Vienna, 19/03/2018
The South East Europe Media Organisation called on the Tajikistani authorities to release from detention journalists Khayrullo Mirsaidov.
Mirsaidov, a well-known independent journalist and head of a local comedy troupe, was arrested on 5 December 2017 in Tajikistan’s northern Sughd region. He was arrested after having published an appeal to the President of the country Emomali Rahmon, complaining about graft among authorities. Mirsaidov is facing charges of embezzlement of funds, making false accusations, incitement to inter-ethnic, national or religious hatred and falsification.
According to different independent sources, Mirsaidov is the latest victim of the Tajik government’s crackdown on critical voices.
SEEMO is a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South, East and Central Europe