“The judicial power and the media” is the title of a round table held by the Tajik Union of Journalists on 13 November in Dushanbe. It was attended by representatives of courts and the media.

The meeting was organized within the framework of the project “Support to Tajikistan’s Media” implemented by the Tajik National Association of Mass Media (NANSMIT) under support of the US-based organization National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

Participants discussed the issues of interrelations between the judicial power and the media, as well as problems and perspective cooperation between the power and the press in Tajikistan.

According to Zafar Azizov, deputy chairman of the Tajik Supreme Court, one of the achievements in Tajikistan’s judicial system is the adoption of a new criminal-procedural code by the parliament. This document is very timely, and it is brought in compliance with both the Constitution and the international legal standards.

According to the new code, from now on the issues of arrest sanctions, measures of restraint and detention will be considered only by courts.

Azizov also said that many citizens cannot properly protect themselves since they are not aware of their rights. “The media can play an essential role in public awareness. Journalists should provide citizens with comprehensive and objective information”, — he added.

NANSMIT Monitoring Service

8 PLACES AVAILABLE — APPLY NOW

Join TOL’s international reporting course and you’ll spend nine days in Prague learning how to be a foreign correspondent, through both training sessions and a practical reporting project.

Training from experienced journalists
Our trainers are all experienced foreign correspondents. The team confirmed to date includes: Rob Cameron, the BBC’s correspondent for the Czech Republic and Slovakia; Michael Jordan, a correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor; Patti McCracken, a freelance journalist based in Vienna; David Rennie, The Economist’s man in Brussels; Aernout van Lynden, a war correspondent with over 20 years’ experience in print and television and Dean Cox, a photojournalist whose work has appeared in publications such as The New York Times and The International Herald Tribune.

What will you learn?
By tapping into the instructors’ first-hand experiences, you will learn the essential skills of international reporting, including:
— how to break into foreign reporting
— finding your feet in a foreign country
— pitching your ideas to editors
— finding the story no one else has
— staying safe in dangerous and unpredictable places
— and much more…see the course content page for more details.

Reporting project
Under the guidance of TOL trainers, you’ll file your own story from Prague. We’ll work with you from the initial idea to the final edit, offering advice, encouragement and constructive criticism along the way.

Social and cultural activities
Prague is a great city to visit, and the course includes a range of activities to give you time to socialize with your fellow participants, absorb the local culture and enjoy the city’s many delights! Have a look at the social programme for more information.

Accommodation & training venue
You will be staying at the new four-star Iris hotel, where the training sessions will also be held. Click on housing & meals for more information.

Course fees
The course fee is just ?1,075 (US$1,595), including accommodation. For information about what the fees include, and what they don’t, go to the course fees page.

Optional additional reporting trip
Why not spend a further week in Central and Eastern Europe, applying your new-found skills to file your own story? Under the guidance of an experienced journalist, you’ll tackle a reporting assignment in a country of your choice. Click on additional opportunities for more information.

Who can apply?
The course is open to university and college students, and working journalists. Others with a serious interest in journalism can also apply. More details are given in the eligibility section.

Click here to apply: http://forms.tol.cz/form/38/

If you have any questions please email plockovaj@tol.org.

http://www.tol.cz/look/TOL/article_courses.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=23&NrIssue=24&NrSection=10

Our online distance education program offers students the opportunity to study a comprehensive curriculum in the Journalism degree program. Successful professional journalists must be able to gather, interpret, sort through, and describe events and facts. Their writing abilities can paint a vivid picture in the minds of the readers. Students in this field must recognize this and work hard to attain these skills.

Through this program students will learn the skills needed to succeed in this field. All of the courses are focused on the major. This allows students to maximize their learning in the core courses and succeed in their educational and career goals.

Students begin with the study of society and the press, news reporting and writing, ethics, proofreading and broadcast reporting. Specific courses focus on photo journalism, layout and design, copyrighting and international journalism. In the higher division courses students enter symposium and project courses where they are able to select more focused study in one area of Journalism, and complete a comprehensive project. Students then have the unique opportunity to take a practicum course. This course allows students to arrange for actual work in journalism, under supervision, in their own geographic area. This «hands-on» practicum provides students maximum opportunities to experience the real world of the specialty.

