“Hands Off Russian-Language Press” in Tajikistan · Global Voices
Mahina Shodizoda

Following a recent court ruling against an ethnic Russian journalist and a newspaper that published her material, some netizens in Tajikistan believe that the authorities are cracking down on Russian-language press.
On February 25, a Tajik judge found Asia-Plus editor and columnist Olga Tutubalina guilty of “insulting” state-appointed intellectuals and ordered that she pay them about 6,000 US dollars in “moral damage”. The journalist “insulted” the intellectuals – as well as the country's Academy of Science and four creative unions – by criticizing the intelligentsia in service of the state and quoting Vladimir Lenin's characterization of docile intellectuals as “shit”. The judge also ruled that Asia-Plus, the most popular Russian-language weekly in Tajikistan, must apologize for publishing the “insulting” column.
A journalist tweeting under an alias ‘Bachai Sako’ wrote [ru]:
Я всё больше и больше уверен в том, что приговор против Тутубалиной – это начало кампании против русской прессы в Таджикистане
— Бачаи Сако (@BachaiSako) February 28, 2014
I am increasingly convinced that the ruling against Tutubalina is the beginning of a campaign against Russian press in Tajikistan.
Пора всем журналистам страны встать на защиту Тутубалиной и русскоязычной прессы!
— Бачаи Сако (@BachaiSako) February 28, 2014
It is time for all journalists to stand up and defend [Olga] Tutubalina and the Russian-language press!
Blog Russian Chronicles of Tajikistan argued [ru] that the ruling was “part of the campaign against independent Russian-language press”. In an earlier post, the blog claimed [ru] that the authorities were trying to accelerate the “inevitable” process of “de-Russification” of Tajikistan by destroying media catering to Russian speakers. The post ends with the blogger calling on all “Russian-speaking citizens and representatives of Russian-language media” to defend the independent press by confronting the “most ardent nationalists” in the government of Tajikistan.
But some netizens do not agree with the view that Russian-language press is under threat. In fact, some believe that media in Russian are themselves a threat:
“Hands off Russian-language press! Eat your ‘pitzo’ silently! [The last sentence refers to a recent effort on part of the authorities to ensure the “purity” of Tajik language and strengthen its role by cleansing it off “impurities” adopted from Russian]. Image posted by Russian Chronicles of Tajikistan, used with permission.
@BachaiSako Русских в РТ никто не трогает, русские СМИ тоже, успокойтесь. Радуйтесь что вообще разрешают на русском издавать газету.
— Tajik Land (@tajikland) March 4, 2014
@BachaiSako Calm down, nobody is messing with the Russians or Russian media in [Tajikistan]. Enjoy the fact that the publication of a newspaper in Russian is allowed at all.
@BachaiSako Я бы вообще запретил все СМИ не на государственном языке. Хотите читать газеты – учите таджикский язык, вам же на пользу пойдет. — Tajik Land (@tajikland) March 4, 2014
@BachaiSako I would have banned all media in languages other than the state [Tajik] language. If you want to read newspapers, learn Tajik. It is for your benefit.
@BachaiSako Хамошона махмам кардан даркор. Хузури ВАОи русзабон тахдиди чиддист. — Мардикор (@mardikor) March 4, 2014
@BachaiSako They should all be closed. The presence of Russian-language media [in Tajikistan] is a serious threat.
@BachaiSako Агар мо имруз рузномахои русзабонро махкам накунем, хеч вакт волоияти забони точикиро таъмин намекунем.
— Мардикор (@mardikor) March 4, 2014
@BachaiSako If we don't close down Russian-language newspapers today, we will never make the Tajik language dominant.