International concern over attack on journalist

The international press freedom watchdog group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have expressed concern over a violent assault on Rajab Mirzo, editor-in-chief of the opposition newspaper Ruzi Nav. "This can be [seen as] an indication of the deterioration in the status of press freedom in Tajikistan," Colombe de Mercy, RSF assistant for the Europe desk, told IRIN on Tuesday from Paris, fearing that the incident was linked to his journalistic activity. "We must monitor the situation better to avoid this kind of thing happening." De Mercy said that no journalist should be attacked for exercising their profession, saying that even if there was no proof at present of any connection between the beating of Mirzo and his journalistic activities, there had been similar cases in the past. Mirzo was beaten by unknown assailants on 29 July near his residence in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe. Local media reported that the attacker hit him on the head with metal bars. "As a result, the journalist was severely injured," Alexandru Codreanu, deputy head of the OSCE Centre in Dushanbe (CiD), told IRIN from the Tajik capital, noting that the CiD was deeply concerned about the case. Murina Murodova, a member of the Tajik parliament, condemned the incident, saying that journalists should not be attacked for writing articles which differed from official opinion, the Tajik news agency Avesta reported. "Anyone who does not agree or who thinks that their [the journalists'] articles and facts do not conform with reality should file a court suit," she told Avesta. The US embassy in Tajikistan has joined in the expressions of concern. It stated on Monday that "lively political debate is an essential part of the political process and any attempt to intimidate journalists would be a disservice to Tajikistan's citizenry, especially as the country prepares for parliamentary elections." "We are confident the Government of Tajikistan will fully investigate this incident and apprehend and justly punish those responsible," the US embassy stated. However, De Mercy maintained that previous cases involving the harassment and murder of journalists remained unpunished. "In the past, most of the murders of journalists weren't prosecuted," she said.