Beginning journalists seeking digital skills can take these free courses.

MulinBlog Online J-School is offering two massive open online classes (MOOCs) over the summer: Writing for the Web, June 10 – July 7, and Audio Slideshow Storytelling, July 1 – Aug 10.

The school is a free, open, online program for people of all backgrounds, especially those who are «absolute beginners,» seeking Web-based training in digital skills.

All courses are open to anyone who has an Internet connection.

For more information, click here: http://www.mulinblog.com/mulinblog-online-j-school-course-schedule/

Aspiring journalists can participate in a film festival.

PLURAL+ invites video makers 9 to 25 years old to submit short clips that address migration, diversity and social inclusion issues. Partners include the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the International Organization for Migration.

Recognizing youth as powerful agents of social change in a world often characterized by intolerance and cultural and religious divisions, PLURAL+ invites youth to address key challenges related to migrant integration, inclusiveness, identity, diversity, human rights and social cohesiveness, both at local and global levels.

There will be three winners selected from the three age categories (9-12, 13-17, 18-25) and each winner will be flown to New York in December to present their video at the PLURAL+ 2013 Awards Ceremony.

See the winning videos of the 2012 contest here.

The deadline for submissions is June 30.

For more information, click here: http://pluralplus.unaoc.org/

Journalists of any nationality from print, Web, photo, TV or radio can apply.

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, the Forum of Environmental Journalists in India and The Third Pole are seeking entries from journalists reporting on environmental issues in India.

The entries should deal with the protection and management of air, water, soil and other resources. The entries can also relate to how cities and industries are coping with climate change. Entries with positive examples, opportunities and solutions are encouraged and should be clearly associated to India.

The entries should have been published/broadcast between July 1, 2012 and June 30, 2013, and must be accompanied by an endorsement letter from the editor/news editor of the media house in which the respective report has been published. Entries in languages other than English should be accompanied by an English summary of about 500 words.

There will be a first and second prize in each of the five categories — print, web, photo, TV and radio. The first prize in each category is $50,000 Indian Rupees (US$862) and the second prize is $30,000 Indian Rupees (US$516).

The winner in the print media category will participate in a two-week workshop on advanced environmental reporting, organized by Deutsche Welle Academy in Warsaw.

The deadline is June 30.

For more information, click here: http://www.igep.in/e48093/e55248/

Journalists who want to create innovative approaches to social issues can apply for this fellowship.

The Open Society Fellowship seeks “idea entrepreneurs” from across the world who aim to challenge conventional wisdom and are committed to achieving democracy and accountability.

Project themes should cut across at least two areas of interest to the Open Society Foundations. Among these are human rights, government transparency, access to information and to justice, and the promotion of civil society and social inclusion.

Applicants should be fluent in English and possess a deep understanding of their chosen subject, along with a track record of professional accomplishment.

The application deadline is August 1.

For more information, click here: http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/open-society-fellowship

Online journalists, digital news organizations and students worldwide can apply for an award.

The Online News Association (ONA) and the University of Miami School of Communication are accepting entries for the 2013 Online Journalism Awards recognizing excellence in digital reporting.

This year, ONA is incorporating non-English entries into all categories, which include: breaking news, planned news/events, explanatory reporting, topical reporting, online commentary, feature, student projects, technical innovation, innovative investigative journalism, watchdog journalism, public service and general excellence in online journalism.

Of the 29 awards, nine offer a total of US$37,500 in prize money, including a new US$5,000 award honoring the best in watchdog journalism.

Awards will be given at the Online News Association Conference & Awards Banquet in Atlanta, Georgia. The OJAs, launched in 2000, are the only comprehensive set of journalism prizes honoring excellence in digital journalism.

The entry fee is US$100 for ONA members, US$175 for non-members, US$15 for student members and US$50 for student non-members.

Entries published between June 16, 2012, and June 15, 2013 are eligible. Apply by June 21.

For more information, click here: http://journalists.org/awards/

Candidates native in one of 11 languages — Arabic, Bengali, English, Hausa, Hindi, Persian, Portuguese (for Brazil), Russian, Spanish, Turkish and Urdu — can apply for the program, in which participants will learn how to be journalism trainers.

The international training, to be conducted in Bonn, Germany, is specially designed for young journalists from the regions to which Deutsche Welle broadcasts.

The program starts in May 2014 and lasts 18 months. It consists of three rounds: journalism training seminars, practical training and culture of Germany through lectures and country tours.

A very good working knowledge of German is also required. Selected participants will be paid.

Apply online by June 30.

For more information click here: http://www.dw.de/dw-akademie/international-traineeship/s-12132

TURKMENABAT, Turkmenistan — A Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) correspondent based in Turkmenistan has been freed after being detained by police earlier this month. 

