DUSHANBE, May 2, 2014, Asia-Plus -- A republican conference formally titled “Freedom of Media in Tajikistan: Achievements and Challenges” is taking place in Dushanbe tomorrow on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day.

Organized by the Media Council of Tajikistan, the National Association of Independent Media of Tajikistan (Nansmit) and Tajik Journalists’ Union in partnership with local media organizations and a number of diplomatic missions and international organizations under support of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan, the Delegation of the European Union to Tajikistan and the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR)’s Office in Tajikistan, the event is expected to bring together more than 100 participants, including heads and representatives of media organizations, experts, representatives of government bodies, civil society, diplomatic missions and international organizations active in Tajikistan.

Head of the Media Council, Qironshoh Sharifzoda, says  the main objective of the conference is in analyzing achievements, problems and perspectives of Tajik media and working out recommendations for development of freedom of the press in the country.

The conference participants will discuss the following themes: 1) modern challenges for press freedom; and 2) criminal proceedings instituted against media: circumstances and recommendations.

The United Nations General Assembly declared May 3 to be World Press Freedom Day 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.