OSCE media representative deplores stigmatization of oldest media freedom NGO in Russia, Glasnost Defence Foundation

DUSHANBE, 20 November 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today deplored the decision of Russian authorities to include the media NGO Glasnost Defence Foundation (GDF) in the register of “foreign agents.”

“For the past 25 years the Glasnost Defence Foundation and its president, Alexey Simonov, have been working tirelessly to protect and advocate for the rights of journalists in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States region,” Mijatović said. “GDF’s internationally acknowledged efforts have been exemplary and labelling it as a “foreign agent” is a serious obstruction to the important work media NGOs carry out and a threat to media pluralism in the Russian Federation.”

On 19 November, authorities decided to include GDF in the register of “foreign agents”. The decision comes against the backdrop of the continuous labelling of independent human rights institutions in Russia, including media freedom organizations, following the 2012 law that stigmatizes NGOs on the basis that they engage in “political activity” and receives foreign funding.

“Media NGOs have been funded to assist Russian authorities and civil society in meeting their commitments related to media freedom,” Mijatović said. “I reiterate my call to stop this discriminatory practice that further narrows the space for free expression and media freedom in the country.”

The Representative previously had expressed her concern about the intimidation of independent media NGOs, including the Mass Media Defence Centre in Voronezh, the Institute of Regional Press in St. Petersburg and the Institute for the Development of the Press in Novosibirsk (see //www.osce.org/fom/142391 and //www.osce.org/fom/100569). All of these organizations were subsequently entered into the register of “foreign agents.”

The Representative also criticized the Russian law which gives the Prosecutor General and his deputies the authority to declare foreign or international NGOs “undesirable.” She called on President Vladimir Putin to veto this legislation in order to protect pluralistic debate (see //www.osce.org/fom/159081).

Mijatović is in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, participating in the 17th Central Asia Media Conference.

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.