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CASCFEN TO HOLD FIRST CONFERENCE IN MARCH 2003

The Central Asian and Southern Caucasus Freedom of Expression Network (CASCFEN) will hold its first general meeting and conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, next March, where it will officially launch a founding declaration, plan future activities and present country reports on the state of press freedom in Central Asia.

The meeting will be hosted by the Journalists' Trade Union (JuHI) and take place from 18 to 20 March 2003. It is being sponsored by the Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation in Azerbaijan and is open to all national and regional groups interested in press freedom and freedom of expression.

CASCFEN's members include the Independent Association of Georgian Journalists, Kazakhstan's International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech "Adil Soz", the Kyrgyzstan-based Public Association "Journalists" and Tajikistan's National Association of Independent Mass Media.

According to the preliminary agenda, the first day of the conference will be devoted to launching a founding declaration and constitution for CASCFEN, and establishing basic principles and planning directions for the network.

Day two will focus on the presentation of country reports on press freedom in Central Asia, including a comparison of each country's media laws. The final day will be spent discussing press freedom campaigns, international cooperation and freelance journalism.

For more information, contact Azer H. Hasret of JuHI by E-mail at
cascfen@juhiaz.org or Tel: +994 50 335 2795.

Visit these links:

- CASCFEN:
www.cascfen.org


- JuHI:
www.juhiaz.org


- OSCE Report on Press Freedom in Central Asia:
www.osce.org/fom