Tajik journalists celebrate Press Freedom Day with OSCE Centre in Dushanbe
(Lubomir Kotek/OSCE)Asia-Plus, the first independent radio in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, went on the air on 9 September 2002, with support from the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media. (Lubomir Kotek/OSCE) Photo details
DUSHANBE, 5 May 2003 - Some five hundred journalists from across Tajikistan gathered to celebrate World Press Freedom Day at a special event in Dushanbe on Saturday.
The winners of a competition on how democratic and socio-economic reforms for press, radio and TV should be best realized also received awards at this event, held in the Dushanbe Opera and Ballet Theatre.
The competition was organized by the OSCE Centre in Dushanbe, together with the Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation and Internews Tajikistan.
Best photographer of the year and the best journalist promoting development of democracy and free press also received prizes. The OSCE Centre supported a photography exhibition showing the highlights of Tajik documentary photography.
"Tajik journalists do have reasons to be satisfied," said Ambassador Marc Gilbert, the Head of the OSCE Centre in his speech at the World Press Freedom Day celebration. "Even though the press freedom situation in the country is still not the best possible, much has radically changed for the better during recent years. But there is still a lot to be done," he said.
He added that the press freedom is not only a question of freedom as such. "It is also the benefit of a potential investor. This is one of the reasons the OSCE wants to play a crucial role in promoting press freedom in Tajikistan," Gilbert said.
During last year, the OSCE Centre promoted press freedom in the country among other ways by financing the establishment of an independent television station in Kurgyan-Tyube province and helping Dushanbe's first private radio station, Asia Plus, to get a broadcasting licence.
Despite these developments, some severe problems still remain. One of them is the Government's policy to make governmental organizations subscribe to the state newspapers.
"This is absolutely against all the rules of a free market and free press. If this practice continues, the OSCE will have to envisage withdrawing all its support to the media outlets that enjoy such privileges," Ambassador Gilbert added.
The winners of a competition on how democratic and socio-economic reforms for press, radio and TV should be best realized also received awards at this event, held in the Dushanbe Opera and Ballet Theatre.
The competition was organized by the OSCE Centre in Dushanbe, together with the Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation and Internews Tajikistan.
Best photographer of the year and the best journalist promoting development of democracy and free press also received prizes. The OSCE Centre supported a photography exhibition showing the highlights of Tajik documentary photography.
"Tajik journalists do have reasons to be satisfied," said Ambassador Marc Gilbert, the Head of the OSCE Centre in his speech at the World Press Freedom Day celebration. "Even though the press freedom situation in the country is still not the best possible, much has radically changed for the better during recent years. But there is still a lot to be done," he said.
He added that the press freedom is not only a question of freedom as such. "It is also the benefit of a potential investor. This is one of the reasons the OSCE wants to play a crucial role in promoting press freedom in Tajikistan," Gilbert said.
During last year, the OSCE Centre promoted press freedom in the country among other ways by financing the establishment of an independent television station in Kurgyan-Tyube province and helping Dushanbe's first private radio station, Asia Plus, to get a broadcasting licence.
Despite these developments, some severe problems still remain. One of them is the Government's policy to make governmental organizations subscribe to the state newspapers.
"This is absolutely against all the rules of a free market and free press. If this practice continues, the OSCE will have to envisage withdrawing all its support to the media outlets that enjoy such privileges," Ambassador Gilbert added.