Synopsis of the paper presented to the EAMF Conference by Professor Johann Fritz, Director of the International Press Institute, Vienna

Kyrgyzstan: Since 1995 the political situation has been increasingly tense and less tolerant of political opposition. There are some 40 to 50 independent local and national newspapers and magazines. All newspapers haveto be printed in Uchkun, the state publishing company, which has the power to delay or even cancel printing of certain issues of newspapers. All media must be registered; libel is a criminal offence, while there is widespread intimidation ofthe media.

Tajikistan: Some topics are taboo, including criticism of the president and the ruling party. Independent journalists are threatened with removal of accreditation, denial of access to state printing facilities, violence and the closure of media outlets. Self-censorship is widespread. Many independent newspapers are linked to political parties, others avoid serious coverage. Private television stations must use official studios.
Turkmenistan: Media continues to be one of the most heavily controlled in the region. The government exercises censorship, controls all broadcast media and funds all print media. Access to foreign media is severely restricted. Party officials hold key positions in main publications and broadcast outlets. The government revokedthe licences of all Internet service providers, leaving only the state-owned Turkmentelekom to provide Internet access

Uzbekistan: In 2000, the Uzbek parliament passed a law making it illegal for journalists to report on a number of topics and giving authorities power to restrict the dissemination of information that could be deemed beneficial to its opponents. Thus, it has become almost impossible for journalists to report on any information notprovided by parliament. An independent press is virtually non-existent.

Kazakhstan: Perceived as one of the more tolerant countries in Central Asia but such a label is relative. In May 2001, a number of restrictive amendments to the media law were passed, defining any unofficial information as "unreliable". The law requires all media to register with the government, with no appeals process if registration is denied. The government widely uses tax authorities to bankrupt independent media.