Independent newspapers to be printed in Kyrgyzstan

Major Tajik independent newspapers are planning to print abroad following the recent government crackdown on independent media in the country, newspaper editors said. Rajabi Mirzo, editor of the independent Ruzi Nav newspaper, told IRIN in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, on Friday that he had held negotiations in Kyrgyzstan about publishing four independent newspapers, including Ruzi Nav, Nerui Sukhan, Odamu Olam, and Zindagi at the publishing house, based in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, and supported by Freedom House, a US-based pro-democracy group. "We planned to publish the first issue [of our newspaper] this week, but we had to postpone it due to some technical problems,” Mirzo said. Mukhtor Bokizoda, editor of Nerui Sukhan, confirmed to IRIN that they also would have their issues printed in Bishkek, like the other three newspapers. "Currently, conditions do not allow us to print in Dushanbe," he said. Earlier in August, the Paris-based media freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) voiced concern over a "serious worsening" in press freedom in Tajikistan as independent and opposition newspapers were prevented from printing. On 18 August the Tajik tax police closed and sealed the private Jiyonkhon printing house preventing the publication of the three independent newspapers, including Nerui Sukhan, Ruzi Nav and Najot. The state printing house Sanadvora reportedly refused to print the weekly Odamu Olam, terminating its contract with the paper. Bahodur Kasymov, head of Internews-Tajikistan NGO, a member of the Internews Network (an international media development group), welcomed the move to print in neighbouring Kyrgyzstan. “There have been rumours about that for a long time. It will be good if the editorial staff develops mechanisms to implement this idea," he said. However, Kasymov had some reservations about the economic viability of the plan. "If they print newspapers in Bishkek, costs will increase considerably, fuelled by transport and customs expenses as well as value-added tax. These newspapers are going to be very expensive," he maintained, adding that the local population would not be able to afford expensive newspapers. Muborak Abdusamatova, 32, a Dushanbe resident, echoed Kasymov’s fears, noting that the local people simply wouldn't be able to buy expensive outlets. “I cannot afford to buy newspapers every week. I do not have enough money for that," she told IRIN. Although printing abroad was seen as the only possible solution for the moment, it would increase costs, Mirzo agreed, adding that the format of “Ruzi Nav” newspaper would change to be printed in colour, not in black-and-white as before. All that would raise the newspaper's retail price to about 26-30 US cents. Tajikistan is the most poor country among the former Soviet republics, with an average monthly salary of around $18, according to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) statistics body. Meanwhile, Mirzo said that they were hoping to get assistance from the Freedom House Mass Media Support Fund, with which they had agreed to cooperate. According to Mirzo, an international organisation undertook to deliver newspapers. "We are going to print newspapers outside the country until we can print them at home,” he said.