Press statements of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
Unacceptable physical attack on journalist in Bulgaria says OSCE media freedom representative, calls for investigation
Publishing date: 27 September 2018
VIENNA, 27 September 2018 – Yesterday's attack on another investigative journalist in Bulgaria is unacceptable, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, said in Vienna today...
OSCE Representative notes Russian Supreme Court resolution to improve judicial practice around online extremist content, urges legislative reform
Publishing date: 26 September 2018
VIENNA, 26 September 2018 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today said he had taken note of the resolution by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, which aims at improving judicial practice in cases of alleged online extremist content...
OSCE Representative calls on Ukrainian authorities to reinstate broadcasts by public service broadcaster UA:PBC and urgently resolve funding problems
Publishing date: 25 September 2018
VIENNA, 25 September 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today expressed his concern about the termination of the analogue distribution of public service broadcaster UA:PBC in Ukraine and repeated his call to the authorities to urgently resolve difficulties with funding the broadcaster’s activities...
OSCE Representative calls on Austrian Ministry of Interior to treat all media equally and to refrain from attacking them
Publishing date: 25 September 2018
VIENNA, 25 September 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today criticized the Austrian Interior Ministry’s instruction to boycott and restrict the flow of information to certain media outlets, and called on the Ministry of Interior to refrain from attacking the media...
OSCE Representative denounces arrest of Greek journalists after criminal defamation suit by Defence Minister, urges decriminalization of defamation
Publishing date: 24 September 2018
VIENNA, 24 September 2018- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today denounced the arrest of three journalists from the Greek daily newspaper Fileleftheros on defamation charges and welcomed that the prosecutor decided not to immediately press charges, a move that led to their release. He called on authorities to decriminalize defamation...
OSCE Representative calls on Russia to drop legislative amendments that could undermine freedom of expression and access to information
Publishing date: 21 September 2018
VIENNA, 21 September 2018 – In a letter to the authorities of the Russian Federation the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his concern regarding the proposed amendments to the country’s Code of Administrative Offences and the Criminal Code, which were adopted yesterday in the final reading by the lower house of parliament, the State Duma. The amendments, among other things, strengthen the penalties for the dissemination of ‘false’ information related to defamation and information that affects privacy protection...
OSCE media freedom representative expresses his condolences following tragic death of journalist in Germany
Publishing date: 20 September 2018
VIENNA, 20 September 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today expressed his condolences following the news of a tragic death of a young journalist, who died yesterday while filming a police operation at a protest near Aachen in Germany...
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 media freedom representative welcomes decision by European Court of Human Rights to safeguard phone data of Ukrainian journalist
Publishing date: 19 September 2018
VIENNA, 19 September 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, welcomed yesterday’s decision by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on an interim measure which indicates to the Ukrainian authorities to abstain from accessing the mobile telephone data of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) investigative reporter Natalya Sedletska...
OSCE Representative welcomes landmark decision by European Court of Human Rights on Investigatory Powers Act in the United Kingdom
Publishing date: 14 September 2018
VIENNA, 14 September 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, welcomed yesterday’s highly significant decision by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), which found that the United Kingdom’s Investigatory Powers Act threatened the confidentiality of journalists’ sources. The Representative previously warned of the potential threat to journalists posed by this law.