Press statements of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
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...
OSCE Representative condemns police violence against journalist in Belarus and reiterates call on authorities to stop persecuting members of media
Publishing date: 27 January 2016
VIENNA, 27 January 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today condemned an attack against a journalist by police officers in Belarus, and called on the authorities to ensure journalists’ safety...
OSCE Representative congratulates Nobel Prize winning writer and journalist from Belarus
Publishing date: 9 October 2015
VIENNA, 9 October 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today congratulated Svetlana Alexievich for winning the Nobel Prize in Literature...
Practice of oppressing members of media in Belarus must change, OSCE Representative says
Publishing date: 3 April 2015
VIENNA, 3 April 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today reiterated her call on the Belarussian authorities to stop persecuting members of the media, following continued and repeated intimidations of journalists for doing their job...
New regulation and recent blockings threaten free speech on Internet in Belarus, says OSCE Representative
Publishing date: 22 December 2014
VIENNA, 22 December – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović said today that amendments tightening government control of the Internet in Belarus pose a major threat to free speech and free media. She also pointed to recent blockings of a number of news portals in the country...