Internet freedom must be priority for policymakers, says OSCE media freedom representative

WASHINGTON DC, 24 May 2012 – Keeping the Internet free should be high on the agenda of international and human rights policy, said the OSCE Representative on Freedom Media Dunja Mijatović today at a conference organized by Google at the Newseum in Washington DC.

“International co-operation and the inclusion of corporations and civil society along with governments are needed to keep the Internet a global open forum to exchange ideas and share information also across borders,” Mijatović said.

The conference on “Internet at Liberty 2012” brought together Internet activists, policy makers, academics and representatives of corporations, governments, the media and NGOs to discuss how to foster free expression in the digital age and explore creative ways to expand the free flow of information online.

Online media freedom is a top priority for the OSCE media freedom representative, who has repeatedly advocated for the need to avoid unnecessary regulation and undue restrictions, and has intervened to protest the silencing of critical, satirical or dissenting voices in OSCE participating States.

During her visit, Mijatović also had a series of high-level meetings with US State Department officials, including Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Tara Sonenshein and Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Michael Posner, to discuss media freedom developments in the OSCE region and the priorities of her office.

Mijatović will also speak at the upcoming OSCE 2012 Irish OSCE Chairmanship Conference on Internet Freedom in Dublin June 2012 (//www.osce.org/event/internetfreedom2012).

More information on the Office’s activities to protect media freedom online can also be found at //www.osce.org/home/80718.