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Press statements of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
Welcoming release of Kadri Gürsel, OSCE media freedom representative calls for release of imprisoned Cumhuriyet journalists in Turkey
Publishing date: 26 September 2017
What we do: Safety of journalists
Location: Türkiye
VIENNA, 26 September 2017 – “I welcome last night's release of Kadri Gürsel after almost a year in prison. The charges against him must also be dropped as a matter of urgency,” OSCE media freedom representative Harlem Désir said today.
Online threats to female journalists require immediate action, says OSCE media freedom representative
Publishing date: 27 September 2017
What we do: Safety of journalists
VIENNA, 27 September 2017 – “Combating online threats against female journalists will remain at the top of my agenda as it is an integral part of the safety of journalists. There can be no freedom of the media without safety,” said the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir, opening the first of a series of workshops on the online safety of female journalists, which concluded in Vienna today...
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media condemns attack on Lenta.ru offices in Moscow
Publishing date: 29 September 2017
Location: Russia
VIENNA, 29 September 2017 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today condemned the fire bombing of the Moscow offices and threats against the Russian news website Lenta.ru.
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media welcomes Irish referendum on blasphemy
Publishing date: 2 October 2017
Location: Ireland
VIENNA, 2 October 2017 – The decision of the Irish government to call a referendum on whether blasphemy should remain an offence in the Irish Constitution was welcomed by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) Harlem Désir in a letter to Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar today.
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media warns Germany social networks law could have disproportionate effect
Publishing date: 4 October 2017
What we do: Media laws
Location: Germany
VIENNA, 4 October 2017 –The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today called on German authorities to ensure that the freedom of expression is safeguarded in the implementation of, the Network Enforcement Act (NEA), a federal law on better law enforcement in social networks which entered into force on 1 October...
OSCE media freedom representative concludes country visit to Georgia, addresses reforms and developments affecting media freedom
Publishing date: 4 October 2017
Locations: Azerbaijan, Georgia
TBILISI, 4 October 2017 – Concluding a two-day visit to Tbilisi, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir welcomed the amendments to Georgia’s Constitution, recently adopted by the Parliament, which will grant citizens the right to access and freely use the internet. The amendments also enhance the right to access to information and the independence of the public service broadcaster...
OSCE media freedom representative welcomes release of journalist in Uzbekistan
Publishing date: 5 October 2017
Location: Uzbekistan
VIENNA, 5 October 2017 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today welcomed the release of Solidzhon Abdurakhmanov, a former correspondent with Uznews.net and the UK-based Institute for War and Peace Reporting...
OSCE media freedom representative, in Armenia, points at need to ensure safe working conditions for journalists, maintain free access to information
Publishing date: 6 October 2017
Location: Armenia
YEREVAN, 6 October 2017 – During his visit to Yerevan, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir underlined the need to continue the fruitful co-operation between his office and Armenia to promote the freedom of the media...
OSCE media freedom representative welcomes passage of Canada’s new press shield law
Publishing date: 6 October 2017
What we do: Media laws
Location: Canada
VIENNA, 6 October 2017 – Canada’s new Journalistic Source Protection Act, known as Bill S-231, which was passed on Wednesday 4 October, was today welcomed by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir. The legislation, which protects the confidentiality of journalistic sources, was adopted with the support of all three political parties. The bill was first introduced by Conservative Senator Claude Carignan in November 2016...
Impunity for crimes against journalists in Russia is serious threat to media freedom, OSCE Representative says on anniversary of Anna Politkovskaya’s killing
Publishing date: 7 October 2017
What we do: Safety of journalists
Location: Russia
VIENNA, 7 October 2017 – On the eleventh anniversary of the killing of Novaya gazeta journalist Anna Politkovskaya,OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, urged the Russian authorities to make more efforts to end impunity for crimes committed against journalists...