OSCE Centre supports investigative journalism in southernmost Kyrgyzstan

BATKEN, Kyrgyzstan, 29 May 2009 - An OSCE-supported training course ending today helped journalists from across southwestern Kyrgyzstan sharpen their investigative skills.

The three-day course, organized by the Batken Media Resource Centre and supported by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek's Field Office in Osh, brought together 20 journalists from across the Batken Province, including the remote Leilek and Kadamjay districts.

"Professional investigative journalism forms a key and indispensable function in an open society. It has the potential to shed light and clarify the underlying reasons of any social problem, and it is regarded as an effective tool against corruption and other complex problems," said Hugo Karlsson, the Head of OSCE Field Office in Osh.

Mamajan Berdishev, Batken Province Administration press secretary, added: "Investigative journalism is a new trend in our country, especially on television. The regions lacked such opportunities, and the Batken media did not have the capacity or resources to carry out such journalism. Hence, this training course is timely and useful."

The training course formed part of the OSCE Centre's programme on Media Development and Freedom.