OSCE Representative welcomes continuation of dialogue with Belarusian authorities, strongly encourages necessary improvement of media freedom situation

MINSK, 15 September 2014 – During a two-day official visit to Minsk OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović strongly encouraged the authorities to continue working to improve the media freedom  situation in Belarus.

“I voiced my concern about the serious challenges that media continue to face in Belarus,” Mijatović said. “Noting positive developments, there is still a need for the authorities to show more political will to comply with international standards on free expression and free media.”

In discussions with Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei and Minister of Information Liliya Ananich, Mijatović emphasized the need for immediate reform of the restrictive media law. She also stressed the importance of changing accreditation requirements for journalists and introducing more effective ways to access information.

“The time has come to ease pressure on media in Belarus. I will continue to closely monitor the working conditions of media outlets and I will continue raising my voice to defend Belarusian journalists,” Mijatović said.

Mijatović reiterated the readiness of her Office in providing expert recommendations, in line with OSCE media freedom commitments and best practices, and insisted on the urgent need to engage civil society in discussions on the reform process.

During the meetings the Representative positively noted that no journalists are currently held behind bars and welcomed the lifting of charges in the criminal prosecution cases of journalists Andrzej Poczobut of Gazeta Wyborcza, Irina Khalip of Novaya Gazeta and Natalya Radina of Charter ’97 as well as the release of Anton Suryapin of Internet-based news portal www.bnp.by.

Mijatović noted fewer short-term detentions of media representatives but called on the authorities to fully end the practice. She expressed hope that her Office’s workshop on the interaction between law enforcement and media, organized in co-operation with the Foreign Ministry, could contribute to solving the problem.

Mijatović met representatives from the Belarusian Association of Journalists and the Belarusian Union of Journalists as well as individual journalists and various civil society representatives while in Minsk.

“I value the dialogue with the authorities and hope that this co-operation will bring constructive and lasting results,” Mijatović said.

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.