All participating States must intensify real steps to defend media freedom, says OSCE media freedom representative

TUNIS, 3 May 2012 – Dunja Mijatovic, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, today urged all governments of the 56-nation OSCE to take real steps to secure freedom of speech.

"All OSCE participating States should recommit to their democratic values by deeds rather than words," she said, in Tunis at an international conference marking World Press Freedom Day.

"Authorities must make clear that attacks and psychological pressure on reporters, unresolved murders, arbitrary arrests and imprisonment and draconian press laws instilling censorship online and off have no place in modern societies striving for progress and prosperity."

Mijatovic said that she will continue to raise cases of media freedom infringement resolutely throughout the OSCE region.

"All 56 participating States must defend media freedom as a vital element of their indivisible security every day, not only on 3 May", she said.