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Press statements of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media

OSCE Representative on Freedom of Media concerned about blocking of website in Tajikistan

Publishing date: 29 May 2020
What we do: Media freedom on the internet
VIENNA, 29 May 2020 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his concern today about Tajikistan’s Supreme Court ruling to block access to the Akhbor.com news site in the country on the grounds of providing a platform to “terrorist and extremist organizations”...

Сoronavirus response should not impede the work of the media in Russia, says OSCE Media Freedom Representative

Publishing date: 24 March 2020
What we do: Media freedom on the internet
Location: Russia
VIENNA, 24 March 2020 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his concerns today about recent interferences regarding media content by the media regulatory agency in Russia, Roskomnadzor, in the context of the fight against disinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

OSCE Media Freedom Representative welcomes the end of ban on Wikipedia in Turkey, a victory for access to information

Publishing date: 16 January 2020
What we do: Media freedom on the internet
Location: Turkey
VIENNA, 16 January 2020- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, welcomed yesterday’s decision by a court in Turkey to lift the ban on Wikipedia.

Ukrainian court ruling goes against freedom of expression, states OSCE Media Freedom Representative

Publishing date: 7 August 2019
What we do: Media freedom on the internet, Media self-regulation
Location: Ukraine
VIENNA, 7 August 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his disappointment today at a court ruling in Ukraine fining Hromadske TV for branding a nationalist organization as “neo-Nazi”...

OSCE Media Freedom Representative calls on Turkey to end criminal prosecution of journalists, following latest conviction of a journalist to 6 years and 3 months in prison

Publishing date: 21 June 2019
What we do: Media freedom on the internet, Safety of journalists
Location: Turkey
VIENNA, 21 June 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today expressed his concern about the verdict of the Istanbul 26th High Criminal Court, which sentenced journalist Haşim Söylemez on charges of ‘aiding a terrorist organization without being a member’, to 6 years and 3 months in prison.

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
What we do: Decriminalization of defamation, Media freedom on the internet, Media laws, Media pluralism, Safety of journalists
Location: Turkey
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.

OSCE Media Freedom Representative welcomes landmark judgment in UK on protecting confidentiality of journalistic sources

Publishing date: 8 February 2019
What we do: Media freedom on the internet, Media laws
Location: United Kingdom
VIENNA, 8 February 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today welcomed a court decision in Northern Ireland recognizing journalists’ rights to protect the confidentiality of their sources...

OSCE Representative raises concerns regarding Ukrainian draft law to counter threats to national security in the information sphere

Publishing date: 6 July 2018
What we do: Media freedom on the internet, Media laws
Location: Ukraine
VIENNA, 6 July 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today raised concerns regarding the draft law “On changes to some legislative acts of Ukraine on countering threats to national security in the information sphere”, as it may endanger free access to information online...

Blocking of Telegram and legal restrictions on social networks will limit freedom of expression in Russia, says OSCE Representative Désir

Publishing date: 13 April 2018
What we do: Media freedom on the internet
Location: Russia
VIENNA, 13 April 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today expressed his concern about a court’s decision to block the Telegram messaging and social networking application in the Russian Federation...

OSCE Representative on Freedom of Media Harlem Désir welcomes launch of Reporters Without Borders self-regulation initiative to counter disinformation online

Publishing date: 3 April 2018
What we do: Media freedom on the internet, Media self-regulation
PARIS, 3 April 2018- Today the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, welcomed the launch by Reporters Without Borders and its Secretary General Christophe Deloire, the Agence France-Presse (AFP), the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the Global Editors Network (GEN) of a new self-regulation initiative to counter disinformation online and enhance transparency and trust in the media...