KHOROG, December 30, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- A trial issue of the newspaper Journalist prepared by students from Khorog State University has been brought out in Khorog, Gorno Badakhshan.

This issue is the result of efforts taken by local NGO Journalist and 15 students from the Faculty of Philology at Khorog State University, the Journalist head and lecturer with Khorog University Mirzojalol Shojamolov noted.

“The newspaper has been published within the framework of the project, The Professional Development of Journalists, which is funded by the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe,” Shojamolov said, noting that earlier, the project had supported training of local students in preparing informational products and audio materials for the GBAO media.

In the meantime, the third-year student with Khorog University Izaura Asanova said, “Independent media are not yet well-developed in the region and the majority of media in Gorno Badakhshan are under control of local authorities.  This issue is our attempt to freely express our opinion of what is currently going on in the region and draw attention of others to the profession of journalism,”