DUSHANBE, May 3, 2013, Asia-Plus – A republican conference to discuss state and prospects of freedom of media in Tajikistan has opened in Dushanbe today.

Organized by the Tajik Media Council and other media organizations of Tajikistan under support of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan, the conference is discussing issues related to the ethics of journalism, legislative problem and lawsuits filed against media as well as problems of shift to digital broadcasting.

The conference is being held on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day (WPFD), which is celebrated today.

The United Nations General Assembly declared May 3 to be WPFD or just World Press Day to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and marking the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek, a statement of free press principles put together by African newspaper journalists in 1991.

UNESCO marks WPFD by conferring the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize on a deserving individual, organization or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defense and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially when this has been achieved in the face of danger.  Created in 1997, the prize is awarded on the recommendation of an independent jury of 14 news professionals.  Names are submitted by regional and international non-governmental organizations working for press freedom, and by UNESCO member states.

WPFD 2013 focuses on the theme of “Safe to Speak: Securing Freedom of Expression in All Media” and puts the spotlight in particular on the issues of safety of journalists, combating impunity for crimes against freedom of expression, and securing a free and open Internet as the precondition for  safety online.