OSCE media freedom representative, in speech at U.S. Helsinki Commission, condemns murders and imprisonment of journalists

WASHINGTON, 9 June 2010 – Dunja Mijatovic, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, called on governments to denounce violence against journalists, to release imprisoned journalists and to better protect media freedom on the Internet in a speech delivered today at the U.S. Helsinki Commission.

"Violence against journalists and imprisonment for defamation and other journalistic mistakes have a threatening effect on journalism," Mijatovic said.

“There is no true press freedom as long as journalists have to fear for their lives while performing their work. OSCE commitments oblige all participating States to provide safety for their journalists. I ask the OSCE governments to strongly denounce and punish violent attacks against journalists, to refrain from using imprisonment as a punishment for written or spoken words and to bring their legislation in line with international standards on free expression.”

Mijatovic condemned murders of journalists in Azerbaijan, Croatia, Kyrgyzstan, Montenegro, the Russian Federation, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine. She also criticized the imprisonment of journalists in several OSCE participating States, including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

She also called on participating States to safeguard and enhance media pluralism and the free flow of information on the Internet, saying that numerous participating States suppress Internet freedom and restrict access to information. She also called on countries to use the opportunities presented by the switchover from analogue to digital terrestrial broadcasting.

With regards to the United States, she called for the adoption of a federal shield law that would allow journalists to protect confidential sources, saying that imprisoning journalists who refuse to reveal the identity of their sources hindered investigative journalism.

“This reform would send a very strong message to protect media freedom beyond the borders of the United States. We need such a signal," Mijatovic said.

“There is no true press freedom as long as journalists have to fear for their lives while performing their work. OSCE commitments oblige all participating States to provide safety for their journalists. I ask the OSCE governments to strongly denounce and punish violent attacks against journalists, to refrain from using imprisonment as a punishment for written or spoken words and to bring their legislation in line with international standards on free expression.”

Mijatovic condemned murders of journalists in Azerbaijan, Croatia, Kyrgyzstan, Montenegro, the Russian Federation, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine. She also criticized the imprisonment of journalists in several OSCE participating States, including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

She also called on participating States to safeguard and enhance media pluralism and the free flow of information on the Internet, saying that numerous participating States suppress Internet freedom and restrict access to information. She also called on countries to use the opportunities presented by the switchover from analogue to digital terrestrial broadcasting.

With regards to the United States, she called for the adoption of a federal shield law that would allow journalists to protect confidential sources, saying that imprisoning journalists who refuse to reveal the identity of their sources hindered investigative journalism.

“This reform would send a very strong message to protect media freedom beyond the borders of the United States. We need such a signal," Mijatovic said.