DUSHANBE (TCA) — Journalists from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Russia took part in the international conference Freedom of Speech: Opportunities and Perspectives in the Region in Dushanbe on 3 May to mark World Press Freedom Day.
Some 150 Tajik and international journalists and high-ranking representatives of the government and the parliament participated in the conference. The event was jointly organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe and the Tajik Media Council.
The Deputy Assistant Secretary of State of the United States of America on South and Central Asian Affairs Henry Ensher was also among the participants of the conference.
Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, Ambassador Tuula Yrjölä, said: “There is always room to improve the freedom of access to information and freedom of speech and media, everywhere around the world. Here in Tajikistan, the OSCE Programme Office is always ready to support both the government and civil society in the further development of these fundamental human rights.”
The conference participants focused on issues of freedom of speech in the context of current legislation in the countries of Central Asia and discussed a code of conduct for online media.
They also discussed the development of the Internet and its influence on modern journalism.
During the conference, the Tajik Media Council announced the winners of the Etimod/Trust Award for journalists, which honours best compliance with the Code of Conduct of Journalists of Tajikistan.
The conference was funded with the financial support of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, Article 19, Internews Europe, Public Union “Khoma”, Open Society Institute – Assistance Foundation in Tajikistan and the embassies of the United Kingdom and the United States of America in Tajikistan.
