
not know the issues.  In one example, a reporter said he asked a 
 
DUSHANBE 00000909  002 OF 002 
 
 
deputy foreign minister at an MFA press conference for the 
government's position on Iran joining the Shanghai Cooperation 
Organization; the deputy minister replied, "I have no idea."  The 
participant said the government damages its own image with this kind 
of response. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Comment:  The debate shows that Tajik journalists believe 
the government remains hostile to independent media.  Measures taken 
to ostensibly promote press freedom have been illusory; officials 
remain committed to a media strategy rooted in government control. 
In practice, most journalists are struggling financially in a 
country where basic information is hard to come by and advertising 
revenue supports few outlets.  Given their tenuous position, 
journalists tend to censor themselves; to maintain cooperative 
relations with sources in government and business, they bow to 
pressure when told to back off controversial issues in order to keep 
publishing.  As the head of the media advocacy group advised, "Our 
reporters need to be more courageous."  End comment. 
 
HUSHEK