OSCE supports training on safety of journalists

The OSCE Centre in Bishkek in co-operation with the Kyrgyz Ministry of Interior conducted two one-day training sessions for media representatives on journalists’ safety during reporting on political and social unrest. The trainings were held on 6 July in Bishkek and on 7 July in Osh.

The training seminars aimed at enhancing capacities of the Kyrgyz police press services in establishing effective communication with media representatives and taught journalists how to observe their safety in different situations. Some 30 representatives of mass media across Kyrgyzstan participated in the workshops and the OSCE-supported trainer provided guidelines for media and police officers on how to behave at rallies, pickets and mass actions.

“We believe this training helped to enhance the capacity of local journalists on their safety during reporting on various unexpected situations in the country. The knowledge they obtained will significantly contribute to the public’s safety”, said Victor Sotchi, the head of the Police Affairs at the OSCE Centre in Bishkek.

According to Rysbek Mombekov, deputy head of the interior ministry department in the city of Osh and in the Osh region, “During peaceful actions, demonstrations or riots journalists covering them often end up in a potentially dangerous situation caught between police and protesters. Our recommendations will help journalists to report on the events and stay safe”.

“This training gave journalists an opportunity to talk more with the police representatives, and we learned how to cover mass events to ensure our own security”, said Bauzhar Kalmatova, a journalist from Osh.

The training was organized as part of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek’s project “Assistance to Police Structural, Legal and Educational Reforms in Kyrgyzstan.”