Press statements of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
OSCE media Representative concerned by detention of journalists in Belarus, calls on authorities to ensure right of media to cover public gatherings
Publishing date: 20 June 2020
VIENNA, 20 June 2020 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his concern over a series of detentions of journalists on 19 June, who were covering public gatherings in Belarus.
OSCE Media Freedom Representative calls for the release of four sentenced journalists in Belarus
Publishing date: 12 May 2020
VIENNA, 12 May 2020 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his concerns and denounced today the detention and imprisonment of journalists and freelance reporters for ‘participating in unauthorized events’ in Belarus. He calls for their immediate release...
OSCE Media Freedom Representative expresses deep concern about detention of journalist Serguey Satsouk in Belarus
Publishing date: 26 March 2020
VIENNA, 26 March 2020 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his deep concern today about the detention of Serguey Satsouk, director and editor of the news website Ezhednevnik (ej.by) in Belarus, reportedly because of his earlier investigations into alleged corruption by the Ministry of Health Protection...
OSCE Representative denounces search of Belsat TV channel editorial office in Belarus, calls for respect for confidentiality of journalists’ sources
Publishing date: 10 April 2019
VIENNA, 10 April 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, denounced the search conducted on 9 April in the editorial office of the Belsat TV channel in Minsk, Belarus. He called on the authorities to exercise restraint in bringing libel charges against media and journalists, and reiterated his call on the authorities to decriminalize defamation.
OSCE Media Freedom Representative concludes official visit to Belarus, encourages reform of media freedom environment
Publishing date: 20 March 2019
MINSK, 20 March 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today concluded a three-day official visit to Minsk. In his discussions with the Belarusian authorities, he called on the government to undertake the reforms necessary for developing a more favourable and pluralistic media environment...
OSCE Representative concerned over measures against independent media outlets in Belarus, calls on authorities to release detained journalists
Publishing date: 8 August 2018
VIENNA, 8 August 2018 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today expressed serious concern over the detention of journalists with the Belarusian Tut.by and BelaPAN news agencies, as well as raids of newsrooms and journalists’ homes by law enforcement agents, and the seizure of their equipment...
Legislative amendments further restrict media in Belarus, says OSCE media freedom representative
Publishing date: 18 June 2018
VIENNA, 18 June 2018 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today expressed concern following the adoption of legislative amendments in Belarus which further restrict media activities in the country. The amendments affect the work of national mass media, internet resources, and foreign media outlets.
Belarus’s practice of penalizing journalists without accreditation is detrimental to media freedom, says OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
Publishing date: 8 May 2018
VIENNA, 8 May 2018 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today expressed his continued disappointment and concern regarding the ongoing practice of imposing penalties on journalists working without accreditation in Belarus...
Repeated blocking of websites in Belarus a worrying trend, says OSCE media freedom representative
Publishing date: 26 January 2018
VIENNA, 26 January 2018 – Following the blocking of Charter97.org in Belarus, a popular website on current affairs in the country, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today called on the authorities to ensure unrestricted access to the Internet...
