OSCE media freedom watchdog calls for amendments to the media law in Kazakhstan

VIENNA, 28 September 2005 - Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, has sent a legal review of the draft media law of Kazakhstan to the Congress of Journalists of this Central Asian Republic.

The OSCE Representative has offered recommendations on how to improve the draft and expressed hope that his views will be taken into account by the Congress and by the country's Parliament which will discuss the draft in coming days.

"The new law can help improve media freedom in Kazakhstan and provide for better protection of journalists rights," Haraszti said.

He stressed the importance of a society being able to participate in the discussion on new laws saying: "Our goal is to have an all-inclusive and transparent debate that will help liberalize the Kazakhstani media and ensure its pluralism."

The Representative has been involved in the media legislation review process in Kazakhstan for several years, and has provided comments on previous drafts that are available on his Office's website www.osce.org/fom.

He plans to visit Kazakhstan in October for meetings with senior government officials. He will also open the 7th Central Asian Media Conference, which will bring together journalists from across the region.