Press statements of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
OSCE Media Freedom Representative worried about media bans imposed by Turkey’s Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK)
Publishing date: 5 May 2020
VIENNA, 5 May 2020 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his concern today about the ban that Turkey’s Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has imposed on several media outlets in recent weeks...
OSCE Media Freedom Representative and OSCE Head of Mission to Serbia welcome reversal by Serbian Government of decision on public information
Publishing date: 2 April 2020
VIENNA/BELGRADE, 2 April 2020 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, and the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Andrea Orizio, welcomed today the reversal by the Serbian Government on the decision on public information during the current health emergency...
OSCE Media Freedom Representative Désir calls on Ukrainian Government not to cut budget of public service broadcaster
Publishing date: 31 March 2020
VIENNA, 31 March 2020 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, called today on the Ukrainian Government not to cut the budget of the public broadcasting company of Ukraine, UA:PBC...
OSCE Media Freedom Representative urges Turkey to lift advertising ban on Evrensel daily newspaper and protect media pluralism in the country
Publishing date: 24 March 2020
VIENNA, 24 March 2020- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, voiced his concern today regarding the advertising ban imposed by the Press Advertising Agency (BİK) on the Evrensel daily newspaper. Désir made his call ahead of the newspaper facing the deadline for regaining the right to publish public advertisements, which expires on 28 March 2020.
OSCE Media Freedom Representative highly concerned by absence of N1 from Telekom Serbia network
Publishing date: 7 February 2020
VIENNA, 7 February 2020 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his concern today over the absence of the independent media outlet N1 among channels offered by cable operators affiliated with the Telekom Serbia network. Telekom Serbia is a joint stock company predominantly owned by the state.
OSCE Media Freedom Representative and OSCE Head of Mission to Serbia welcome adoption of Serbian Media Strategy
Publishing date: 31 January 2020
VIENNA / BELGRADE, 31 January 2020 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, and the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Andrea Orizio, welcomed yesterday’s adoption of the new Strategy for the Development of the Public Information System in Serbia...
OSCE Media Freedom Representative welcomes release of Sentsov, Sushchenko and Vyshinsky, thanks both countries for this achievement
Publishing date: 7 September 2019
VIENNA, 7 September 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, welcomed today’s release of Ukrainian film director and writer Oleg Sentsov from Crimea, of the correspondent of the Ukrainian National News Agency, Ukrinform, Roman Sushchenko, and of journalist Kirill Vyshinsky, the chief of the RIA Novosti Ukraina office in Kyiv, as a result of the exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine...
OSCE Media Freedom Representative raises concern and calls to end blocking of Bianet and other social media and news sites in Turkey
Publishing date: 6 August 2019
VIENNA, 6 August 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his deep concern today regarding the court ruling that blocked access to 136 news sites and social media accounts in Turkey, following a request made by the Gendarmerie General Command...
Concluding official visit to Turkey, OSCE Media Freedom Representative calls on authorities to urgently reverse the course of media freedom violations
Publishing date: 14 June 2019
ISTANBUL, 14 June 2019- Concluding his four-day official visit to Turkey, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today called on the Turkish authorities to urgently address and reverse current media freedom violations and pressure that journalists face.
High fine threatening closure of online Russian news outlet is detrimental to freedom of media, says OSCE media freedom representative
Publishing date: 27 October 2018
VIENNA, 27 October 2018- Today, following a court decision to impose an extremely high fine on The New Times online news outlet, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, called on authorities of the Russian Federation to protect freedom of the media and preserve pluralism of opinion in the country as an essential element of an open and democratic society.