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RECOMMENDATIONS

To the Government of Tajikistan:

* Immediately conduct full and thorough investigations into ongoing attacks on and killings of journalists since 1992, take steps to bring those responsible to justice, and make public all findings;

* Halt immediately state agents' harassment of and threats against journalists, and ensure they are not penalized for the exercise of freedom of expression;

* Ensure that government printing houses do not refuse to publish newspapers on political grounds;

* Cease the practice of censorship in any form and halt post-publication censorship through the confiscation of publications, the denial of access to state printers, or any other means;

* Issue implementing regulations for the issue of broadcasting licenses, and amend article 15 of the Law on the Press and other Media to eliminate the overly broad grounds for which television and radio licenses may be revoked. Revise the current licensing process to eliminate excessive fees and delays;

* Immediately issue licenses to those television and radio stations that have submitted registration documents in accordance with existing procedures;

* In light of upcoming parliamentary elections, establish an equitable formula to ensure that all candidates gain reasonable and equal access to print and electronic media; and

* Cease the practice of revoking the accreditation of journalists whose reporting consists of expression that is protected by international law.

To the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE):

* High-level OSCE officials visiting Tajikistan should raise in a public manner concerns about violations of freedom of expression;

* The OSCE Mission to Tajikistan should make public statements on violations of media freedom and convey to the Permanent Council information on violations of freedom of expression; and

* The OSCE High Representative on Freedom of Media should travel to Tajikistan to follow up on recommendations developed from his advisor's April 1999 trip.

To the International Community:

* Condemn harassment of and violence against journalists and insist that the authorities investigate and hold those responsible accountable;

* International bodies active in Tajikistan should call for equitable and transparent licensing of the private broadcast media, with decision-making power to be in the hands of independent regulators in order to ensure the dissemination of a diversity of information and ideas;

* The international community should provide needed technical assistance and advice for regulatory and legal reform and should assist in its implementation;

* In administering or considering assistance programs to the Tajik government that promote freedom of expression, the international community should publicize at the outset concerns about government control over the media in Tajikistan, and set and keep strict deadlines for government compliance with benchmarks for improvement;

* Support initiatives to create alternatives to state-controlled printing presses, distribution firms, and broadcast signal transmitters;

* Continue and increase training opportunities for Tajik journalists, particularly investigative reporting, through courses, internships, and exchanges.

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