Press statements of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
OSCE Representative denounces prison sentences for owners and general director of Hayatın Sesi TV in Turkey
Publishing date: 20 September 2018
VIENNA, 20 September 2018- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today denounced prison sentences handed out to the executives of the Hayatın Sesi TV channel in Turkey...
OSCE Representative condemns arrest of Austrian journalist Max Zirngast in Turkey, calls on authorities to immediately release him
Publishing date: 12 September 2018
WARSAW, 12 September 2018- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today strongly condemned the arrest of Austrian journalist Max Zirngast and the continued prosecution of journalists in Turkey.
Legal charges initiated by Turkey against Turkish Cypriot journalists Şener Levent and Ali Osman should be dropped, urges OSCE Representative
Publishing date: 2 August 2018
VIENNA, 2 August 2018 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir today in a letter to the Turkish authorities expressed his concern over recent judicial action launched by the country’s prosecution against two journalists of the Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika...
OSCE media freedom representative concerned over closure of three newspapers and one TV station in Turkey, calls on authorities to restore media pluralism
Publishing date: 9 July 2018
VIENNA, 9 July 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today expressed his concern regarding the law decree issued in Turkey on 8 July, which closed down three newspapers and one TV station, in a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu.
OSCE Representative urges Turkey to drop charges against editor and human rights lawyer Eren Keskin and other Özgür Gündem journalists
Publishing date: 7 May 2018
VIENNA, 7 May 2018 – Following today’s two court hearings against editor and human rights lawyer Eren Keskin as well as several journalists of the now closed Kurdish daily Özgür Gündem, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir expressed deep concerns about the immense pressure exercised on the defendants...
OSCE representative welcomes release of Akın Atalay in Turkey but strongly condemns prison sentences for Cumhuriyet journalists and staff
Publishing date: 26 April 2018
VIENNA, 26 April 2018- While welcoming the acquittal of three Cumhuriyet staff, and the release of CEO Akın Atalay, OSCE media freedom representative Harlem Désir strongly condemned the prison sentences issued by the court in Silivri, Turkey, to the majority of the defendants...
OSCE media freedom representative Désir calls for release of Özgürlükçü Demokrasi staff, following police raid on newspaper’s offices in Turkey
Publishing date: 29 March 2018
VIENNA, 29 March 2018 – The closure of the Özgürlükçü Demokrasi newspaper and appointing a trustee to head it is a major attack on the independence of this media outlet and another setback to media pluralism in Turkey, said Harlem Désir, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, today following yesterday’s police raid on the newspaper’s office...
OSCE representative Désir warns about shrinking space for online expression in Turkey, following parliament’s adoption of latest restrictive provision
Publishing date: 22 March 2018
VIENNA, 22 March 2018 – “Today, the Internet is the main platform where pluralistic discussions can still take place in Turkey. Further restricting access to the Internet will critically weaken access to information and online expression,” OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir said today...
OSCE representative Désir urges to reverse conviction of Turkish journalists after Strasbourg court acknowledges their rights have been violated
Publishing date: 20 March 2018
VIENNA, 20 March 2018 – “The decision of the European Court of Human Rights shows clearly that the rights to liberty and security, as well as to freedom of expression of two Turkish journalists, Şahin Alpay and Mehmet Altan, have been violated,” the OSCE media freedom representative Harlem Désir said in a reaction on the Strasbourg court ruling...
All Cumhuriyet journalists must be released, says OSCE representative Désir following continued detention of CEO Atalay
Publishing date: 16 March 2018
NEW YORK, 16 March 2018 – “Continuing the detention of Cumhuriyet CEO Akın Atalay, in a trial that has failed to produce proof of wrongdoing by the defendant, is unacceptable and deeply worrying,” OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir said today, hours after the seventh hearing concluded in the Cumhuriyet trial in Silivri, outside of Istanbul.