“The only plus is that they are held”: how Tajikistan’s government news conferences went
From July 6 to 22, 2026, Tajikistan’s ministries and central government agencies held news conferences to present the results of the first half of the year. Meetings with regional authorities, city and district heads are continuing until August 14.
Asia-Plus reviewed this season’s news conferences and, together with journalists, press secretaries and a media expert, examined their strengths and shortcomings.
A new schedule, but old problems
For the first time, news conferences of central government agencies were separated from those of regional and local authorities. Ministries and central agencies held their meetings from July 6 to 22, while regional conferences began on July 23.
Previously, central and regional conferences overlapped, making it difficult for media outlets to cover them all.
The new schedule, however, did not eliminate clashes between major government agencies. On July 13 alone, more than 10 important news conferences were held simultaneously in Dushanbe. Some media outlets were therefore unable to send reporters to meetings at the Prosecutor-General’s Office, Tax Committee and Ministry of Finance.
At least five agency heads absent
Another concern this year was the absence of several top officials.
The heads of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, Committee on Religious Affairs and Regulation of Traditions and Rituals, Committee for Environmental Protection, Committee on Youth and Sports Affairs, and State Supervision Service for Safe Work in Industry and Mining did not attend their agencies’ news conferences. They were represented by first deputies or other senior officials.
Some agencies said their leaders were accompanying President Emomali Rahmon on a visit to Sughd Province. The head of the Committee on Religious Affairs was reportedly visiting Uzbekistan.
However, the official plan approved by President’s Executive Office states that the participation of heads of ministries and agencies in news conferences is mandatory and that official travel and vacations should be planned accordingly.
Nouriddin Qarshiboyev, head of the National Association of Independent Media of Tajikistan (NANSMIT), called the absence of agency heads a serious problem, noting that subordinates are often reluctant to provide information without authorization from their superiors.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, meanwhile, was the only agency not to hold a mid-year news conference. The ministry told Asia-Plus that it would instead hold annual news conferences, a decision coordinated with the Executive Office of the President.
Direct questions, but not always direct answers
One of the most persistent problems remained officials’ reluctance to give specific answers to sensitive questions.
At the Prosecutor-General’s Office, a journalist asked how many servicemen had died during the first half of 2026 and whether the circumstances of their deaths had been investigated. Instead of giving a figure, the prosecutor general initially cited general crime statistics. He later acknowledged concern over deaths and suicides among military personnel but still did not provide exact numbers.
At Barqi Tojik, the company’s head did not directly answer whether electricity restrictions — commonly known as the «limit» — would return this year, saying only that «the imbalance will persist.»
The education minister did not answer a question about reports that students had been forced to participate in organized marches.
At the Center for Strategic Studies, an Asia-Plus correspondent asked whether the agency had assessed developments in Afghanistan and possible threats to Tajikistan nearly five years after the Taliban returned to power. The center’s head said such analyses were being conducted but provided no details, even after a follow-up question.
Too much time spent reading press releases
The amount of time available for questions also varied considerably.
At the Committee for Environmental Protection, about 15 minutes were spent reading aloud a press release that journalists had already received in print. After an hour, the first deputy ended the question-and-answer session, saying the allotted time had expired.
The National Bank follows a similar practice, with its chairman often spending 15–20 minutes of an hour-long conference reading a prepared statement.
At the Emergencies Committee, more than half an hour was spent reading a report. At the Supreme Economic Court, roughly 20 minutes of a 35-minute conference were devoted to the opening statement.
By contrast, several agencies — including the Committee on Religious Affairs, State Committee on Land Management and Geodesy, Ministry of Industry and New Technologies and Civil Aviation Agency — did not read their press releases aloud, a practice journalists welcomed.
Journalists also face criticism
Officials were not the only ones criticized.
At several news conferences, journalists asked few substantive questions. Some used the opportunity to discuss personal matters or express opinions rather than ask questions.
At the Customs Service, for example, one journalist began by asking how many women worked at the agency before revealing that his real concern was why he personally had not been hired there.
At the Interior Ministry, another journalist read out a family’s statement concerning a private housing dispute.
Some reporters were also criticized for openly praising officials. At meetings where lunch or an «envelope» was provided, some media organizations reportedly sent as many as five employees — a practice experienced journalists have repeatedly condemned as contributing to dependence and limiting editorial freedom.
Internet and working conditions
Poor internet access was another recurring problem.
Journalists complained of weak connections at the Ministry of Health and the Committee on Architecture and Construction, making it difficult to send reports to newsrooms or publish quickly.
Ironically, journalists also complained about slow mobile internet at the Communications Service itself, although the agency provided Wi-Fi that allowed some reporters to livestream the meeting.
The Communications Service conference also suffered from a shortage of seating in a small meeting room.
What role should President’s Executive Office play?