Several career fields this degree will prepare you for are:

* Reporter/Journalist
* Editor
* Staff Writer
* Broadcast News Reporter

The perquisites for this program are: a high school diploma or an earned GED

The online curriculum offers an innovative approach to higher education. Enrollment is open and students may begin the program at any time. All courses are provided in online classrooms, with one-to-one faculty mentoring. Students also have free access to our comprehensive Study Tactics and Resources Center, with links to subject related websites, online libraries, articles and research assistance. Our online degree in Journalism curriculum includes: (access red links, course titles to preview syllabi)

1. JR 110 Society and the Press 6 hrs
2. JR 150 News Reporting and Writing 6 hrs
3. JR 180 Ethics in News Reporting 6 hrs
4. JR 200 Proof Reading and Editing 6 hrs
5. JR 220 Broadcast News Reporting 6 hrs
6. JR 250 Photo Journalism 6 hrs
7. JR 260 Advertising Layout/Design 6 hrs
8. JR 310 Copywriting, Feature Writing and Freelance 6 hrs
9. JR 340 Advanced Reporting and Writing 6 hrs
10. JR 380 International Journalism 6 hrs
11. JR 400 Journalism Symposium Course 20 hrs
12. JR 450 Journalism Practicum 30 hrs

TOTAL: 110 Semester Hours

Courses in this curriculum are to be taken in sequence as above.

TUITION: $400.00 per course. Students may register and pay for one course at a time.

* Note: cost of tuition does not include cost of text books.

** There is also a one time $50.00 admission processing fee.

For more information please click here:

http://www.breyerstate.com/infobajournalism.htm

Course Completion Times: Students are permitted 10 weeks to complete an online course. This may be extended with the permission of the instructor. For all Symposium Courses, students are permitted up to a six month period for completion. Doctoral students are permitted one year for all Dissertation/Doctoral Project courses.

http://www.breyerstate.com/bachelors-journalism.htm?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&src=Google&gcli

24 January — 29 January, Prague, Czech Republic

This winter’s New Media course is targeted specifically at representatives from non-profit organisations.

We will be focusing on how new media tools can spread your message better and wider, especially to the younger generation. And we will also provide practical lessons on how digital tools can help you manage tasks within your organization more efficiently.

Crucially, our experienced trainers will also provide advice on managing new media projects and, more broadly, show how NGOs can improve their new media and IT strategies, even with a minimal technology budget.

Expert trainers
We’re pleased to have our usual team of trainers: Doug Arellanes, Kevin Anderson, Suw Charman-Anderson and Dan McQuillan.

Who should attend?
Representatives from non-profit organisations, including:
• those with no new media presence and considering one;
• those in need of a partial reboot — adding functionality to existing sites;
• and those in need of a total reboot — new site, new everything.

What will you learn?
• How to manage a new media project.
• Internal uses of new media tools (how to become more efficient).
• Case studies (both good and bad) of campaigns using blogs and social media.
• Practical afternoon sessions on everything from content management and knowledge sharing to communications and task management.
• And much more … see the course content page for further details.

Where will you be staying?
The course includes accommodation at the Iris hotel, close to the centre of Prague.

How much does it cost?
Early bird rate…?860 (or US$1,295) for applications received by November 23.
Full rate…………?970 (or US$1,450)

How can I apply?
Fill in the online application form. Alternatively, email Joann Plockova if you have any questions about the course.

http://www.tol.cz/look/TOL/article_courses.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=23&NrIssue=25&NrSection=10

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has signed a decree that will grant amnesty to an estimated 10,000 prisoners, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reports.

A Tajik Presidential Press Service spokespeson told journalists that the amnesty will pardon mainly convicts who were under 18 years when they committed their crimes, men and women over 55, and foreign nationals.

The amnesty was announced on the eve of Constitution Day, marked in Tajikistan on November 6. It is not clear if the action will free those considered to be political prisoners or people convicted of religious extremism.

A presidential press service spokesman said a special commission is reviewing all the cases to decide which prisoners will be granted an amnesty.

The press service did not say when it expected the prisoners to be freed from prison.

http://www.rferl.org/content/Tajik_President_To_Pardon_Thousands_Of_Convicted_Criminals_/1870513.htm

Kyrgyz journalist Kubanychbek Joldoshev says an attack that left him hospitalized with a concussion was politically motivated, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reports.

Joldoshev, 29, was severely beaten by three unknown assailants on November 2. He suffered head injuries and broken bones in the attack.

He told RFE/RL that the taxi he was in was stopped by police and the taxi driver taken away by them to check «to see if he was intoxicated.»

Joldoshev said as soon as the police left with the taxi driver, three men approached the taxi and started beating him.

Local police officials deny that the attack was premeditated. They claim Joldoshev was slightly drunk himself, but said the police who took the taxi driver for a checkup are being investigated.

Turgunbay Jumabaev, the chief of the Investigations Committee in Osh, told RFE/RL that the attack is being considered an act of hooliganism.

Joldoshev is a correspondent for the local newspaper «Osh Shamy» (The Torch of Osh). He used to work as a correspondent for RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service.

