Journalism without celebration. Press Freedom Day observed in Dushanbe
On May 4, a conference dedicated to World Press Freedom Day was held in Dushanbe. This event, organized under the title «Shaping a Peaceful Future: Promoting Press Freedom for Human Rights, Development, and Security,» was intended to reflect the real picture of freedom of expression in the country. However, as participants and observers noted, many fundamental problems of Tajik journalism remained unaddressed.
The conference began with speeches from diplomats and government representatives. This was followed by two group sessions: one on new technologies and artificial intelligence in journalism, and the other on current media issues in Tajikistan and the world.
As part of the conference, seven roundtables were organized on topics such as journalistic ethics, legal safety of journalists, journalism education, digital literacy, the role of women in media, and access to official information. However, according to participants, all these discussions seemed more like attempts to avoid pressing issues.
The presence of independent media is a sign of a country’s strengthIn his speech, Deputy Head of the Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, Saidjon Shafizoda, noted that the press is a «powerful spiritual force and a reliable partner of the state.» He stated that hundreds of newspapers, magazines, television, and radio channels «freely operate» in the country, and the government pursues a policy of information transparency.
Radosław Darski, the Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Union to Tajikistan, noted in his speech that Tajikistan ranks 150th in the 2026 Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, reflecting the real problems journalists face daily.
Darski urged the government of Tajikistan to review the cases of imprisoned journalists and protect press freedom within existing laws.
He also announced that the European Union is allocating 15 million euros to support independent media, journalistic investigations, and urgent assistance to journalists.
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) Jan Braathu stated that press freedom is the foundation of democracy, and the presence of independent media in a country is a sign of strength, not weakness. He emphasized that the gap between commitments and their implementation is widening but did not mention specific problems of Tajik journalists.
The conference began with speeches from diplomats and government representatives. This was followed by two group sessions: one on new technologies and artificial intelligence in journalism, and the other on current media issues in Tajikistan and the world.
As part of the conference, seven roundtables were organized on topics such as journalistic ethics, legal safety of journalists, journalism education, digital literacy, the role of women in media, and access to official information. However, according to participants, all these discussions seemed more like attempts to avoid pressing issues.
The presence of independent media is a sign of a country’s strengthIn his speech, Deputy Head of the Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, Saidjon Shafizoda, noted that the press is a «powerful spiritual force and a reliable partner of the state.» He stated that hundreds of newspapers, magazines, television, and radio channels «freely operate» in the country, and the government pursues a policy of information transparency.
Radosław Darski, the Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Union to Tajikistan, noted in his speech that Tajikistan ranks 150th in the 2026 Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, reflecting the real problems journalists face daily.
Darski urged the government of Tajikistan to review the cases of imprisoned journalists and protect press freedom within existing laws.
He also announced that the European Union is allocating 15 million euros to support independent media, journalistic investigations, and urgent assistance to journalists.
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) Jan Braathu stated that press freedom is the foundation of democracy, and the presence of independent media in a country is a sign of strength, not weakness. He emphasized that the gap between commitments and their implementation is widening but did not mention specific problems of Tajik journalists.
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