Safety of journalists must be priority for all in OSCE region, says media freedom representative on anniversary of Anna Politkovskaya’s killing
VIENNA, 7 October 2018 – On the 12th anniversary of the killing of Novaya Gazeta journalist Anna Politkovskaya, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, recalled the need to guarantee journalists’ safety, and insisted that the Russian authorities intensify their efforts to end impunity for crimes committed against journalists.
“Politkvoskaya’s murder remains a grim reminder that journalists’ safety needs to be adequately addressed in the Russian Federation,” Désir said. “Despite the progress and assurances that have been made so far by the authorities on this case, I urge Russia to complete a full investigation, to ensure full accountability for those who commissioned the crime.”
Politkovskaya was shot and killed in Moscow on 7 October 2006. In 2003, she received the OSCE Prize for Journalism and Democracy for her courageous professional work in support of “human rights and freedom of the media”.
The Representative noted the decision of the European Court of Human Rights, on 17 July 2018, which ruled that the length of the investigation, along with the “absence of tangible results”, indicated that the investigation has been ineffective.
“Failing to end impunity for crimes committed against journalists is a stain on the media freedom situation in any country, and it must urgently be stamped out,” Désir said.“I reiterate my calls on the Russian authorities to fully investigate all other deaths of journalists and to hold the perpetrators and instigators of these crimes to account.”
In June 2014, sentences were handed down to five individuals for the murder of Polikovskaya, a development which was welcomed by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (see www.osce.org/fom/119640). However, the investigation was unable to name those who commissioned the crime.
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. He 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.