Media in Tajikistan

Tajikistan has an established formal media system covering press, broadcasting, journalism, online video and social media. The Committee for Television and Radio under the Government directs national television and radio policy, while the Communications Service handles communications-related technical matters. The Agency on Statistics, the Ministry of Justice and its ADLIA legal-information system, the Academy of Mass Media and the Media Council also have relevant functions. The Law on Periodical Press and Other Mass Media No. 961 of 19 March 2013, amended in 2016 and 2017, formally protects press and media freedom and the right to seek, receive and distribute information. It prohibits censorship and prosecution for criticism and prohibits media monopolization. A media outlet must be registered in the Unified State Register. Publications generally identify the outlet, founder, editor, issue date, circulation or price, address and registration certificate. Journalists have rights to request information, access documents and attend certain public, emergency and event sites with press identification or accreditation. Accreditation is formal recognition that allows a journalist to work at specified institutions or events. Journalists must identify sources where required, avoid distortion, respect copyright and follow reply and correction rules. In practice, the media landscape is uneven. Many local outlets are state- or government-aligned, while smaller independent outlets face restricted access to official information, self-censorship, intimidation, prosecution or exile. Several independent outlets have closed or operate from abroad. The law allows state support for private media, but current fee and subsidy arrangements and practical access to them are not reliably established. The Media Council was founded in 2009 as a self-regulatory body, meaning that it is intended to support professional standards outside direct government control, but its current activity has not been independently reverified. Television and radio require a licence from the Committee for Television and Radio and technical authorization from the communications authority. The government e-government profile lists 90 television and radio organizations or studios, including 13 state television services, 10 state radio services, 33 private television services, 22 private radio services and 12 audiovisual production studios. A 2026 press-conference report cited 107 organizations, so no single stable current total should be assumed. State channels include Televizioni Tojikiston, also known as the First Channel, Safina, Jahonnamo and Bahoriston. State radio includes Radio Tajikistan or Голос Таджикистан, Sadoi Dushanbe and Farhang. Programmes are distributed through terrestrial, satellite and internet channels. Television remains much more widely used than radio: a 2023 survey reported weekly exposure of 66% for television and 9% for radio among women aged 15 to 49. Access costs usually arise from the television or radio device, electricity, mobile or fixed internet service and, where applicable, satellite or other connection equipment. No uniform nationwide media access tariff or reliable current broadcaster licence-processing time was identified. Mountainous and rural areas often have weaker connectivity, and unequal electricity, device, income and network access affect the range of available media. Tajikistan has no directly evidenced domestic equivalent of a nationally regulated standalone subscription video-on-demand service. People use broadcaster websites and web streams, satellite simulcasts, YouTube, social-video services and global platforms instead. Availability depends on bandwidth, device access, payment options and possible platform blocking. Copyright law covers audiovisual works, electronic access and interactive on-demand availability, so copying or redistributing programmes can create legal problems even when a platform is accessible. Social media is used for news, video, civic expression and informal participation. Official figures from 1 April 2025 recorded 4.9 million internet users, 8.3 million telecom subscribers and 5.3 million active mobile-network users. DataReportal reported 6.07 million internet users and 1.75 million social-media user identities in January 2025. The difference reflects different methods and definitions, so the figures should not be treated as one harmonized count. Government monitoring and blocking of major news and social-media sites have been documented. A Criminal Code amendment of 14 May 2025 removed a like or similar reaction from the support element of Articles 179(3) and 307(1), but dissemination, justification and other conduct related to extremism or terrorism can still create criminal risk. A like is therefore not a general guarantee of online speech protection. VPN and proxy services are reported as practical workarounds, but their legal and practical risks remain unresolved. The statutory definition of a journalist is connected to an editorial contract, assignment or professional union. The press-law framework provides for media information requests, with public bodies expected to answer qualifying media requests within up to three working days. General information requests can have a maximum response period of 30 calendar days, with a possible 15-calendar-day extension after notice within seven working days. Access may be refused or limited for state secrets and other protected interests. Independent outlets often have difficulty obtaining official information in practice. Reporting from GBAO and other sensitive areas can carry greater risk. The RSF 2026 assessment placed Tajikistan at 155 of 180 countries with a score of 32.22 and recorded seven detained journalists at the time of review. Children under 18 are protected by the Law on Protection of Child Rights. State bodies, parents, legal representatives and other responsible adults must protect children from harmful information environments. Media content may not glorify violence or cruelty, promote pornography, incite racial, national, social or religious hatred, support war or territorial violence, or otherwise harm children. Bahoriston provides a state child and youth broadcasting service. Access remains unequal: a 2022/23 UNICEF and EU connectivity assessment found internet access in 16% of 3,967 schools, while 85% of the schools were rural and 22% lacked reliable electricity. These figures describe school connectivity, not the total share of children using media. Language access includes Tajik and other languages; Committee programmes are produced in five languages, and Голос Таджикистан broadcasts in eight languages.