DUSHANBE, November 24, 2011, Asia-Plus — A roundtable to consider issues related to the maintenance of confidentiality of source of information, conflict of interests and imperfection of laws is being held in Dushanbe today.
Organized by Tajik Journalists’ Union (TJU) under support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Internews Network Tajikistan, the meeting has brought together heads of central and regional media outlets, representatives of media and human rights organizations, judicial bodies and Tajikistan’s chief prosecutor’s office.
The source in TJU says discussion of this aspect [the maintenance of confidentiality of source of information] of journalist activity is very topical on the threshold of adoption of the RT Law “On the Press and Other Media.”
“The significance of this issue is conditioned by the fact that during investigation into lawsuits filed against independent media outlets the preliminary investigation bodies have demanded that journalists disclose their sources of information,” said the TJU representative. “This problem results from imperfection of legal regulation of this issue.”
He stressed that another important issue to be discussed at the meeting is whether journalists should inform the authorities of approaching unauthorized actions.
