DUSHANBE, August 8, 2014, Asia-Plus – Several Internet service providers (ISPs) yesterday unblocked the popular video-sharing website YouTube.

We will recall that ISPs Saturn Online, Babilon T, Megafon Tajikistan, Telecom Technology, Tcell and some others blocked access to YouTube on July 9. 

Asomuddin Atoyev, the head of the Association of Internet Service Providers of Tajikistan, supposed that time that the communications service agency might have requested that some Internet service providers block YouTube.

According to him, the authorities might have ordered to block the website after the video showing woman accusing president’s brother-in-law (wife’s brother) of raping her daughter was posted on YouTube.

However, the Communications Service under the Government of Tajikistan said that it had nothing to do with the situation.

YouTube was also partially blocked on June 9 and it was unblocked on June 16.

In the past few years, Tajik authorities have blocked several online news and social-media websites but later unblocked them.

On the blockage of Russia’s social-media site Odnoklassniki.ru in Tajikistan, Atoyev noted that reports actively propagating ideology of various extremist groups. Including Jamaati Ansarullah, had been posted on Odnoklassniki.ru “and this could be the cause of the blockage of the website in Tajikistan.

However, in a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, senior representatives from the communications service agency blamed the disruption on “technical problems.”

The majority of Internet users in Tajikistan using major Internet providers Babilon Mobile, Babilon T, and Beeline have been unable to access Odnoklassniki.ru since July 18.

Meanwhile, Tajikistan has launched a new social-media site expected to become an alternative to Odnoklassniki.ru.

Ghanijon Salomzoda, the founder of the new site, vipnet.tj, told journalists on July 23 that it prohibits the publication of extremist materials and the use of foul language.

According to him, the site also prohibits the uploading of materials violating Tajik traditions, as well as videos and photos that violate Islamic legislation, and materials violating copyright law.