Press statements of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
OSCE Representative Désir calls for release of Dutch journalist Robert Bas; urges authorities to respect confidentiality of journalists’ sources
Publishing date: 25 October 2019
VIENNA, 25 October 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his concern today about the order of the examining magistrate of the court in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, to hold journalist Robert Bas in custody to leverage him to disclose his sources.
OSCE Media Freedom Representative voices concern over targeting of N1 journalists in Serbia, calls on authorities to bring perpetrators to justice
Publishing date: 18 October 2019
VIENNA, 18 October 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, denounced today an incident targeting N1 journalists in Serbia.
OSCE Media Freedom Representative pays tribute to killed journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia on two-year anniversary, during visit to Malta
Publishing date: 16 October 2019
VALLETTA, 16 October 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, participated today in ceremonies commemorating the two-year anniversary of the brutal assassination of leading investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, during a visit to Malta. He met with the family of the journalist at the memorial, near the city of Bidnija, where she was killed.
Malta must establish accountability for murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, say human rights experts
Publishing date: 16 October 2019
GENEVA/STRASBOURG/VIENNA, 16 October 2019- "Government of Malta remains far behind in its obligation to ensure that investigations in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia are conducted in a prompt, effective, independent and impartial manner,” said today in a joint statement Harlem Désir, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, David Kaye, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, and Agnes Callamard, UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.
OSCE Media Freedom Representative reiterates his call for dropping criminal charges against journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva in the Russian Federation
Publishing date: 4 October 2019
VIENNA, 4 October 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today reiterated his call on the authorities to drop criminal charges of condoning terrorism against journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva.
Public inquiry into death of Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta must be fully independent and yield justice, states OSCE Media Freedom Representative
Publishing date: 21 September 2019
VIENNA, 21 September 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, took note today of an important step taken by the Maltese authorities in launching a public inquiry into the death of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, stating that the inquiry must be fully independent in order to bring long overdue justice for her family, colleagues and the whole of Maltese society...
OSCE Media Freedom Representative welcomes release of seven former Cumhuriyet journalists in Turkey
Publishing date: 13 September 2019
VIENNA, 13 September 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his relief after the sentences of seven former Cumhuriyet journalists were reversed in Turkey yesterday.
OSCE Media Freedom Representative welcomes release of Sentsov, Sushchenko and Vyshinsky, thanks both countries for this achievement
Publishing date: 7 September 2019
VIENNA, 7 September 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, welcomed today’s release of Ukrainian film director and writer Oleg Sentsov from Crimea, of the correspondent of the Ukrainian National News Agency, Ukrinform, Roman Sushchenko, and of journalist Kirill Vyshinsky, the chief of the RIA Novosti Ukraina office in Kyiv, as a result of the exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine...
OSCE Media Freedom Representative strongly condemns shooting of journalist in Turkey, calls for thorough investigation
Publishing date: 31 August 2019
VIENNA, 31 August 2019 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, strongly condemned today the shooting of the journalist, Levent Uysal, in Balıkesir, Turkey.
OSCE Media Freedom Representative condemns attack against Ukrainian TV channel 112 in Ukraine
Publishing date: 13 July 2019
VIENNA, 13 July 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today condemned the grenade attack on the office building of Ukrainian TV channel 112 Ukraine in Kyiv.