DUSHANBE, June 5, 2013, Asia-Plus – Ms. Fayzinisso Vohidova, the defense lawyer of Tajik journalist Abduqayum Qayumzod who worked with Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service (Radio Ozodi), considers that Qayumzod’s application for a routine renewal of his journalistic credentials was rejected through Radio Ozodi’s fault.

According to her, representatives of the Tajik MFA, Murodbek Aslamov, noted during a June 4 hearing that Radio Ozodi was officially informed about the end of Qayumzod’s journalistic credentials in November 2012 but it continued broadcasting his materials until December 12, 2012.

“Aslamov said that Khurshed Hamdam, the head of Radio Ozodi’s office in Tajikistan, was invited to the MFA on November 5 and he was informed that Qauymzod’s journalistic credentials expired on October 31.  As it turned out, Hamdam did not informed Qayumzod of that,” said Vohidova.  “According to Qayumzod, he was surprised when he knew about that, because the office management told him to temporarily suspend his activity only on December 20.”

“There was no question of termination of the labor contract; they just said that Qayumzod may resume his work with Radio Ozodi after the accreditation problems is solved,” Vohidova added.

Therefore, Qayumzod’s lawyer considers that representatives of Radio Ozodi are to blame, because Qayumzod was left without job “through their carelessness and neglect of re-accreditation procedures.”

We will recall that human rights and media organizations, including the National Association of Independent Media of Tajikistan (Nansmit), on May 15 released a statement regarding the current situation at Radio Liberty’s services broadcasting to Central Asia’s nations.

The statement addressed to the Acting President of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Mr. Kevin Klose, in particular, notes that they are concerned about the current situation at the Radio “Liberty” services, which broadcast to the countries of Central Asia.  Crisis on Radio “Liberty” leads to restriction of freedom of expression in Central Asia.

“Cases of the violation of the rights of the employees and a step back from international standards of freedom of mass media, which we see in the activity of some of the Radio Liberty services, cause resentment among journalist and human rights community of Central Asia,” the statement said.

The statement notes that “despite the fact that Qayumzod has worked for 12 years in RFE/RL and had a permanent contract with the employer and support of the accreditation is a responsibility of the employer, the leadership of the Tajik service of the Radio unilaterally terminated the labor contract with Qayumzod and left him in limbo.  The journalist referred to court for protection of his labor and professional rights.”

“In conjunction with the fact that the leadership of the Tajik RFE/RL service systematically violates the labor rights of journalists, six media organizations and one political party of Tajikistan decided to abstain from collaboration with the Tajik service of RFE/RL.  The boycott will continue unless the correspondent of the service Abduqayum Qayumzod is reinstated in his former job via court decision.”