DUSHANBE. May 27. “Asia-Plus” — In the past five year the number of cases connected with limited access to information in Tajikistan has reduced from 115 cases registered in 2005 down to 26 in 2009, chairman of the National Association of Independent Media of Tajikistan (NANSMIT) Nuriddin Karshibaev spoke at the XII Central Asian Media Conference organized by OSCE.
According to him, the problem of access to information remains vital for the country even despite a definite progress in the given direction, including President’s decree of 2005 on quarterly press-conferences that ministries and departments are obliged to conduct.
“Citing various reasons officials refuse to provide required information. More likely they are not self-asserted and are afraid of loosing their seats. Furthermore, frequent unwillingness to open access to important information indicates the fact that they are not aware of laws since officials often ask “Why should I provide any information?,” he added.
Director of the Institute of Informational Law (Moscow), professor of the faculty of journalism of the Moscow State University Andrey Richter agrees with Karshibaev. “Government officials believe that information they have is their personal information,” he said.
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Miyatovich is confident that government officials should be aware of the fact that they are public figures and their activity should be transparent for the people.
Meanwhile, Lidia Isamova, a journalist from Tajikistan, is confident that in some cases government officials refuse to provide information through journalists’ fault. “It depends on level of cooperation with the source of information, on type of questions and on the way information is presented. Very often journalists change the original idea in their favor and sources of information refuse to cooperate with such reporters in the future,” she said.
