DUSHANBE, September 21, 2012, Asia-Plus — To protect rights and interests of media and ensure solidarity of journalists of Tajikistan, heads of media and media organizations of Tajikistan have worked out a plan of actions to protect rights and interests of journalists, the National Association of Independent Media of Tajikistan (Nansmit) reports.
The plan, in particular, includes meetings with senior representatives of the power-wielding structures of the country and applications to the Prosecutor-General’s Office regarding improper treatment by law enforcement officers of journalists.
Incidents that took place in Dushanbe on September 6 during a march of vendors who lost their goods in a Korvon marketplace fire have reportedly given the rise to this action. At least nine instances of violation of professional rights of Tajik journalists were recorded during the coverage of the Korvon vendors’ march, Nansmit said.
The plan also provides for conducting an action, dubbed “100 Days of Freedom in Tajnet.” This action stipulates holding online events in Tajnet, posting modular advertising materials on social networking sites, airing public service announcements (PSAs) on radio, creating banners for all media, general avatar for journalists for 100 days, etc.
Media organizations also plan to carry out individual work with managers of all Internet-cafes, release elucidative leaflets, hold roundtables, and so forth.
Media organizations also plan to lodge application to the Constitutional Court regarding pre-trial blockage of access to websites.
The plan of actions also provides for working out recommendations on how journalists must behave in extreme situations.
