OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media visits Tajikistan for World Press Freedom Day engagements and strategic dialogue on journalism, media resilience and artificial intelligence

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), Ambassador Jan Braathu, visited Tajikistan from 3 to 7 May 2026 to participate in World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) events organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (POiD) and to hold a series of meetings with government representatives, media outlets, journalists, civil society and academia.

The visit focused on current media developments in Tajikistan and across the wider OSCE region, journalism ethics and education, media literacy, artificial intelligence (AI), safety of journalists, access to information and the impact of digital transformation on the information environment.

Speaking at the opening of the WPFD conference in Dushanbe, the RFoM stressed that media freedom is not a by-product of democracy but one of its foundations and a condition for security itself. He underlined that resilient information environments supported by diverse, independent and ethical media are essential for countering disinformation, sustaining public trust and strengthening democratic resilience in times of geopolitical tension and rapid technological change.

The WPFD conference brought together representatives of government institutions, journalists, civil society, academia and international organisations to discuss media freedom, journalism ethics, digital transformation, safety of journalists, media literacy and journalism education.

During the visit, the RFoM also opened a workshop on journalism curriculum reform with representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science, journalism faculties and media professionals. Discussions focused on modernising journalism education, strengthening practical training, media ethics, digital skills and media literacy, and improving links between universities and professional media outlets. The RFoM stressed that journalism education is one of the foundations of media freedom and highlighted the importance of preparing future journalists to navigate challenges linked to platforms, disinformation, artificial intelligence and changing information consumption patterns.

As part of the programme, the RFoM Office conducted a briefing on the RFoM Policy Manual on Safeguarding Media Freedom in the Age of Big Tech and AI for representatives of the Parliament of Tajikistan, the Agency for Innovation, including the AI Council, civil society and academia. Discussions focused on AI governance, human rights, media freedom and regional co-operation. The RFoM Office is currently working on a regional implementation roadmap for Central Asia and agreed to continue co-operation with stakeholders in Tajikistan in this field. Participants also discussed Tajikistan’s broader interest in positioning itself as a regional AI hub and ongoing discussions on AI-related legislation, including the importance of ensuring that future frameworks are grounded in human rights, the rule of law and the public interest.

The RFoM held a bilateral meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister Idibek Kalandar. Discussions focused on media literacy, journalism education, AI governance, digital transformation and challenges related to extremism and disinformation. The Deputy Foreign Minister reiterated Tajikistan’s commitment to OSCE principles and welcomed continued co-operation with the RFoM Office, particularly on journalism education, responsible media practices and AI-related initiatives. Both sides underlined the importance of dialogue and practical co-operation in addressing shared challenges across the OSCE region.

During the visit, the RFoM also met with representatives of media outlets and media stakeholders, including Asia-Plus Director Umed Bobokhonov, Nuriddin Karshiboev, Chairman of the National Association of Independent Media of Tajikistan (NANSMIT), Subhiddin Shamsiddinzoda, Director of the State News Agency Khovar, and Sadriddin Shamsuddinzoda, Director of Safina Television. Discussions focused on the operating environment for journalists, media regulation, access to information, safety of journalists, journalism education, media ethics, digital transformation, AI and the role of media literacy in strengthening public resilience and trust in media.

The visit was organized in close co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe and with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan.