News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
Concluding visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, OSCE Representative calls for strengthening independence of public service broadcasting and protecting safety of journalists
Publishing date: 20 April 2018
SARAJEVO, 20 April 2018 – OSCE media freedom representative Harlem Désir, concluded today his first official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, emphasizing the need to strengthen media pluralism, including respecting the independence and sustainability of public service broadcasting, and the need to protect safety of journalists in the country...
OSCE media freedom representative shocked by death of journalist in Russia, calls for full, transparent and independent investigation
Publishing date: 16 April 2018
VIENNA, 16 April 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, said today he was shocked by the death of journalist Maksim Borodin in the Russian Federation...
OSCE media freedom representative Désir condemns blacklisting of journalists in Hungary
Publishing date: 13 April 2018
VIENNA, 13 April 2018 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today strongly condemned the publication of a list of more than 200 people by a Hungarian media outlet which claimed that over 2,000 people, including those listed by name, are allegedly working to “topple the government”...
Blocking of Telegram and legal restrictions on social networks will limit freedom of expression in Russia, says OSCE Representative Désir
Publishing date: 13 April 2018
VIENNA, 13 April 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today expressed his concern about a court’s decision to block the Telegram messaging and social networking application in the Russian Federation...
OSCE media freedom representative calls for the release of a reporter in Tajikistan
Publishing date: 13 April 2018
VIENNA, 13 April 2018 – Today OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir called on the Tajikistani authorities to release from pre-trial detention Khayrullo Mirsaidov, a reporter with a number of national and international media outlets in Tajikistan in the past years. Mirsaidov is facing charges of embezzlement of funds, falsification of documents, making false accusations, and incitement to inter-ethnic hatred.
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir calls upon the Czech authorities to protect journalists’ rights to confidential sources
Publishing date: 13 April 2018
VIENNA, 13 April 2018 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today called upon the Czech authorities to respect journalists’ rights to protect confidential sources, following complaints by investigative journalists Jaroslav Kmenta (of The Reporter), Janek Kroupa (of Czech Radio) and Sabina Slonkova (of Neovlivni.cz) regarding pressure by police investigators to disclose their sources. The journalists allege that in recent months, they have been repeatedly questioned by the police and the General Inspection of Security Corps (GIBS) over their reporting related to corruption cases...
OSCE Representative meets Serbian President Vučić, government, media representatives to discuss media freedom, marks 19th anniversary of murder of journalist Ćuruvija
Publishing date: 11 April 2018
BELGRADE, 11 April 2018 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, met with President Aleksandar Vučić today in Belgrade to discuss media freedom issues in Serbia during a three-day official visit to the country...