Newsroom
Press statements of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
OSCE media freedom representative welcomes Ireland's decriminalization of defamation, calls for crime of 'blasphemy' to be abolished
Publishing date: 12 January 2010
What we do: Decriminalization of defamation, Media laws
Location: Ireland
VIENNA, 12 January 2010- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti, today welcomed Ireland's amended Defamation Act which went into effect at the start of the year, but criticized the introduction of a new "blasphemy" provision...
OSCE representative urges South Caucasus governments to champion media freedom and pluralism following OSCE conference, meetings in Georgia
Publishing date: 23 November 2009
What we do: Decriminalization of defamation, Media laws, Media pluralism
VIENNA, 23 November 2009- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti, welcomed today increasing media independence in Georgia and backed calls for pluralistic licensing and media ownership transparency in the South Caucasus...
OSCE media freedom watchdog welcomes United Kingdom's decriminalization of defamation, urges other states to follow
Publishing date: 17 November 2009
What we do: Decriminalization of defamation
Location: United Kingdom
VIENNA, 17 November 2009- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti, commended the United Kingdom today for decriminalizing defamation...
OSCE media freedom representative deplores latest imprisonments of journalists for defamation in Azerbaijan, calls for urgent reform
Publishing date: 14 October 2009
What we do: Decriminalization of defamation, Democratization, Human rights, Rule of law, Safety of journalists
Location: Azerbaijan
VIENNA, 14 October 2009- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Miklos Haraszti condemned today recent criminal defamation trials in Azerbaijan which resulted in the conviction of five journalists, with two receiving prison sentences...
OSCE press freedom official offers Russian authorities co-operation on media freedom
Publishing date: 12 October 2009
What we do: Decriminalization of defamation, Human rights, Media freedom on the internet, Media laws, Safety of journalists
Location: Russia
VIENNA, 12 October 2009- Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, said today he has offered Russian authorities the co-operation of his office to tackle media freedom problems...
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media asks Italian prime minister to drop libel lawsuits against two Italian dailies
Publishing date: 20 September 2009
What we do: Decriminalization of defamation
Location: Italy
VIENNA, 20 September 2009- Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, urged Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi today to drop two civil libel lawsuits against daily newspapers La Repubblica and L'Unità...
OSCE media freedom representative expresses concern about Lithuanian public information law, welcomes authorities' co-operation on improving it
Publishing date: 4 September 2009
What we do: Decriminalization of defamation, Democratization, Media laws
Location: Lithuania
VIENNA, 4 September 2009- Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, expressed concern today that a recently amended law that aims to protect minors is so vague that it will restrict legitimate media content...
OSCE media freedom representative welcomes Irish draft law decriminalizing libel, asks to drop 'blasphemous libel'
Publishing date: 19 May 2009
What we do: Decriminalization of defamation
Location: Ireland
VIENNA, 19 May 2009- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti, welcomed today the Irish Parliament's move to decriminalize defamation but warned that a proposed article on blasphemous libel risked jeopardizing OSCE commitments...
OSCE media freedom representative welcomes Romania's legal reform, urges open discussion of speech offence provisions
Publishing date: 30 April 2009
What we do: Decriminalization of defamation, Hate speech
Location: Romania
VIENNA, 30 April 2009- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti, met Romanian Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu today...
OSCE media freedom watchdog urges Czech President to veto criminal provisions curtailing media freedom
Publishing date: 11 February 2009
What we do: Decriminalization of defamation, Media laws, Media pluralism
Location: Czech Republic
VIENNA, 11 February 2009- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti, today called on Czech President Vaclav Klaus to veto the draft criminal code and request Parliament to change provisions that threaten media freedom...