Tajikistan Denies Politics Behind BBC Radio Suspension

Interesting to note that, after introducing a ridiculous media law, Tajikistan has taken the BBC off the air in Dushanbe.

The law in question stipulates that all FM foreign broadcasters must register within 20 days of transmissions with the Justice Ministry. The BBC says such a process would normally take around 6 months and therefore the government deadline is unrealistic.

Dushanbe is denying the charges of a politically motivated switch-off, yet it looks overwhelmingly like this is the case. The BBC is the only broadcaster currently operating on FM in Tajikistan, so the law is simply singling them out.

Still with only a few months until a presidential election, expect a continuing media clamp-down.