OSCE Centre in Bishkek holds discussion of media legislation developments

Freedom, responsibility and challenges for the media following the adoption of new legislation were the focus of an OSCE-organized roundtable discussion that took place on 27 June 2012 in Bishkek.

Main topics of the discussion included Kyrgyzstan’s legislation related to mass media, such as Media Law, Criminal and Administrative Codes, Law on Professional Activity of a Journalist, Law on Access to Information; aspects of responsibility of journalists and ethical principles, as well as further steps towards the development of free and responsible media in the country through legal mechanisms. Participants also discussed matters related to the status of Internet media and analyzed case studies based on publications in online media.

The event moderated by an international expert in media legislation brought together more than 20 participants, including members of Parliament, representatives of civil society and journalists. They discussed the challenges media in Kyrgyzstan have faced during the recent two years, related notably to the development of the legal framework and the practice of implementation of international standards.

“The OSCE promotes freedom media as one of the core elements of a democratic society,” said Ross Brown, the Head of Politico-Military Unit of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek. “This meeting is a place to discuss implementation of the national legislation and international standards to safeguard media freedom.”

The meeting was part of the OSCE Centre’s media development programme aimed at supporting media freedom and developing institutions.