Media watchdog head reportedly attacked by unknown people at Khujand airport

DUSHANBE, March 6, 2012, Asia-Plus – Unknown people have reportedly threatened Nouriddin Qarshiboyev, the head of the National Association of Independent Media (Nansmit), at the airport in the northern city of Khujand.

According to the Nansmit monitoring service, the incident took place on March 4 when reporters from Jahonoro (Ghafurov) and Asia (Khujand) were making a TV reporting on flight delay.  They were making reporting at the request of passengers on the flight that was delayed for unknown reason.  The air security service officers, however, did not permit them to enter the air terminal.

The Nansmit monitoring service says Qarshiboyev was threatened by unknown persons when he tried to stick up for the reporters.  The Nansmit head reportedly asked those unknown people to show their documents but in answer to this they began to threaten him.

“Qarshiboyev asked police officers to tell those persons to straighten up and behave.  When one of police officers came up to them, one of those young men shouted at him and the police officer made off hurriedly to carry out his order on turning out TV reporters.  That young man introduced himself as head of the Airport security service but he refused to show his document,” a report by the Nansmit monitoring service says.

Qarshiboyev reportedly phoned the hotline service at the Ministry of Interior (221-21-21) and informed them of the incident that took place at the Khujand airport.

“Qarshiboyev considers that an organized crime group is acting at the Khujand airport and members of that group threatened him.  Representatives of the Khujand air terminal failed to explain their actions within the framework of the country’s legislation and used services of those “thugs.”  Probably, representatives from law enforcement authorities are patronizing them,” Qarshiboyev said.