DUSHANBE, October 16, Asia-Plus - Tajik Minister of Communications Said Zuvaydov told a news conference in Dushanbe today that access to five websites was not available last week for technical reasons. 

According to him, the ministry did not block the websites.  “The websites were closed for testing new technology currently being introduced by the ministry in the country,” said Saidov, “After the new technology was tested access to the websites was restored within several days.”  

The minister added that because of the testing procedure some other websites may be suspended as well.

Zuvaydov, however, noted that there are sites that release unfounded information.  “In order to avoid this we will close them for some hours to find out circumstances,” the minister said.  However, he did not explain what does he mean.  

As it had been reported earlier, State Communication Inspectorate (SCI) of the Ministry of Communications in early October asked local Internet providers to block a number of websites.  The SCI noted that reports released by those websites have an anti-state character, propagating racial and ethnic enmity.  The considered it necessary to filter a number of websites and block access to the them.  Among them are www.centrasia.ru; www.ferghana.ru; www.TajikistanTimes.ru; www.charogiruz.ru and www.arianastorm.com.  Later, access to these websites was restored.