Rovshen Yazmuhamedov told RFE/RL that he was released on May 22 after spending two weeks in custody.

It is still unclear why he was detained in the northeastern city of Turkmenabat.

Yazmuhamedov, 30, has worked for RFE/RL since September.

His reports have focused mainly on social issues.

Last week, the European Union expressed concern about his detention and urged Turkmen authorities to explain why he was being held.

Yazmuhamedov’s relatives said the journalist was being held at a detention center run by the Interior Ministry’s Directorate No. 6, which investigates organized crime and terrorism-related cases.

http://www.rferl.org/content/rferl-turkmen-correspondent/24993898.html

ASTANA — A Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) correspondent, who was detained in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana, while covering a protest, has been released after spending several hours in custody.

Police detained Orken Zhoyamergen along with several demonstrators on May 22.

The protests began on May 21 when dozens of homeowners from around Kazakhstan demonstrated in front of the government and parliament buildings in Astana.

They demanded that the government intervene over what they say are excessive mortgage interest rates and foreclosures.

The protesters were returning to the city center on May 22 to resume their demonstration, but police blocked their way and detained some of them, including Zhoyamergen.

HRW Wants Charges Against Journalist Dropped

Elsewhere in Kazakhstan, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged the country’s authorities to drop criminal charges against an independent journalist and civil society activist Aleksandr Kharlamov and immediately release him from a psychiatric clinic.

In statement released on May 22, HRW Central Asia researcher Mihra Rittmann said «this is hardly the first time the authorities have used criminal incitement charges to try to silence a peaceful critic.»

Kharlamov was arrested in March and charged with inciting religious hatred because of articles he wrote on world religions.

In April, he was sent from his home town of Ridder in Kazakhstan’s northeast to a psychiatric clinic in Almaty and placed under forced observation.

Kharlamov’s relatives insist his case is politically motivated.

They say authorities launched investigations against Kharlamov after he published articles that accused Ridder’s police of violating people’s rights.

http://www.rferl.org/content/kazakhstan-rferl-correspondent-detained/24993590.html

DUSHANBE — A Tajik businessman and former industry minister who recently announced he would create a new opposition party has been detained at the Dushanbe airport upon return from a trip abroad.

RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reports that Zaid Saidov was arrested by agents of Tajikistan’s anticorruption agency.

The agency said that Saidov is accused of «grave crimes, including fraud, bribery, and abuse of power.»

Saidov, along with several Tajik businessmen and academics, announced in April the creation of the New Tajikistan political party.

Speaking to RFE/RL from Paris before his return to Tajikistan, Saidov said the allegations were baseless and were part of growing pressure against him by authorities since he announced his intention to go into politics.

Last week, while Saidov was abroad, authorities opened two criminal cases against Saidov, accusing him of theft and polygamy.

http://www.rferl.org/content/tajikistan-saidov-arrest/24990533.html

ASHGABAT — A European Union delegation has raised with Turkmen officials the case of a detained RFE/RL correspondent. 

Maja Kocijancic, a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, said on May 17 that the delegation expressed concern over the detention of Turkmen Service correspondent Rovshen Yazmuhamedov at a meeting on human rights with Turkmen officials in Turkmenistan on May 15.

«We have very specifically expressed concern about the arrest, have asked for details about the reasons for his arrest and whether his family, for example, and lawyers were authorized to visit him, and we will continue to monitor this closely,» Kocijancic said.

Yazmuhamedov, 30, was detained on May 6 by police in the northeastern city of Turkmenabat.

Kocijancic said the EU urged Turkmen officials to make a prompt decision on the case.

«As far as I understand, the law-enforcement institutions should make a decision on this case within 10 days, which would mean very shortly,» Kocijancic said.

Despite multiple requests to Turkmen authorities, RFE/RL has been unable to obtain any information about Yazmuhamedov’s condition.

According to Yazmuhamedov’s relatives, the journalist is being held at a detention center run by the Interior Ministry’s Directorate No. 6, which investigates organized-crime and terrorism-related cases.

Relatives also told RFE/RL that Yazmuhamedov was interrogated by security services several times recently.

Since 2009, RFE/RL has documented three other incidents involving the confinement and imprisonment of persons associated with its Turkmen Service, or Azatlyk Radiosy as it is known locally.

In October 2011, correspondent Dovletmyrat Yazkuliyev was sentenced to five years in prison on phony charges, several months after security agents interrogated him about his reporting on explosions in the city of Abadan and threatened him with prosecution for «causing national, social, and religious provocations.»

Yazkuliyev was later released from prison under a presidential amnesty following an appeal by four U.S. senators, including current U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

http://www.rferl.org/content/turkmenistan-rferl-correspondent/24989415.html