OSCE steps up efforts to promote freedom of expression
VIENNA, 14 March 2001 - Freedom of expression, one of the basic tenets of the OSCE, was in the spotlight of a special OSCE meeting which closed yesterday.
"The situation in the OSCE region regarding freedom of expression has not improved over the past years", said Freimut Duve, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media. "On the contrary, in some participating States we have seen renewed attacks on free journalism with certain governments believing that independent journalism pose a threat to them."
Some 200 participants representing governments, international organizations and NGOs from all over the OSCE region met in Vienna on 12-13 March to discuss three blocs of issues: Legal and non-legal frameworks, including criminal defamation laws, the role of free speech in advancing the objectives of the OSCE, and broadening access to new information technologies.
"Censorship by killing" and other forms of censorship, the chilling effects of criminal defamation laws in certain countries and questions concerning the regulation of and limited access to the internet were among the many issues discussed during the meeting. Participants also highlighted best practices which could be used by other countries. There was broad concensus that the OSCE could play a more active role in promoting freedom of expression, including through legislative and technical assistance to governments, by providing training and by promoting better access to new information technologies. It was also suggested to enhance the OSCE's early warning capacity in the field of freedom of expression.
A full list of recommendations made during the meeting will be available soon on the websites of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (www.osce.org/odihr) and the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (www.osce.org/fom).
For further information contact the Press and Public Information Section of the OSCE Secretariat, tel.: (+ 43-1) 514 36 180 or e-mail: info@osce.org