Good news in the ongoing saga of Mukhtor Boqizoda, one of Central Asia’s most courageous pioneers of democracy, whom I had the honor of interviewing. The editor of the independent newspaper Nerui Sukhan and long a thorn in Rakhmonov’s side, he was sentenced in late August 2005 to two years of labor on the trumped-up charge of stealing electricity. According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: (scroll down to the second-from-bottom)

Tajikistan’s Supreme Court has suspended the sentence handed down by a Dushanbe court in August 2005 to Mukhtor Boqizoda, the editor in chief of the opposition newspaper “Nerui Sukhan,” Asia Plus-Blitz reported on 13 February. Boqizoda was convicted of stealing electricity and sentenced to two years of corrective labor, a verdict the Committee to Protect Journalists described as “politically motivated” (see “RFE/RL Newsline,” 26 and 30 August 2005). Boqizoda said that his legal troubles have cost him nearly $30,000 and he plans to sue for compensation. DK

This is a nontrivial accomplishment, as the Tajik government could have easily detained him (however illegally) for as long as it wished - who knows what softened Rakhmonov’s heart? Hopefully Mr. Moqizoda will be able to put all of the shattered pieces of his newspaper back together, and I wish all the best of luck to him. However, if the case of Jumaboy Tolibov, who was detained for over two months after the Supreme Court ordered his release, is any example, Mr. Boqizoda still has a long road ahead. I’ll keep you posted…

Huge hat tip to the Daily Show for its coverage of the 2006 Olympic Opening Ceremonies (clip). One of the oddities that Jon Stewart mentioned was the questionable selection of music (here’s the most complete list I could find). Notably among Central Asia, Mongolia got “Video Killed the Radio Star” and Uzbekistan paraded in to “Disco Inferno,” (by the Trammps, not 50 Cent) a faux pas eclipsed only by the use of “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstand” to introduce Denmark. Not mentioned on the show, Azerbaijan got “I Will Survive” and Tajikistan Van Halen’s “Jump.”

I’ll be on Air Williams, Matt Piven’s radio show onWCFM, next Sunday (2/19) from 9-10 PM East Coast time. Click here for instructions on how to tune in if you’re not in the immediate Williamstown area (if you are, just turn the dial to 91.9 FM). Call in with questions at 413-597-2197, though if you want me to give a well-researched response, email me beforehand and I’ll try to bring it up in the course of the show.

UPDATE: The discussion will not be on Central Asia, but rather the current events of the past week (and probably not those in Central Asia - see above). If you have questions about Haiti’s election, the new Palestinian administration, or the US wiretapping issue, call in!