OSCE sets up hot line for journalists in Tajikistan

VIENNA, 28 September 2001 (OSCE) - In the aftermath of the attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., that led to numerous casualties and prompted governments to prepare to combat terror, hundreds of journalists are either on their way or are already working in the Central Asian countries, all of them OSCE participating States, and in Afghanistan.

To provide assistance to these journalists in times of difficulty, Freimut Duve, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, together with the OSCE Mission to Tajikistan, decided to initiate an Information Hot Line in Dushanbe, that is run by the OSCE Mission there.

The Hot Line provides journalists with information about whom to contact in times of trouble, will assist local and foreign journalists in getting in touch with each other and will also provide any other relevant information assistance. Ambassador Marc Gilbert, the Head of the OSCE Mission in Tajikistan, is co-ordinating the work of this Hot Line. The OSCE Information Hot Line in Dushanbe is already operational. The phone number is (+992-372) 24-37-48

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For further information please contact the office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, tel. + 43 1 512 21 45-0, Fax + 43 1 512 21 45-9.