Free and independent media are vital for strong democracies and our common security, OSCE leaders say

VIENNA, 17 March 2025 – Independent media are essential in providing factual, unbiased reporting that counters propaganda, promotes informed public debate and ensures accountability, OSCE leaders said at the opening of a two-day conference to discuss the role of media in conflict and humanitarian crises against the background of international law today.

Organized by the 2025 Finnish OSCE Chairpersonship, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the event brings together OSCE participating States, international organizations, civil society, and the media. Almost 250 participants from across the OSCE region will focus on the importance of free and independent media for strengthening democracy as well as achieving sustainable and collective security. 

Ambassador Vesa Häkkinen, Finland's Permanent Representative to the OSCE and Chair of the Permanent Council, emphasized that the media and journalists not only documents possible violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law but also contributes to accountability, often at great personal risk. “We must also be ready to respond to the challenges in this fast-evolving media and information landscape. Building societal resilience through media and digital literacy is essential for strengthening security and providing an effective response to disinformation.”

During humanitarian crises and armed conflict, journalists are at the forefront, delivering essential information directly from the ground and contributing to accountability efforts. By upholding journalistic integrity and amplifying diverse perspectives, they act as a safeguard against information disorder, contribute to conflict resolution and peacebuilding. However, despite legal safeguards designed to protect them, journalists continue to be harassed, tortured, imprisoned and even killed for doing their jobs.

“I urge all participating States to follow up on their commitments to uphold international humanitarian and human rights law and OSCE commitments, so as to ensure that no journalist is targeted, silenced or killed for doing their job, also in war zones,” said OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Jan Braathu. “The safety of journalists is the safety of our democratic values, and I will continue to stand firm in defence of both.”

The OSCE has long recognised that free media and the protection of journalists are integral elements of comprehensive security. International humanitarian law, or the law of war, stipulates that journalists covering armed conflicts are recognised as civilians, and this protects them from deliberate attacks as they are not combatants.

“As we witness violations of international law continuing to take place in the heart of our region, the work of free and independent media is more important than ever,” said ODIHR Deputy Director Tea Jaliashvilli. “By keeping the public informed of developments on the ground, the media supports the documentation of violations of international humanitarian and international human rights law and therefore makes a vital contribution to ensuring perpetrators are held accountable for their crimes.”

The fundamental role of the free flow of information has been emphasised by the OSCE participating States since the organisation’s inception, and states have affirmed their commitment to create an environment in which journalists can work freely and without fear. States have also committed to “respect and ensure respect for general international humanitarian law” and stated that “those who violate international humanitarian law are held personally accountable.”

Supplementary Human Dimension Meetings are a platform for the OSCE’s participating States and OSCE institutions, as well as international organizations and civil society, to exchange views and good practices in order to find common solutions for the challenges facing societies across the OSCE region. Today’s discussion is the first SHDM of 2025, with two more planned for this year.