The Khujand city court accepted an action by Makhmudjon Dodoboye, founder of a private newspaper “Sughd” against the former editor of this newspaper, Abdumajikdi Bobodjoniyon.

M. Dadabayev, the climant informed the NANSMIT monitoring service that he required Mr. Bobodjoniyon to return the newspaper’s property, which the former editor had illegally sold.

According to the court verdict, Bobodjoniyon must return to Makhmudjon Dodoboye, the newspaper’s founder, the amount of 5,660 Somoni (about $1,650).

NANSMIT monitoring service

A TV journalist from Kulyab, Davlatali Shamsov took part in the International field-and-track athletics marathon in Zvyozdny Gorodock, Russian Federation, where he was the 33-rd among 3,600 participants in a 10-km race.

The Tajik winner says that the competition was dedicated to the 50-th anniversary of the launching of the first artificial space satellite – “Sputnik-1”.

The Kuluabi journalist is shortlisted for a championship on cross-country disciplines in Sochi.

http://www.asiaplus.tj/

Tajik delegation went to Warsaw to take part in a meeting of Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The meeting started on 24 September in the OSCE headquarters.

The OSCE Center in Dushanbe informs that the Tajik delegation is headed by Mansour Saifiddinov, President’s advisor on social development and public relations. The delegation also comprises leaders of some Tajik media agencies.

The source says that the issues of freedom of speech will be discussed during the last days of the meeting of OSCE member countries. Nuriddin Karshibayev, chairman oа NANSMIT is going to present a report on freedom of speech in Tajikistan.

Currently, the number of OSCE member countries is 50.

NANSMIT monitoring service

A first issue of popular-science magazine “Farkhang va Khunar” (“Culture and Art”) has seen the light in Dushanbe.

Rukhshona Olimova, media program coordinator of the Open Society Institute (OSI) in Tajikistan informed Asia Plus news agency that the new magazine is published under support of the OSI program “”Culture and Art”.

The magazine contains materials on history and culture of the Tajik people describing main stages of development of arts, traditional handicrafts, articles about Tajikistan’s written heritage, museums, cinematography, photo, ethnography, etc.

Olimova says that the first issue of “Culture and Art” is focused mainly on contemporary trends in Tajikistan’s culture. The new specialized printing outlet allows to monitor key social changes and tendencies in cultural life of Tajikistan enabling public interpretation of these processes.

Gulandom Nabieva, the OSI “Culture and Art” program coordinator says that the magazine will be published on a monthly basis. It contains 40 pages with articles in Tajik and Russian languages. The magazine will be disseminated through libraries and universities. Editor of the new magazine is Jelmat Shermatov, director of the Tajik Scientific Research Institute of Culture and Information.

Note: The founder of the outlet is the public union “Farkhang va Khunar” (founded in 2006). The union’s main activities are revitalization, study and promotion of Tajikistani peoples’ cultural heritage, and global achievements in science and culture.

http://www.asiaplus.tj/

On 27 September European Commission organized a workshop for printing and electronic media professionals.

According to Varorud news agency, the workshop is covering the issues of newspaper marketing and management.

Nazira Raimkoulova, trainer from Kyrgyzstan says that “During the two days of training media professionals will learn how to survive in market conditions. Among the topics for discussion are strategy and culture of sales, human resource management, and sales operations”.

Raimkoulova also said that a similar workshop has already been conducted for personnel of local TV stations in Khujand.

http://www.varorud.org/

Tajik journalists discuss the issues of labor migration at a workshop organized by Internews Network and IOM.

According to Sarvinoz Niyazova, Internews Network project assistant, 15 journalists from all regions of Tajikistan are taking part in a workshop on the problems of labor migration. Trainers are leading experts in journalism – Jovid Mukim and Mukarrama Burkhanova.

The workshop will be accomplished on 29 September. Its goal is to enhance professional skills of journalists in the issues of labor migration.

http://www.asiaplus.tj/

Press review, 27 September 2007

Press review in Russian is available at: [url=http://www.nansmit.tj/publish/?id=117]http://www.nansmit.tj/publish/?id=117[/url]

NANSMIT monitoring service

”Subscription Campaign 2008” is underway in Tajikistan. In some districts public administration applies old traditions – the subscription is “voluntary-compulsory”.

The Kulyab city branch of People-Democratic Party (PDPT) is adherent to old traditions. NANSMIT monitoring service learned from reliable sources that the PDPT city branch has developed a special task for its 57 primary organizations in Kulyab city and neighboring districts. According to this allotment, the party members must subscribe to 197 copies of Minbari Khalk, the PDPT printing outlet (the total cost of this subscription is 8,865 Somoni). 114 party members are obliged to read Khamrozi Khalk, the PDPT Khatlon province newspaper, which will cost them 2,166. And other 296 party members are to read Sadoi Kulob newspaper rpinted by the Kulyab affiliate of PDPT. This “love to reading” will cost them 7,696 Somoni.

NANSMIT monitoring service

A two-day workshop on legal education and media legislation for journalists started on 25 September in Khujand.

Farrukhsho Junaidov, representative of Internews Network and trainer informed NANSMIT that journalists of both printing and electronic media of Sughd province are taking part in the workshop.

The workshop is organized by Internews Network office in Tajikistan under financial support from USAID. The workshop’s main goal is to enhance knowledge of journalists in the sphere of media legislation. Participants are going to discuss the issues of defamation in the Internet, the right for confutation of information in the press and other issues.

Junaidov also made some comments on the status of Sughd journalists, which so far has not been in full compliance with legal and professional requirements. “Compared to other regions of the country, the Sughd province journalists are quite skilled; however, they need to study the legislation and improve their professional legal knowledge”.

NANSMIT monitoring service

“US Ambassador Tracy Jacobson says that her country protects freedom of speech, and she hopes that the Tajik government will create free environment for the media in the country”. BBC news line, 24 September 2007

Commenting the newly adopted amendments in Tajikistan’s Criminal Code concerning the criminalization of Internet materials containing alleged defamation of individuals, the US Ambassador to Tajikistan Tracy Jacobson said, “We are monitoring the ongoing developments, and we’ll be watching closely the practical implementation of the amended legislation. In case of problems, we will require the Tajik government to respect the freedom of expression.”

The draft amendments in Tajikistan’s Criminal Code concerning criminal responsibility for publications in the Internet have been adopted in the country, which has very few Internet users. Experts say that this step will further enforce self-censorship. It is seen as an essential impediment to dissemination of information among Tajik citizens.

NANSMIT Monitoring Service