Ethical Standards of Journalism in Tajikistan

Dushanbe, 14 May 2009

Preamble

• The community of journalists in Tajikistan, considering the Freedom of Speech the basis of its activities, understanding its responsibility for ensuring the Freedom of Speech, declare and adopt the following professional and ethical standards for the mass media and journalists. None of these standards is designed to limit the Freedom of Speech.
1. Mission of the media and journalists

• Honesty, objectivity, justice, pluralism, and respect to human rights are he main principles of activities of the mass media and journalists in Tajikistan.

• Guided by these principles, the media and journalists protect the image of the press.

2. Accuracy of information

• The media and journalists must publish various opinions and viewpoints impartially and without any distortion. Publications should contain balanced opinions. Headlines and images must express the essence of the text.

3. Protection of the source of information

• The media and journalists should respect the source of information, and, if needed, to observe the principle of anonymity, i.e. not to make the name of the source public, and to observe professional secrecy.
4. Opinions, facts and allegations

• The media and journalists shall understand the difference between opinions, facts and allegations. Expression of opinion is not subject to investigation.

5. National morality and respect to cultural values

• While covering any topic, the media and journalists shall respect the national distinctive character and culture. They shall avoid promotion of immorality, which can affect the national moral values. Respect to cultural values shall be present in publications.

• The media and journalists shall avoid any humiliation of peoples and ethnic groups, religions and races; they must respect other people’s world view, traditions and customs.

6. Respect to private life

• The media and journalists shall respect privacy of individuals. Publication of information about somebody’s private life is acceptable only with consent of the individual.

• Publication of stories about somebody’s private life without consent of the individual is not acceptable.

7. Protection of honor and dignity

• Humiliation of dignity, obscenities and libel are not acceptable; glorification of individuals, which goes beyond the ethical standards of journalists is not acceptable either.

8. Presumption of innocence

• While preparing a publication covering a criminal case, the media and journalists shall restrain from personal judgment. The media and journalists cannot voice their opinions about the guilt of an individual until it is proven in court.

9. Non-discrimination

• Discrimination on racial, national, religious, political, social and sexual affiliation is not acceptable in the media. The media and journalists shall restrain from pointing at physical imperfections of persons.

10. Inducing materials and protection of rights of minors

• Journalists and the media shall restrain from publishing materials inducing violence, killing and humiliation, as well as other crimes. The media and journalists shall not make public the names of minors in order to protect them.

11. Ways of collecting data

• Illegal receipt of information, images, voices and other materials referring to private life is not acceptable.

12. Inconsistency between creative activities and commercial advertisement

• Professional mission should not be sacrificed for commerce. There are clear distinctions in the media between creative activities and commercial (advertising) activities.

13. Rewards and privileges

• Any reward or privilege limiting free decision of a medium or a journalist are not in compliance with the image and dignity of the media or journalists.
14. Plagiarism
• Plagiarism is an illicit appropriation of a text, image or voice without permission of the original source, which was demonstrated (or presented) as an original. Journalists must respect the labor of their colleagues.

15. Rectification of errors

• The medium must publish apologies and rectify errors if those took place.

16. Professional solidarity

• The media and journalists should observe principles of professional solidarity. Journalists shall restrain from performing tasks, which undermine their professional reputation and social status. Journalists shall not use the media in their mercenary motives or for settling accounts with their colleagues or adversaries.
• Colleagues must support and protect journalists persecuted for their professional activities.

17. Implementation of these norms

In case of non-observance of these norms, any interested party can apply to the Media Council of Tajikistan. Resolutions will be published in the media

NANSMIT