Freimut Duve: Russia allows a Tajik journalist to go back to his family

VIENNA, 12 July 2001 (OSCE) - On 12 July, Freimut Duve, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, addressed the OSCE Permanent Council on the recent case of Tajik journalist Dododjon Atovulloyev, detained at a Moscow airport on 5 July in response to an extradition request to Russia from Tajik authorities. On 11 July the Russian State Prosecutor publicly stated that there were "no reasons to extradite" Atovulloyev. Mr. Atovulloyev, who was on his way from Hamburg to Tashkent to attend a meeting, was wanted in Tajikistan for "publicly defaming the President," and for "advocating the overthrow of the government" in an article published in the Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta.

Freimut Duve raised his case on 6 July in Paris at the Plenary Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. He had also discussed the situation around Atovulloyev with the Tajik authorities and had made several public statements. Yesterday afternoon, Mr. Atovulloyev was released from custody and left Russia for Germany. He is currently in Hamburg. Speaking at the Permanent Council, Freimut Duve thanked the Russian authorities for refusing to extradite to Tajikistan a journalist who was critical of the Tajik government.

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For further information please contact the office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, tel. + 43 1 512 21 45-0, Fax + 43 1 512 21 45-9.