Press release issued by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
VIENNA, 3 May 2011 - The following is a press release issued by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on 3 May. The views expressed in this press release do not necessarily reflect those of the OSCE Chairmanship, nor of all OSCE participating States.
Statement of President Efthymiou on World Press Freedom Day
COPENHAGEN, 3 May 2011—OSCE PA President Petros Efthymiou today released the following statement to commemorate World Press Freedom Day.
“One of our most cherished values is the freedom of democracy, but equally important is the freedom of media.
“To the governments who restrict press freedoms through laws that make insult a criminal act, harassment that forces printing presses to shut down, or physical abuse that ultimately silences reporters every year, may today give you pause to reconsider and reverse these policies so inconsistent with your OSCE commitments.
“We are proud at the OSCE to have such a strong voice on behalf of journalists in the Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatovic. Unfortunately, her voice alone cannot bring the change we need in this field. Only political will and government action can ensure journalists throughout our 56 countries are safe and free to do their jobs and report the news we depend on to have vibrant, democratic societies.”