The British Institute for War ad Peace Reporting (IWPR) presents international standards of journalism to media professionals in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province. A two-day workshop was organized in the city of Khorog, the administrative center of GBAO.

Apart from the international standards of journalism, correspondents of the Pamir Media news agency studied the basics of analytical news writing based upon the IWPR standards.

Lola Khalikjanova, editor of the Tajik IWPR branch says that the main goal of the training session is the enhancement of professional skills among media professionals in the region. Participants say that the workshop has been quite fruitful. They are looking forward to applying the new skills in their everyday activities.

Upon the accomplishment of the workshop, the organizers arranged a presentation of a new book titled «Reportages in the name of changes: manual for journalists working in crises». The book was published by IWPR under support of the British Development Ministry and other donors.

IWPR is a network of non-commercial organizations. The main activity of IWPR is assistance to local media entities in regions of crises and conflicts, and in countries in transition. IWPR’s programs are targeted to media coverage of various events, educational and institutional projects.

A well-known Kyrgyz journalist Alisher Saipov was killed on 24 October in downtown Osh. Under protection of anonymity, a Kyrgyz State Security Committee officer agreed to share some details of investigation.

On 24 October, at 19:08 the Osh city Interior Department received a report about a dead body found in one of the city dwelling areas. Upon the crime scene, investigators found three bullet shells. Alisher Saipov was shot dead, supposedly from a Makarov pistol. Investigators are waiting for preliminary results of autopsy and ballistic tests.

According to the first reports, no witnesses have been identified. The Osh municipal police applied to the citizens asking for their assistance in investigation.

In different periods, Alisher Saipov worked for Ferghana.ru news agency, Voice of America, and Radio Liberty. Lately, he has been both publisher and editor of an Uzbek-language newspaper «Siyosat» («Politics»).

According to the «24.kg» news agency, one of the preliminary allegations voiced by the police concerning the murder is Saipov’s professional activities.

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The Third International Conference «Terrorism and Electronic Media» is being held these days in the capital of Cyprus, Nicosia.

According to Antoly Lysenko, President of the International Academy of Television and Radio, the experience gained during the last two years has shown that the dialogue at the international level among the electronic media, counter-terrorist structures and public authorities initiated by the International Academy proved to be quite useful. «We have established contacts on business level, and agreed upon the main principles of cooperation with those who are authorised to counter terrorism, — he said. These entities are united by a noble goal – protection of the peoples on the planet from the most dangerous threats and contemporary challenges». Lysenko considers that the communities of journalists in many countries have adopted «the rules of the game», which had been developed at two previous conferences. E also thinks that the goals defined by terrorists can be achieved not only through forced methods, but also by means of systematic promotion of violence,earthliness and destruction of human principles.

The Forum will last until 27 October. Among the participants are leading media professionals from the CIS, India, Croatia, France, Greece, Cyprus, Estonia, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Serbia, Marocco and other countries. Tajikistan is represented by a Moscow Bureau correspondent of Khovar news agency, Khalima Khushkadamova.

International Organization for Migration (IOM) is ready to finance a district newspaper «Payomi Tojikobod.

A new season of quarterly press conferences will start on 11 October. The President’s Office reminds that the ministries and other government bodies will present information on the outcomes of the third quarter at press conferences.

According to the President’s decree dated 4 March 2005, quarterly press conferences are conducted with the purpose to ensure transparency of activities by the ministries, government institutions and local administrations, and to ensure access of journalists to official data.

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The Saint Petersburg city interior department disproved a report of the Russian media on a public affray, which was presented as an alleged fight between Tajik labor migrants and local residents in Priozers district of Leningrad province, Russian Federation.

«Six feature films have been translated into Tajik language during the third quarter of 2007 by the State Committee on Radio and Television under the Tajik government», — said Abdurakhmon Abdumamonov at a press conference held on 11 October in Dushanbe.

Abdumanonov also informed the media about the installation of 100 TV transmitters in the country regions and one radio transmitter. 33 TV transmitters are installed for broadcasting of the First Tajik TV Channel, 63 transmitters – for broadcasting of «Safina TV», and three others – for «Bakhoriston TV». One transmitter was installed for broadcasting of the Russian RTR Channel in Shugnan district of GBAO. One radio transmitter for broadcasting of the Tajik State Radio was installed in Ghanchi district of Sughd province.

The official also informed that his agency together with the National Security Committee and the State Inspection on Radio and Television conducted several raids during which they confiscated and destroyed 39 thousand illegal audio and video discs and cassettes.

Abdumanonov said that the State Radio & V Committee commenced construction of two dwelling houses (120 apartments) for the Committee employees. The total cost of the project is 12,124 million Somoni.

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National Association of Independent Mass Media (NANSMIT), the Union of Tajik Journalists, Bureau on Human Rights and Legality, the Memorial Fund of Tajik Journalists, the Tajik Media Alliance, and the Public Unit «Khoma» came up with an initiative to reform the Law of the Republic of Tajikistan «On Printing and Other Mass Media».

This initiative has found support from the International Freedom of Speech Fund «Adil Soz» (Kazakhstan), and by international organization IFEX.

Representatives of various media were not allowed to attend a public meeting held on 16 October in Khatlon province.

Journalists say that Information-Analytical Unit of the President’s Office had preliminary invited certain media to the meeting.

However, on 15 October the same Unit’s officials informed the journalists that representatives of some media are not allowed to attend the meeting, referring to the decision assumed by National Security Committee.

Only editors of three provincial government newspapers and correspondents of the First State TV Channel were allowed to attend the meeting.

NANSMIT monitoring service.

Representatives of various media were not allowed to attend a public meeting held on 16 October in Khatlon province.

Journalists say that Information-Analytical Unit of the President’s Office had preliminary invited certain media to the meeting.

However, on 15 October the same Unit’s officials informed the journalists that representatives of some media are not allowed to attend the meeting, referring to the decision assumed by National Security Committee.

Only editors of three provincial government newspapers and correspondents of the First State TV Channel were allowed to attend the meeting.

NANSMIT monitoring service.