DUSHANBE -- Facebook and several independent news websites remain blocked in Tajikistan, and an official has suggested the cutoff may be linked to potential national security concerns.
Access by Tajiks to Facebook and the Russian-language sites centrasia.ru, tjk.news.com, zvezda.ru, and maxala.org has been cut off since March 3, apparently in response to an order from the state communications agency.
Tajikistan's representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), said in a statement that Internet sites and media have to be "accountable" for their actions.
The statement, from envoy Nuriddin Shamsov, also said government has a duty to provide national security and "combat cybercrimes."
Earlier this week, the OSCE called on Tajikistan to end the Internet blocks, calling the development "worrying."
Access by Tajiks to Facebook and the Russian-language sites centrasia.ru, tjk.news.com, zvezda.ru, and maxala.org has been cut off since March 3, apparently in response to an order from the state communications agency.
Tajikistan's representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), said in a statement that Internet sites and media have to be "accountable" for their actions.
The statement, from envoy Nuriddin Shamsov, also said government has a duty to provide national security and "combat cybercrimes."
Earlier this week, the OSCE called on Tajikistan to end the Internet blocks, calling the development "worrying."