Press statements of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
OSCE Representative condemns attack on journalist in Russia, calls for speedy and effective investigation
Publishing date: 22 December 2017
VIENNA, 22 December 2017 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today condemned the violent attack on Vyacheslav Prudnikov, a journalist forthe news website “Kavkazskiy Uzel”, in the town Krasniy Sulin in the Rostov region.
OSCE media freedom representative calls on Azerbaijan authorities to end restrictive measures detrimental to journalists’ freedom and safety
Publishing date: 18 December 2017
VIENNA, 18 December 2017 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today expressed grave concerns regarding the sentencing of Aziz Orudjev, head of the internet TV channel Kanal 13, in Azerbaijan.
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir says that United States’ decision on net neutrality threatens online media freedom and pluralism
Publishing date: 15 December 2017
VIENNA, 15 December 2017 – The United States’ Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decision of 14 December 2017 to repeal existing provisions ensuring “net neutrality” – the principle that Internet providers must treat all online traffic equally and without undue interference – threatens online media freedom according to a statement made by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today. The FCC’s commissioners voted by three to two to dismantle existing rules which protect the “Open Internet” and prohibit blocking, throttling or paid prioritization of Internet content.
OSCE Representative Désir met with Swedish Foreign Minister Wallström and media to discuss further co-operation in promoting media freedom
Publishing date: 14 December 2017
STOCKHOLM, 14 December 2017 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir, during his visit to Stockholm, discussed media freedom challenges in Sweden and the OSCE region...
Following prosecution’s demand for life imprisonment, OSCE media freedom representative urges Turkey to release journalists
Publishing date: 14 December 2017
VIENNA, 13 December 2017 – Following prosecution’s demand for life sentences and court decisions to continue the detention of several journalists facing life in prison, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today repeated his call for Turkey to release imprisoned journalists...
Poland broadcasting regulator’s fine against private broadcaster TVN SA is unjustified and disproportionate, says OSCE media freedom representative
Publishing date: 14 December 2017
VIENNA, 14 December 2017 – The decision by Poland’s National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT) to impose a fine of 1.48 million Polish Złotys (€352,000) on one of the country’s leading private independent broadcasters, TVN SA, for coverage by one of its channels, TVN24, of opposition demonstrations in Warsaw in December 2016 is unjustified and disproportionate, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir said today...
Governments must take all steps necessary to fully investigate and end impunity for murders of journalists, says OSCE media freedom representative
Publishing date: 11 December 2017
VIENNA, 11 December 2017 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today opened the panel discussion on the challenges to media freedom caused by the impunity for murders of journalists...
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Kurz receives civil society recommendations ahead of Vienna Ministerial Council
Publishing date: 6 December 2017
VIENNA, 6 December 2017 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Austria’s Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz today received civil society’s recommendations to the OSCE executive structures and participating States, on the eve of the 24th OSCE Ministerial Council. The recommendations were adopted by more than 100 NGO representatives who met during the Parallel Civil Society Conference, which was organized by the Civic Solidarity Platform, a coalition of NGOs from across the OSCE region, in Vienna on 5 and 6 December...
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media welcomes developments in investigation of murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta
Publishing date: 6 December 2017
VIENNA, 6 December 2017 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today welcomed that, following a series of arrests earlier this week, three people have now been charged with murder in the case of the car explosion that killed the investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta on 16 October 2017.
OSCE Representative expresses concern for safety of journalists in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, following recent ICTY war crimes sentencing
Publishing date: 5 December 2017
VIENNA, 5 December 2017 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today called on the authorities in Croatia and in Bosnia and Herzegovina to investigate numerous death threats against journalists and ensure their safety, following the recent conclusion of a war crimes court case at the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)...