Police in the southern Tajik city of Kulob have detained two people for attacking Abdumumin Sherkhonov, the editor in chief of the newspaper «Pazhvok» and an RFE/RL freelancer.

Both suspects have confessed to their participation in the attack. A third man sought for involvement in the crime has not yet been arrested.

Sherkhonov says he was on his way to work when three men stopped him. One of them introduced himself as an official of the Interior Ministry, presenting what he said was his ID. The men then threatened Sherkhonov with arrest.

When Sherkhonov refused to talk to them, they started beating him, knocking him to the pavement.

Police have not commented on the case.

Sherkhonov said the attack was probably related to his professional activities.

http://www.rferl.org/Content/Tajik_Police_Arrest_Two_Suspects_In_Journalist_Attack/1367914.html

An independent journalist in Tajikistan’s southern city of Kulob was attacked and beaten on January 5.

Abdumumin Sherkhonov, editor in chief of the independent «Pazhvok» newspaper and a freelance correspondent of RFE/RL’s Tajik Service, says he was on his way to work when three men stopped him.

One of them introduced himself as an official of the Interior Ministry, presenting what he said was his ID.

The men then threatened Sherkhonov with arrest.

When Sherkhonov refused to talk to them, they started beating him, knocking him to the pavement.

Passersby interfered and rescued the journalist.

Sherkhonov say he believes the attack was connected to his professional activities.

http://www.rferl.org/Content/RFERL_Freelance_Correspondent_Beaten_in_Tajikistan/1367448.html

In its half-year review of press freedom worldwide, the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) reported that attacks and threats against the press multiplied worldwide.

The Paris-based organization presented a growing list of abuses against press freedom and freedom of expression. It reported that thirty-nine journalists and other media workers have been killed since June, bringing the year-long total to 68.

The report mentioned that journalists in the Middle East and North Africa are especially threatened, by “autocratic regimes that do not hesitate to take repressive measures against the independent press.”

The report also added that Mexico has emerged as one of the deadliest places for journalists, due to the incidence of drug trafficking in the region.

For more details about attacks against the press worldwide, read the WAN report here, or contact Larry Kilman, Director of Communications, at lkilman@wan.asso.fr.

https://www.ijnet.org/ijnet/training_opportunities/threats_to_freedom_of_press_increase_in_second_ha

The Geneva-based global journalism network Media21 is organizing a journalist training workshop on human rights. Deadline to apply is January 19.

The workshop will be held during the UN Human Rights Council session between February 2 to 6 and May 4 to 8 in Geneva.

The organization will provide a small number of grants for journalists from Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal, Bangladesh, China, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Canada, Germany, Russian Federation, Azerbaijan, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Vietnam, Yemen, Afghanistan, Uruguay, Chile, Malta and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Interested journalists will need to send a two-page CV, a 200 word biography, published articles on human rights issues and preferably a recommendation letter from a supervisor. For more information, to to www.media21geneva.org. Completed applications should be sent to workshop@infosud.org.

https://www.ijnet.org/ijnet/training_opportunities/workshop_on_human_rights_coverage_to_be_held_in_g

The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) will offer a six-week online course that seeks to bring together U.S. and international journalists to critically examine religion coverage around the world.

Funded by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the course will run from March 6 to April 17, 2009. During the course, participants will:

explore religion coverage around the world, sharing a wide range of international resources and professional approaches.
examine the ways religious context is essential in reporting on issues from regional and ethnic conflict to medical ethics.
examine case studies of reporting on religious conflict in the Sudan, the Balkans and Iraq.
share critical insights, resources and strategies with one another on the experience of covering religion around the world.
Award-winning journalist David Briggs will lead the course, which will be conducted in English and is open to 30 participants. The deadline for applications is January 30, 2009.

Please follow the instructions below to submit your application:

1. Visit https://e-learn.icfj.org.

2. Click on the application link.

3. Login using your e-learn account. If you don’t have an account, click «Create new account» to register. After you register, you will need to check your email to confirm your account.

https://www.ijnet.org/ijnet/training_materials/online_course_to_focus_on_coverage_of_religion

The Photo Club of the city of Kazan, Russia has announced its annual photojournalism contest. Entries will be accepted until March 1, 2009.

The contest aims to bring attention to the role of photography in mass media and in modern society. Applicants may send up to ten photos in each of the contest’s 16 categories.

Last year, about 300 participants from throughout Russia, as well as Georgia and Armenia, sent 5,500 pictures. Approximately 40 photographers were awarded.

