OSCE media freedom representative criticizes 'misuse' of libel laws to muzzle the press in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Hungary

VIENNA, 8 February 2010 - Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, condemned today as "dangerous attempts at censorship" lawsuits initiated by high-ranking government officials in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Hungary against domestic media outlets for reporting on critical statements made by other public figures.

"In order to freely exercise their right to report, media outlets should not be held liable for publishing statements made by identified sources. If the actual statements are found offensive, legal procedures should only be initiated against their authors, not against the media which published them," Haraszti said.

"Shooting the messenger of bad news is an old habit of autocracy that democratic media freedom standards have banned as a dangerous attempt at censorship."

He added: "In Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Hungary, the law should preclude the possibility of involving the media in libel disputes between public figures."

• In Kazakhstan, a court on 1 February ordered the seizure of all copies of editions of five independent papers - Respublika, Golos Respubliki, Kursiv, Kursiv-News and Vzglyad - in which letters sent to the country's authorities by exiled former government minister Mukhtar Ablyazov had been published. The letters contained accusations of corruption against Timur Kulibayev, a well-known Kazakh public figure. The court also banned all media outlets from carrying reports that could damage Kulibayev's "honor and dignity".
• In Tajikistan, three judges recently brought a combined 900,000 euro-lawsuit against the Asia-Plus, Farazh, and Ozodagon newspapers for re-printing public accusations brought against them by a lawyer. These legal proceedings come in addition to more than 200,000 euros in libel suits brought by government agencies against the Millat and Paykon newspapers. Should these sentences be enforced, the publications would be forced to close down.
• In Hungary, an appeals court on 22 January ordered that former Prime Minister Viktor Orban be paid 1,800 euros in compensation for a defamatory statement made by government official Janos Veres. The court also obliged the Népszava daily, which had reported about the dispute between the two politicians, to share the fine with Veres and publish an apology.

"In all these cases, high-ranking plaintiffs are seeking to punish the media for doing their most basic job - informing the public about public issues," Haraszti said.

"In the case of Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, the particularly harsh punishments sought by the plaintiffs endanger the very existence of the few critical-minded media outlets that remain in these two countries."