Supplementary Human Dimension Meetings

OSCE participating States have long acknowledged the urgent need to improve the safety of journalists working in the OSCE region, and affirmed their commitment to do so on a number of occasions. They agreed to adopt all feasible measures to protect journalists engaged in dangerous professional missions, particularly in cases of armed conflict, and to co-operate to that effect (Moscow Meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE, 1991). They also condemned all attacks on and harassment of journalists and affirmed their readiness to hold those directly responsible for such attacks and harassment accountable (Budapest Document, Summit of Heads of State or Government, 1994). In accordance with these decisions, the German OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office, Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will organize the second Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting (SHDM) of 2016 on the following topic: “Freedom of Expression and Freedom of the Media with a Special Focus on Conflict Situations, Including Protection of Journalists and Reporting During Armed Conflict”. The meeting will take place from 27 to 28 October 2016 in Vienna.