Representatives of President’s Executive Office attended the news conferences to monitor compliance with presidential instructions.
However, journalists said that in some cases they went beyond an observer role.
At the Center for Strategic Studies, an Executive Office representative told the agency’s head to «move on to the next question» while an Asia-Plus journalist was still seeking a complete answer.
At the end of the same conference, the representative criticized the journalist, asking: «Who taught you journalistic ethics?» The reporter had repeated a question after failing to receive a direct answer.
Qarshiboyev criticized the intervention.
«Everyone should fulfill their own mission,» he said. «Compliance with journalistic ethics is monitored by the Media Council, while journalists are accountable to the law and their conscience. Interference in journalistic activity itself contradicts the law.»
«The only plus is that they are held»
Radio Ozodi journalist Irshod Sulaimoni said news conferences remain useful because access to official information is otherwise difficult, but argued that the meetings have become increasingly formulaic.
He criticized the unofficial one-hour time limit used by many agencies, particularly when 20–30 minutes are spent reading material already available to reporters.
Sulaimoni also said journalists themselves often fail to ask difficult or substantive questions, partly because experienced reporters and senior editors rarely attend.
As a result, he said, «the only plus of these press conferences is that they are held.»
Nusratulo Mahmadzoda, press secretary of the Interior Ministry, offered a more positive assessment, saying journalists’ participation and trust in senior officials were growing.
At the same time, he acknowledged that many reporters do not sufficiently understand the functions and structure of ministries and committees and often focus on minor details rather than substantive issues.
Ikrom Qadamov, press secretary of the Supreme Court, said more than 30 journalists attended his agency’s conference and there were no limits on questions. Reporters from Asia-Plus and Radio Ozodi were allowed to ask four to six questions each, he said.
What could improve?
Overall, this season’s news conferences were relatively calm and, compared with previous years, somewhat more open. Officials answered many questions, provided statistics and gave journalists direct access to senior decision-makers.
But familiar problems remain: officials sometimes avoid direct answers on sensitive issues, meetings overlap, valuable time is spent reading prepared statements, and journalists themselves do not always come sufficiently prepared.
Journalists propose a simple change: distribute press releases in advance and devote most of the meeting to questions and answers.
Qarshiboyev also stressed that holding a news conference does not relieve government bodies of their obligation to respond to media requests at other times.
«A press conference is only one of the tools for disseminating information,» he said. «Officials are required by law to provide information in response to journalists’ requests.»
From July 6 to 22, 2026, Tajikistan’s ministries and central government agencies held news conferences to present the results of the first half of the year. Meetings with regional authorities, city and district heads are continuing until August 14.
Asia-Plus reviewed this season’s news conferences and, together with journalists, press secretaries and a media expert, examined their strengths and shortcomings.
A new schedule, but old problems
For the first time, news conferences of central government agencies were separated from those of regional and local authorities. Ministries and central agencies held their meetings from July 6 to 22, while regional conferences began on July 23.
Previously, central and regional conferences overlapped, making it difficult for media outlets to cover them all.
The new schedule, however, did not eliminate clashes between major government agencies. On July 13 alone, more than 10 important news conferences were held simultaneously in Dushanbe. Some media outlets were therefore unable to send reporters to meetings at the Prosecutor-General’s Office, Tax Committee and Ministry of Finance.
At least five agency heads absent
Another concern this year was the absence of several top officials.
The heads of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, Committee on Religious Affairs and Regulation of Traditions and Rituals, Committee for Environmental Protection, Committee on Youth and Sports Affairs, and State Supervision Service for Safe Work in Industry and Mining did not attend their agencies’ news conferences. They were represented by first deputies or other senior officials.
Some agencies said their leaders were accompanying President Emomali Rahmon on a visit to Sughd Province. The head of the Committee on Religious Affairs was reportedly visiting Uzbekistan.
However, the official plan approved by President’s Executive Office states that the participation of heads of ministries and agencies in news conferences is mandatory and that official travel and vacations should be planned accordingly.
Nouriddin Qarshiboyev, head of the National Association of Independent Media of Tajikistan (NANSMIT), called the absence of agency heads a serious problem, noting that subordinates are often reluctant to provide information without authorization from their superiors.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, meanwhile, was the only agency not to hold a mid-year news conference. The ministry told Asia-Plus that it would instead hold annual news conferences, a decision coordinated with the Executive Office of the President.
Direct questions, but not always direct answers
One of the most persistent problems remained officials’ reluctance to give specific answers to sensitive questions.
At the Prosecutor-General’s Office, a journalist asked how many servicemen had died during the first half of 2026 and whether the circumstances of their deaths had been investigated. Instead of giving a figure, the prosecutor general initially cited general crime statistics. He later acknowledged concern over deaths and suicides among military personnel but still did not provide exact numbers.
