OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media meets with Ambassador of Finland

On 23 November 2021, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) Teresa Ribeiro met with Ambassador Vesa Häkkinen to discuss current developments on media freedom and freedom of expression in Finland and the wider OSCE region. They addressed several topics, including the importance of promoting media literacy as a tool to counter dissemination of misinformation and strengthen freedom of opinion and expression. They agreed that an official visit by the Representative to Finland would be an excellent opportunity to gain first-hand insight into Finland’s experiences in media literacy.

Ribeiro and Häkkinen also discussed the importance of media freedom as a cornerstone of democracy and comprehensive security, underlining the unique role the OSCE plays in this regard.

They further addressed the case of three journalists of Finland’s daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat who have been charged with disclosure and attempted disclosure of national secrets. While the case is still pending in court, the RFoM underlined the importance of journalists’ ability to report on matters of public interest and the need to find a balanced approach between national security and freedom of expression and information.