In April the Oliy Majlis passed legislation establishing an ombudsman's office. However, by year's end, the office had not yet demonstrated whether it could function in accordance with its legislative mandate and play an important role in monitoring human rights abuses. The Oliy Majlis also enacted legislation reforming the penal system and protecting the rights of prisoners. In April new laws providing increased access to information and protection of journalists were passed, and a mass media law passed in December, although the effects on press freedom remained unclear at year's end. Journalists and ordinary citizens remain afraid to express views critical of the President and the Government.
Information remains very tightly controlled.
Although the Constitution prohibits censorship, it is widely practiced and the Government tolerates little, if any, criticism of its actions. Newspapers may not be printed without the censor's approval. All newspapers are printed by the same state-owned printing houses, which will not print any paper whose editor does not confirm that the issue has been cleared by the censor a few hours before being submitted. The Government reportedly provides funding and office space for censors. Journalists and writers who want to ensure that their work is published practice self-censorship.