OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media concludes visit to Ukraine

On 16 July 2021, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, concluded an official three-day visit to Ukraine.

Ribeiro met several Ukrainian governmental authorities, including Minister for Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba; Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova; and Deputy Minister of Culture and Information Policy Taras Shevchenko.

Ribeiro also met with Olha Herasymiuk, Chairperson of the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting and several of her colleagues; with Head of the Supervisory Board of the Public Broadcasting Company Svitlana Ostapa, and Chairperson of the Public Broadcasting Company Mykola Chernotitsky; and with journalists and representatives of non-governmental organizations. The Representative also met with Head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine Steen Nørlov, and Deputy Head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission Benjamin Moreau.

Ribeiro and her counterparts discussed, among other things, issues related to the safety of journalists, including in non-government-controlled areas; the government’s efforts aimed at countering disinformation and propaganda; the development of, and challenges faced by, the public broadcasting company; the regulatory framework for broadcast media; and prospects for advancing media self-regulation.

Ribeiro expressed her readiness to provide necessary assistance and support to Ukraine in line with her mandate, relevant international standards and OSCE commitments on media freedom and freedom of expression.

The Representative also participated in a high-level panel discussion ‘Building Resilience to Information Influence: Freedom of Speech as a Component of Information Security’, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (see full speech). She spoke at the opening of the event together with the First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Emine Dzhaparova.

In separate meetings, Ribeiro met with members of diplomatic missions of participating States in Ukraine, which are part of informal OSCE Group of Friends on Safety of Journalists, as well as with a group of Belarusian journalists, who had to relocate to Ukraine due to fear of persecution in their own country.

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