News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
OSCE Representative notes Russian Supreme Court resolution to improve judicial practice around online extremist content, urges legislative reform
Publishing date: 26 September 2018
VIENNA, 26 September 2018 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today said he had taken note of the resolution by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, which aims at improving judicial practice in cases of alleged online extremist content...
OSCE Representative calls on Ukrainian authorities to reinstate broadcasts by public service broadcaster UA:PBC and urgently resolve funding problems
Publishing date: 25 September 2018
VIENNA, 25 September 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today expressed his concern about the termination of the analogue distribution of public service broadcaster UA:PBC in Ukraine and repeated his call to the authorities to urgently resolve difficulties with funding the broadcaster’s activities...
OSCE Representative calls on Austrian Ministry of Interior to treat all media equally and to refrain from attacking them
Publishing date: 25 September 2018
VIENNA, 25 September 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today criticized the Austrian Interior Ministry’s instruction to boycott and restrict the flow of information to certain media outlets, and called on the Ministry of Interior to refrain from attacking the media...
OSCE Representative denounces arrest of Greek journalists after criminal defamation suit by Defence Minister, urges decriminalization of defamation
Publishing date: 24 September 2018
VIENNA, 24 September 2018- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today denounced the arrest of three journalists from the Greek daily newspaper Fileleftheros on defamation charges and welcomed that the prosecutor decided not to immediately press charges, a move that led to their release. He called on authorities to decriminalize defamation...
OSCE Representative calls on Russia to drop legislative amendments that could undermine freedom of expression and access to information
Publishing date: 21 September 2018
VIENNA, 21 September 2018 – In a letter to the authorities of the Russian Federation the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his concern regarding the proposed amendments to the country’s Code of Administrative Offences and the Criminal Code, which were adopted yesterday in the final reading by the lower house of parliament, the State Duma. The amendments, among other things, strengthen the penalties for the dissemination of ‘false’ information related to defamation and information that affects privacy protection...
OSCE media freedom representative expresses his condolences following tragic death of journalist in Germany
Publishing date: 20 September 2018
VIENNA, 20 September 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today expressed his condolences following the news of a tragic death of a young journalist, who died yesterday while filming a police operation at a protest near Aachen in Germany...
OSCE Representative denounces prison sentences for owners and general director of Hayatın Sesi TV in Turkey
Publishing date: 20 September 2018
VIENNA, 20 September 2018- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today denounced prison sentences handed out to the executives of the Hayatın Sesi TV channel in Turkey...