Press statements of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
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 on Freedom of the Media and Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo deeply concerned with violence against media during police intervention
Publishing date: 27 March 2018
VIENNA/PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 27 March 2018- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, and the Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Jan Braathu, expressed deep concern today for the safety of journalists reporting on the police intervention in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë North on 26 March.
OSCE media freedom representative calls on Tajikistani authorities to remove names of journalists from list of people with connections to terrorists
Publishing date: 27 March 2018
VIENNA, 28 March 2018 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today wrote to Foreign Minister of Tajikistan Sirodjidin Aslov, calling for the removal of 14 journalists’ names from a “list of people wanted for serious crimes, including connections with terrorists”.
Following adoption of broadcasting law in Turkmenistan, OSCE representative Désir presents legal review, calls for improvements to the media situation
Publishing date: 27 March 2018
VIENNA, 27 March 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, in a letter to the authorities of Turkmenistan recently presented a commentary on the national law “On Television and Radio Broadcasting”, which was adopted on 5 January...
OSCE media freedom representative calls on Slovakia to decriminalize defamation and respect journalists’ rights
Publishing date: 23 March 2018
VIENNA, 23 March – Today OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir wrote to the Slovak authorities to express concern about a recently passed verdict on the case of journalist Lukáš Milan...
OSCE media freedom representative condemns death threats against journalists in Prishtinë/Priština
Publishing date: 22 March 2018
VIENNA, 22 March 2018- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today expressed his concern over recent death threats against journalists of the portal Insajderi...
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 media freedom representative welcomes long awaited release of journalist Gayrat Mikhliboev in Uzbekistan
Publishing date: 22 March 2018
VIENNA, 22 March 2018 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today welcomed the release of Uzbek journalist Gayrat Mikhliboev...
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...
OSCE Representative discusses strengthening cooperation with UN and Global Civil Society Organizations to protect media freedom during New York visit
Publishing date: 17 March 2018
New York, 17 March 2018 – During his visit to New York OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir met with high-level United Nations officials and a broad range of civil society organizations to discuss ways of joining forces in promoting media freedom and protection of journalists.