The chief editor of «Osh Shamy,» Turgunbay Aldakulov, told RFE/RL that he and his colleagues believe the attack is most likely connected with Joldoshev’s professional activities and should not be investigated as an act of hooliganism.

The attack on him was the seventh against a journalist in Kyrgyzstan this year.

Abduvahab Moniev, an independent Kyrgyz journalist who was severely beaten by unknown assailants earlier this summer, told RFE/RL that none of his attackers was found.

Almaz Ismanov, who represents the regional Internet resource center «Oazis,» told RFE/RL that after a local journalist was shot dead in Osh two years ago, local journalists have been reluctant to cover controversial issues.

http://www.rferl.org/content/Beaten_Kyrgyz_Journalist_Recounts_Brutal_Attack_Against_Him/1870052.htm

Kyrgyz journalist Kubanychbek Joldoshev was beaten by unknown assailants and hospitalized in Osh on November 2, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reports.

Joldoshev, a former RFE/RL correspondent, was working for the «Osh Shamy» newspaper.

«Osh Shamy» editor Turgunbay Aldakulov told RFE/RL that three unknown assailants attacked Joldoshev as he was returning home.

He suffered a concussion and other head injuries.

Joldoshev’s colleages say the attack is connected with his professional activities. He covered Osh University student protests last month.

Several journalists have been threatened or severely beaten in Kyrgyzstan this year.

Others have sought and received asylum in Western countries.

http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyz_Journalist_Recovering_After_Being_Beaten_In_Osh/1867497.html

A foundation conference on the creation of the Media Council of Tajikistan took place in Dushanbe on 30 October. The conference was convened by the Tajik Union of Journalists, the Tajik National Association of Independent Mass Media (NANSMIT), the Tajik Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANESMI), the Tajik Journalist Memorial Foundation and the OSCE Center in Tajikistan.

The conference was attended by heads of Tajik media organizations, editors and publishers and representatives of international media organizations accredited in Tajikistan.

Chairman of NANSMIT Nuriddin Karshibaev stressed inter alia that the main goal of the new Media Council is to monitor ethical standards in Tajikistan’s mass media. The Council also will be facilitating the media agencies in resolving conflicts in a pre-trial order.

Participants of the conference ratified the main self-regulating document of the Media Council – “Ethical Standards for the Tajik Mass Media”. It is said in the preamble of the “Standards” that “the adopted ethical norms do not limit the freedom of speech; on the contrary, these standards serve to the improvement of quality of publications and ensure security for media professionals”.

The Media Council is open to any medium regardless of the form of property and ideological affiliation. The main condition for accession is observance of the “Ethical Standards”.

Participants of the conference elected the chairman of the Media Council – Professor Ibragim Usmanov, head of the International Journalism Faculty under the Tajik National University.

NANSMIT Monitoring Service

The Firdousi district court in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe imposed a fine on the Paikon weekly in the amount of 300 thousand Somoni (about $69 thousand) for a publication of an article containing criticism against the Tajik State Standard Agency.

Jumaboi Tolibov, editor of Paikon told the NANSMIT monitoring service that the article was published a few months ago. A group of private entrepreneurs expressed concern over a number of decisions made by the Tajik Standard. In their opinion, these decisions create impediments to development of domestic entrepreneurship.

The editor says he considers the court decision groundless and intends to appeal to the city court.

NANSMIT Monitoring Service

Kyrgyzstan’s Interior Ministry says that a second suspect is being sought in the 2007 murder of independent journalist Alisher Saipov, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reports.

Interior Ministry spokesman Oljobay Kazybaev told RFE/RL that Abdufarit Rasulov was detained shortly after the killing, and the search for another suspect — identified only as Sharakhmatullaev — was recently launched as the investigation continues.

Last week, the New-York based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on Kyrgyz authorities to make public the findings of their investigation into Saipov’s murder.

Saipov, 26, was the editor of the local Uzbek-language newspaper «Siyosat» (Politics) and had previously reported for RFE/RL and Voice of America. He was shot dead by an unknown assailant on October 24, 2007, as he left his office in the southern Kyrgyz city of Osh.

Saipov’s colleagues suspect he may have been killed by agents of neighboring Uzbekistan since he often wrote critical articles in Uzbek about the situation in that country.

Kazybaev told RFE/RL last week that the «opinions» about the alleged involvement of Kyrgyz or Uzbek security services into the murder are wrong because the main suspect in Saipov’s killing, Rasulov, has been arrested and his case will begin soon.

But Rasulov’s lawyer, Zina Alymbekova, told RFE/RL that her client never met Saipov and has nothing to do with the crime. She said he only confessed to being involved in the killing under duress and torture during the investigation.

http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyz_Police_Seeking_Second_Suspect_In_Journalists_Killing/1861617.htm