DUSHANBE, July 19, 2008, 2008, Asia-Plus — A draft code of professional ethics for Tajik journalists and a draft oath for journalists were a focus of a roundtable meeting that was held in Dushanbe on July 18.
The meeting, staged by the public association, Ittiloot va Muoshirat (Information and Communication), in cooperation with the MFA information department, brought together journalists and senior representatives of state-run and independent media as well as representatives of some international organizations and diplomatic missions accredited in the country.
It is to be noted that work on the code of professional ethics for Tajik journalists has been carried out for already five years. For the first time, the draft code was submitted for consideration of state-run and independent media during a two-day training seminar entitled “Journalists’ Ethic Code: International Standards and Problems of Professional Ethics in Tajikistan” in February 2007. The seminar participants noted that it requires serious improvement and decided to set up a working group for preparation of the final version of the code.
The code presented at a July 18 meeting also did not meet with unanimous approval. The meeting participants divided into two groups.
Reporters of Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, in particular, noted that such a code is not needed because activities of journalists in Tajikistan are regulated by laws and subordinate regulatory acts.
In the meantime, the head of the National Association of Independent Media of Tajikistan (Nansmit), Nouridin Qarshiboyev, noted that the initial draft code submitted for consideration to journalists in February 2007 had been repeatedly discussed and all proposals that had been made at the previous roundtable meetings should have been taken into account on improvement of the draft law.
“Now I see absolutely new document, which states only one aspect – not to allow plagiarism,” said the Nansmit head, “”Of course, the document submitted for consideration to today’s meeting may be discussed and it could supplement the previous groundwork.”
