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Press statements of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
Global free speech rapporteurs concerned about 'defamation of religion' and 'anti-extremism' laws
Publishing date: 15 December 2008
What we do: Decriminalization of defamation, Media laws
VIENNA, 15 December 2008- The freedom of expression rapporteurs of the UN, the OSCE, the OAS, and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights released a joint declaration today on defamation of religions, and anti-terrorism and...
OSCE representative commends media situation in Montenegro, outlines areas for improvement
Publishing date: 13 November 2008
Location: Montenegro
VIENNA, 13 November 2008- Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, said today that the media situation in Montenegro was free and pluralistic...
OSCE media freedom representative protests prison sentence handed to publisher of book on Turkish history
Publishing date: 19 June 2008
Location: Türkiye
VIENNA, 19 June 2008- Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, today condemned the five-month prison sentence handed down to Turkish publisher Ragip Zarakolu for "insulting the institutions of the Turkish Republic"...
OSCE media freedom representative asks new Russian President to address media freedom challenges
Publishing date: 7 May 2008
What we do: Decriminalization of defamation, Media laws, Media pluralism, Media self-regulation, Safety of journalists
Location: Russia
VIENNA, 7 May 2008- Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, congratulated Dmitry Medvedev on assuming the Russian Presidency today, and asked him to undertake measures to improve the media freedom situation in his country...
OSCE media freedom representative asks Russian legislators to halt move to allow closure of media outlets for defamation
Publishing date: 30 April 2008
What we do: Decriminalization of defamation
Location: Russia
VIENNA, 30 April 2008- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media appealed to the heads of both houses of Russia's Parliament to stop the adoption of an amendment to a law which would allow the Government to close media outlets for alleged libel...
OSCE media freedom representative urges Czech Parliament to use penal code reform to decriminalize speech offences
Publishing date: 22 April 2008
What we do: Decriminalization of defamation
Location: Czech Republic
VIENNA, 22 April 2008- Miklos Haraszti, OSCE's media freedom representative, urged members of the Czech Parliament to use the ongoing Criminal Code reform to decriminalize speech offences so that they would be handled exclusively in civil courts...
OSCE media freedom representative welcomes Irish government move to decriminalize libel
Publishing date: 19 March 2008
What we do: Decriminalization of defamation
Location: Ireland
VIENNA, 19 March 2008- Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, welcomed today a decision by the Irish Justice Minister, Brian Lenihan, to fully abolish criminal libel...
OSCE media freedom representative visits Council of Europe, discusses joint concerns, co-operation
Publishing date: 24 January 2008
What we do: Decriminalization of defamation, Media laws, Safety of journalists
STRASBOURG, 24 January 2008- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti, said today that legal standards established by the Council of Europe played an important role in his every day work and helped...
Conviction of assassinated journalist's son for "insulting Turkish identity" more proof Article 301 must be abolished, says OSCE media watchdog
Publishing date: 18 October 2007
What we do: Decriminalization of defamation, Media laws
Location: Türkiye
VIENNA, 18 October 2007- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media has called on Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to urgently repeal Article 301 of Turkey's Penal Code, which makes it an offence to "insult Turkish identity" and which...
OSCE media freedom representative asks Kazakhstan to withdraw Interior Ministry defamation proposals
Publishing date: 9 October 2007
What we do: Decriminalization of defamation
Location: Kazakhstan
VIENNA, 9 October 2007- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFOM), Miklós Haraszti, has asked the Kazakh Interior Minister to withdraw recent draft amendments to the country's defamation law...