At Barqi Tojik, the company’s head did not directly answer whether electricity restrictions — commonly known as the «limit» — would return this year, saying only that «the imbalance will persist.»
The education minister did not answer a question about reports that students had been forced to participate in organized marches.
At the Center for Strategic Studies, an Asia-Plus correspondent asked whether the agency had assessed developments in Afghanistan and possible threats to Tajikistan nearly five years after the Taliban returned to power. The center’s head said such analyses were being conducted but provided no details, even after a follow-up question.
Too much time spent reading press releases
The amount of time available for questions also varied considerably.
At the Committee for Environmental Protection, about 15 minutes were spent reading aloud a press release that journalists had already received in print. After an hour, the first deputy ended the question-and-answer session, saying the allotted time had expired.
The National Bank follows a similar practice, with its chairman often spending 15–20 minutes of an hour-long conference reading a prepared statement.
At the Emergencies Committee, more than half an hour was spent reading a report. At the Supreme Economic Court, roughly 20 minutes of a 35-minute conference were devoted to the opening statement.
By contrast, several agencies — including the Committee on Religious Affairs, State Committee on Land Management and Geodesy, Ministry of Industry and New Technologies and Civil Aviation Agency — did not read their press releases aloud, a practice journalists welcomed.
Journalists also face criticism
Officials were not the only ones criticized.
At several news conferences, journalists asked few substantive questions. Some used the opportunity to discuss personal matters or express opinions rather than ask questions.
At the Customs Service, for example, one journalist began by asking how many women worked at the agency before revealing that his real concern was why he personally had not been hired there.
At the Interior Ministry, another journalist read out a family’s statement concerning a private housing dispute.
Some reporters were also criticized for openly praising officials. At meetings where lunch or an «envelope» was provided, some media organizations reportedly sent as many as five employees — a practice experienced journalists have repeatedly condemned as contributing to dependence and limiting editorial freedom.
Internet and working conditions
Poor internet access was another recurring problem.
Journalists complained of weak connections at the Ministry of Health and the Committee on Architecture and Construction, making it difficult to send reports to newsrooms or publish quickly.
Ironically, journalists also complained about slow mobile internet at the Communications Service itself, although the agency provided Wi-Fi that allowed some reporters to livestream the meeting.
The Communications Service conference also suffered from a shortage of seating in a small meeting room.
What role should President’s Executive Office play?
Representatives of President’s Executive Office attended the news conferences to monitor compliance with presidential instructions.
However, journalists said that in some cases they went beyond an observer role.
At the Center for Strategic Studies, an Executive Office representative told the agency’s head to «move on to the next question» while an Asia-Plus journalist was still seeking a complete answer.
At the end of the same conference, the representative criticized the journalist, asking: «Who taught you journalistic ethics?» The reporter had repeated a question after failing to receive a direct answer.
Qarshiboyev criticized the intervention.
«Everyone should fulfill their own mission,» he said. «Compliance with journalistic ethics is monitored by the Media Council, while journalists are accountable to the law and their conscience. Interference in journalistic activity itself contradicts the law.»
«The only plus is that they are held»
Radio Ozodi journalist Irshod Sulaimoni said news conferences remain useful because access to official information is otherwise difficult, but argued that the meetings have become increasingly formulaic.
He criticized the unofficial one-hour time limit used by many agencies, particularly when 20–30 minutes are spent reading material already available to reporters.
Sulaimoni also said journalists themselves often fail to ask difficult or substantive questions, partly because experienced reporters and senior editors rarely attend.
As a result, he said, «the only plus of these press conferences is that they are held.»
Nusratulo Mahmadzoda, press secretary of the Interior Ministry, offered a more positive assessment, saying journalists’ participation and trust in senior officials were growing.
At the same time, he acknowledged that many reporters do not sufficiently understand the functions and structure of ministries and committees and often focus on minor details rather than substantive issues.
Ikrom Qadamov, press secretary of the Supreme Court, said more than 30 journalists attended his agency’s conference and there were no limits on questions. Reporters from Asia-Plus and Radio Ozodi were allowed to ask four to six questions each, he said.
What could improve?
Overall, this season’s news conferences were relatively calm and, compared with previous years, somewhat more open. Officials answered many questions, provided statistics and gave journalists direct access to senior decision-makers.
But familiar problems remain: officials sometimes avoid direct answers on sensitive issues, meetings overlap, valuable time is spent reading prepared statements, and journalists themselves do not always come sufficiently prepared.
Journalists propose a simple change: distribute press releases in advance and devote most of the meeting to questions and answers.
Qarshiboyev also stressed that holding a news conference does not relieve government bodies of their obligation to respond to media requests at other times.
«A press conference is only one of the tools for disseminating information,» he said. «Officials are required by law to provide information in response to journalists’ requests.»
Комментарии (0)