28 July 2005 -- The international media rights group Reporters Without Borders today condemned Tajikistan's decision to jail a journalist and a government advisor, Jomabai Tolibov.
A court in the northern Tajik town of Shahristan convicted Tolibov to two years in prison for drunken behavior and abusing his government post.
The court also denied him the right to work as a journalist for one year.
Pascal Bonnamour, the head of the European desk of Reporters Without Borders, today told RFE/RL that the sentence is "nonsense" and represents a cause for concern.
Tolibov, who worked as an advisor to the local government, maintains his innocence. He says he is being persecuted for writing articles about government corruption. He says he will appeal the court's decision.
The court also denied him the right to work as a journalist for one year.
Pascal Bonnamour, the head of the European desk of Reporters Without Borders, today told RFE/RL that the sentence is "nonsense" and represents a cause for concern.
Tolibov, who worked as an advisor to the local government, maintains his innocence. He says he is being persecuted for writing articles about government corruption. He says he will appeal the court's decision.