OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media addresses writers from around the world at 80th PEN Congress
In a keynote speech opening the 80th PEN International Congress in Bishkek, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, emphasized free media and free expression as vital instruments for a secure and peaceful world.
“Behind the establishment of the Office of the Representative on Freedom of the Media stands the conviction that security, peace and stability are directly interrelated to the observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, in particular the rights of free expression and free media. The underpinning notion being that free media and free expression are essential components of a secure, peaceful world,” Mijatović said in her speech to writers from around the world.
“Literature, free speech and free media are a ‘common currency’ as the PEN Charter puts it, through which we connect and reach out to each other, through which we learn about the other side of the coin and learn to bridge divides,” Mijatović said.
Mijatović also participated in the panel on criminal defamation at the Congress. The discussion aimed to assess how laws impact the freedom of expression today and what should be done to strike out defamation provisions from criminal codes.
During her visit to Bishkek Mijatović met with Natalia Nikitenko, the Chairman of the Committee for Human Rights, Constitutional Legislation and State Structure, and Kanybek Osmonaliev, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science, Religion and Sport of the Kyrgyzstan’s parliament, to discuss media-related law-making.
More information on the 80th PEN International Congress is available at http://en.pencongressbishkek.kg/
The Representative’s keynote speech from the opening of the congress is available at //www.osce.org/fom/124612