OSCE media freedom representative’s office to participate in events marking International Day to End Impunity

The Director of the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Andrey Rikhter, and Principal Adviser Roland Bless will take part in activities marking International Day to End Impunity on 23 November 2011 in Vienna.

The Austrian Foreign Ministry, along with two international organizations dedicated to the protection of journalists, the International Press Institute (IPI) based in Vienna and the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX), are hosting events to bring attention to the plight of journalists who face attacks at an ever-increasing rate while doing their jobs.

Bless will take part in discussions intended to discover a more effective way to protect journalists worldwide.

Rikhter will take part in the webcast of an online Q&A session "A Conversation on Impunity" together with IPI Executive Director Alison Bethel McKenzie and experts from Colombia, Mexico and the Philippines. This is a joint initiative of IPI and IFEX.

The panel also will include Alison Bethel McKenzie, Executive Director of the International Press Institute, Andrés Morales, Executive Director, Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa, Colombia, Melinda Quintos de Jesus, Center for Media Freedom and Responsibilities, Philippines and Darío Ramírez, Director, ARTICLE 19 Mexico and Central America.

The session participants will answer viewer questions and debate the issue of impunity in crimes against journalists.

Viewers can pose questions to the panel by going to Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/International.Day.to.End.Impunity or by participating in the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #askIDEI.

Questions can be submitted during the show, which can be viewed beginning at 18:30 at www.freemedia.at or by visiting http://www.daytoendimpunity.org/live

International Day to End Impunity is an initiative by IFEX launched as a call to action to demand justice for those who have been killed for exercising their right to freedom of expression and shed light on the issue of impunity.