OSCE media freedom representative asks new Russian President to address media freedom challenges
VIENNA, 7 May 2008 - Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, congratulated Dmitry Medvedev on his assuming the Presidency of the Russian Federation today, and asked him to undertake a series of measures to improve the media freedom situation in his country.
"With your political guidance, support and personal engagement, the Russian authorities could greatly contribute to a much-needed improvement in your country's compliance with the OSCE's press freedom commitments," Haraszti said in a letter addressed to President Medvedev that was also sent to Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov yesterday.
The Representative provided the new Presidency a summary of the outstanding concerns which he has raised with Russia in recent years, with recommendations for addressing them:
- Carry out full, independent and transparent investigations into the unresolved murders and deaths of journalists;
- Work to prevent administrative harassment of journalists and media outlets, especially by the regional authorities;
- De-monopolize media ownership, with reforms disallowing state companies to own media outlets;
- Enhance pluralism in the broadcast media by establishing an independent licensing mechanism;
- Revise the recent legal amendments that use a vaguely-defined concept of 'extremism' that in practice may prevent the media from tackling sensitive topics;
- Take back the power given to government bodies to issue warnings to media outlets for 'misuse of media freedom', based on which the courts can be asked to close media outlets;
- De-criminalize defamation to bring Russian legislation in line with the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights;
- Facilitate journalists' unhindered media coverage of demonstrations, even if unsanctioned;
- Assist media workers who have been forced to live and work outside of the country to return to Russia to pursue their journalistic activities.
"I acknowledge the tremendous responsibility coming with your high assignment, and assure you of the continuing willingness of my Office to co-operate with the Government of the Russian Federation, to assist it to maintain and augment media freedoms," said Haraszti.