OSCE Centre in Bishkek launches training for journalists in southern Kyrgyzstan
JALAL-ABAD, 26 May 2010 - The first of two media training seminars organized by the OSCE Office in Bishkek for local journalists and human rights defenders in southern Kyrgyzstan started in Jalal-Abad today.
The two-day seminars on responsible reporting on political and inter-ethnic issues in southern Kyrgyzstan will be held in Jalal-Abad and Osh. The seminar in Osh is scheduled for 28 and 29 May. Both events aim to strengthen accurate, unbiased and balanced reporting by both local journalists and human rights defenders on the situation in Jalal-Abad and Osh. Participants will learn about international journalistic standards and best practices in covering crisis situations.
"Responsible, rapid and unbiased reporting is more critical than ever in light of recent events in southern Kyrgyzstan. The OSCE Centre in Bishkek is committed to supporting efforts to sustain political and inter-ethnic stability and prevent further violence through concrete actions, including this media training seminar," said Lilian Darii, the Deputy Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek.
The training sessions are being delivered by two leading Kyrgyz media experts with extensive experience in working as journalists for international media outlets, including the BBC and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Kyrgyz service, Azattyk. The trainers are drawn from both the ethnic Kyrgyz and ethnic Uzbek communities, representing both the northern and southern parts of the country, and will use three languages - Kyrgyz, Uzbek and Russian - to lead the interactive sessions. A manual on ethical standards in journalism will be provided by the trainers.
Media expert and trainer Sultan Jumagulov said: "Coverage of recent events in the south has resulted in some poor or even potentially harmful reporting. Some media and human rights activists have significantly departed from international reporting standards. The present training course aims to respond to this problem by providing clear guidelines on responsible, unbiased and ethical reporting."
The training seminars are organized by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek within the framework of the OSCE contingency funds package allocated on 29 April by the OSCE Permanent Council to support peace and stability in Kyrgyzstan.