On 29 December, Tajik media organizations held a round table where they discussed the necessity of amendments to the media legislation. The event was initiated by the Tajik National Association of Independent Media, and attended by representatives of the Tajik Union of Journalists, the National Press Center, the Tajik Media Alliance, the Tajik Parliament, the President’s Office, and public organizations.

Akbarali Sattorov, chairman of the Tajik Union of Journalists told the participants about the necessity of reforms in the Law “On printing and other mass media”. Nuriddin Karshibayev, chairman of NANSMIT stressed that Tajik media experts have been working on proposals on amendments to the media law for several months. The initiators set up a working group comprising well-known Tajik journalists and lawyers. The current version of the Law “On printing and other mass media” was endorsed on 14 December 1990.

Karshibayev said that the law has been amended several times (in 1992, 1996, 1997, 1999 and 2002); however, the law needs new changes in order to be in compliance with the new realities. Ibrohim Usmonov, a well-known Tajik scholar told the participants about the activities of the working group, and the shortcomings in the existing media legislation. Usmonov said that the Tajik Law “On printing and other mass media” meets the international standards, but still, some provisions in the Law should be improved.

In particular, Usmanov touched upon the articles of the law concerning the registration of the media in several government bodies. Professor also underlined the significant social and political changes that have taken place since the endorsement of the existing law, i.e. new types of media have emerged, such as the Internet outlets, etc. Besides that, the Tajik media have changed essentially.

Olim Salimzoda, deputy chairman of the Parliamentarian Committee on International Affairs, Public Organizations and Information said that the Tajik Parliament is ready to consider the proposals presented by the working group.

Participants of the round table expressed a unanimous opinion that the reformation of the Tajik media legislation is timely and necessary. The Tajik legislation should be brought into sync with international standards by means of joint efforts of the Parliament, the Government and the public.

NANSMIT Monitoring Service