OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media concludes visit to Germany

On 20 May 2021, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, concluded an official two-day visit to Germany.
Ribeiro met several German governmental authorities, including Michael Roth, State Minister for Europe; Miguel Berger, State Secretary of the Federal Foreign Office; Christian Kastrop, State Secretary of Justice and Consumer Protection; Ambassador Susanne Schuetz; Thomas Bagger, Director of Foreign Policy in the Office of the Federal President; and Bernhard Kotsch, Director-General Federal Intelligence Service and Coordination of Federal Intelligence Services.
Ribeiro also met with Members of Parliament Doris Barnett and Michael Link; with Christian Mihr, Director of Reporter Ohne Grenzen, and several of his colleagues; and with Thomas Geithner of the police force of Saxony.
Ribeiro and her counterparts discussed several topics, including the impact on the work of journalists of the Law on the Federal Intelligence Service (Bundesnachrichtendienst; BND), the law that German Federal Parliament passed in April this year after the First Senate of the Federal Constitutional Court had ordered the adaption of an earlier version of the bill. They also spoke about disinformation, the regulation of online platforms and the impact of Artificial Intelligence on media freedom.
The changes and challenges regarding the media landscape in Germany and in the OSCE region and the increasing violence against media, including during public gatherings, were also discussed. During a meeting with a representative of the police force of Saxony, Ribeiro learned about the special protection team (Medienschutzteam) that this police force has organized to protect media workers when reporting on public gatherings.
Ribeiro and her counterparts agreed that good co-operation between (parties in) participating States and her Office is of fundamental importance to improving media freedom in the OSCE region.
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.