OSCE media freedom representative joins unity march in Paris

PARIS, 11 January 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today joined the unity rally held in Paris for the victims of this week’s attack and for freedom of expression.

“The attacks in Paris were a direct assault on the very foundations of democracy. Violence can never be accepted”, Mijatović said.

“Today’s rally is a massive response to these horrendous attacks and it shows the strengths of democracy, people from all over the world are uniting and standing up for free speech and freedom of the media”.

The terrorist attacks this week in Paris left 17 dead, among them 12 people in an attack on the editorial office of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

The Representative’s earlier statement on the attack against Charlie Hebdo is available at //www.osce.org/fom/133526. Her communiqué on freedom of expression and freedom of the media as a vital condition for tolerance and non-discrimination is available at //www.osce.org/fom/133606.

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.