For application information (in Russian) visit http://www.photo-kazan.ru. Entries should be sent to photokazan08@gmail.com.

https://www.ijnet.org/ijnet/training_opportunities/contest_aims_to_support_photography_in_mass_media

The second Journalism Practice and Journalism Studies conference hosted by the Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies, will focus on the topic: The Future of Journalism. The conference, supported by publishers Routledge, Taylor and Francis, will take place September 9 and 10, 2009. Contributions are being accepted now from the international community of scholars of journalism studies as well as journalism practitioners, journalism educators and trainers, media executives, trade unionists and media regulators.

Proposals for Papers are invited on the following broad themes:

The Future of Journalism: Perspectives from different countries/continents)
The Future of Journalism: New media technologies, blogs, citizen journalism and UGC
The Future of Journalism: Business trends and developments
The Future of Journalism: Implications and developments for journalism practice
The Future of Journalism; Broadcast and print journalism
The Future of Journalism; the employment, education and training of journalists
The Future of Journalism; Journalism ethics.
Titles and abstracts for papers (250 words max) and proposals for panels of related papers, should be emailed by January 9, 2009, to Bob Franklin at journalismstudies@press.uk.net. Please indicate which of the seven key themes listed above your paper addresses. All abstracts and papers will be reviewed by a panel of specialists and members of the Editorial Board. A selection of papers will be published as special issues of Journalism Practice and Journalism Studies in April 2010. At the 2007 Future of Newspapers conference, 65 of the 110 submitted papers were presented at Conference and 27 were published in Journalism Studies and Journalism Practice.

For more information, go to http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/rjos and http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/rjop.

https://www.ijnet.org/ijnet/advertisements/call_for_papers_the_future_of_journalism_conference

Newspaper designers from all over the world are invited to enter the Best of Newspaper Design contest, organized by the Society of News Design. The deadline for U.S. entries is January 14, while international entries have until January 21.

Currently in its 30th edition, the competition recognizes excellence in news design, graphics and photography. Categories include breaking news topics, feature design sections, portfolio, special coverage, and special news topics, among others.

Works must have been published between January 1 and December 31, 2008. Non-English participants must send a brief explanation of the content in English and any translation needed.

Winners will receive awards of excellence, and silver or gold medals for outstanding work.

Entry guidelines are available in Spanish, French, German, Portuguese and Chinese.

For more information and to download the PDF entry form, visit http://www.snd.org/competitions/best.html.

https://www.ijnet.org/ijnet/training_opportunities/best_of_newspaper_design_calls_for_entries

Correspondents of Radio Imruz, a private FM station in Tajikistan’s capital city Dushanbe, approached Dushanbevodokanal, the municipal water facility requesting that it answer residents’ questions regarding the quality of water and frequent interruptions of water supply in city districts.
Saidmurod Kalandarov, a Dushanbevodokanal official, told Radio Imruz that he has no permission from the top managers of his agency to share any information with journalists. After that, correspondents approached Azam Tabarov, director of Dushanbevodokanal, who explained that the mayor’s office strongly advised his staff to communicate only with the government media outlets.
Tabarov added that “the municipal authorities gave him a list of local media, with whom it is not recommended to communicate at all.” Among the media in this list were popular private radio companies – Radio Vatan and Asia Plus.
Radio Vatan has recently finished broadcasting of a series of talk shows covering the problems of ecology and sanitation in Dushanbe and its suburbs.
The authorities’ wariness can be explained by the growing criticism from both the media and public at large for their inability to improve the water and sanitation situation.
Regardless of the large loans and grants provided by international monetary institutions such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, and by governments of donor countries, the water supply networks in the town with the population of over 1 million leave much to be desired.
Drinking water is not properly purified and remains dangerous for consumption, especially during rainy seasons and in summer when temperatures reach 45 degrees Celsius.
Commenting on denial of information, lawyers representing the Tajik National Association of Independent Media (NANSMIT) said, “The Tajik legislation guarantees free access to publicly important information, and statements made by Dushanbevodokanal can be interpreted as a violation of the law”.

NANSMIT / OOSKAnews

In today’s digital news environment, independent Internet journalists — who often lack legal support or political connections — are often more vulnerable than those who work for news organizations.

According to a census of imprisoned journalists conducted recently by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), more Internet journalists are jailed worldwide today than journalists working in any other medium.

In fact, 45 percent of all media workers jailed worldwide are bloggers, Web-based reporters or online editors, according to CPJ. In most cases, governments used a variety of charges unrelated to journalism to retaliate against critical reporting, the report said.

Given the rising influence of online reporting and commentary, how can online journalists be protected? Can online journalists meet the demand for online news without endangering themselves?

https://www.ijnet.org/ijnet/discussions/how_can_online_journalists_be_protected