But to everyone's surprise, the visit ended up establishing good relations with the police press office. In nations venturing on the precarious journey to democracy, support for the development of a vibrant, professional, and free media sector is vital. A range of independent media outlets is critically important to holding free and fair elections. A plurality of voices, providing a broad spectrum of information and opinions, is the cornerstone of a pluralistic democracy, empowering people at the grassroots level.
Independent media are also essential to exposing corruption, fraud and waste.
By shining a spotlight on governance, they hold political leaders accountable to their constituents. Publicizing problems in a community can galvanize citizens into action. It also encourages good government by teaching journalists to report on corruption and by giving them experience producing such pieces. In a victory for media rights in the Kyrgyz Republic, a journalist is finally free after spending a month in jail. He had written an article for a newspaper that reported on a bribe allegedly paid to a judge.