Link to article: https://cpj.org/2022/05/tajikistan-outlet-threatened-with-closure-4-journalists-attacked-during-unrest-coverage/
On Tuesday, May 17, independent news outlet Asia Plus announced it is ceasing its coverage of Tajikistan and the protests in its eastern Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (Badakhshan/GBAR). This comes after an official warning from the country’s prosecutor general threatening to shut down the outlet unless it modified the coverage of the events. In a separate event, 4 journalists leaving an interview were attacked by two unidentified men. Their equipment was also stolen. Gulnoza Said, CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia program coordinator said in a speech that the attacks on Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty journalists are “unacceptable” and that the authorities in Tajikistan must hold the men responsible for the crimes accountable.
Before reading this article, I wasn’t aware of the attacks on journalists in Tajikistan. I also didn’t realize there was so much unrest in the country. In my opinion, I think it is a good idea that the journalists are ceasing coverage on the protests. Also, I think it is important that the 4 journalists who were attacked are able to have their attackers identified so they can get justice on them. Since it is believed to have been a coordinated attack, hopefully the men are found and put on trial. Sadly, Asia Plus hasn’t covered the conflict since May 17 and has since deleted all previous coverage of the events in the region.
All in all, this relates to class because of the conflict between the news outlets and Tajikistan. Also, there is a lot of inner-country conflict due to the protests in the eastern regions. Also, RFE, RL, and CPJ are all news organizations that we discussed before. RFE is Radio Free Europe. RL is Radio Liberty, and CPJ is the Committee to Protect Journalists. Since reading this article, I learned more about the way journalists are treated in other countries and I think it is really important for us, especially in the United States to see how free speech isn’t always a thing.