Continued obstruction of free flow of information and safety of journalists pose serious restrictions to media freedom in Russia, says OSCE Representative
VIENNA, 27 February 2022 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, today strongly denounced the continued deterioration of the media freedom situation in the Russian Federation.
On 26 February, the Russian media regulatory agency Roskomnadzor (Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media), under the threat of hefty fines and blocking, demanded that at least 10 media outlets, including Ekho Moskvy, InoSMI, Mediazona, The New Times, Dozhd, Svobodnaya Pressa, Krym.Realii, Novaya Gazeta, Jurnalist and Lenizdat, remove materials about the war in Ukraine. Roskomnadzor reportedly said that these media outlets published “false information” about the shelling of Ukrainian cities by the Russian armed forces and the death of Ukrainian civilians, as well as materials in which Russia’s ongoing military operation is called an attack, an invasion, or refers to a declaration of war.
On 25 February, Roskomnadzor announced that it would start to partially restrict access to Facebook, after the Prosecutor General’s Office, in agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, decided to recognize the social network as involved in the violation of fundamental human rights and freedoms, as well as the rights and freedoms of Russian citizens. The decision reportedly stems from Facebook’s restriction of the accounts of four Russian media outlets: Zvezda TV channel, RIA Novosti news agency, and Lenta.ru and Gazeta.ru internet sites. Following Roskomnadzor’s announcement, Russian internet users have reportedly experienced difficulties in accessing Facebook, as well as Twitter and Instagram.
“I reiterate my call on the Russian authorities to safeguard the free flow of information and media freedom in line with OSCE commitments and international obligations, and to refrain from using regulatory and administrative leverage against media,” Ribeiro said. “The attempts to unduly interfere in the work of social networks, which enable individuals to communicate, access and disseminate information and ideas, are of serious concern.”
Ribeiro had denounced the authorities’ decision to restrict mass media’s choice of sources of information on 24 February (see: https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/512950).
The Representative further expressed her concern regarding the growing number of cases of obstruction and detention of media workers while covering anti-war rallies. In the course of the last several days, police reportedly detained journalists from Novaya Gazeta, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Interfax, Pskovskaya Guberniya, Telegraph, Dozhd, in several Russian cities, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Belgorod and Pskov.
“The important nature and democratic value of the role played by media and journalists covering conflicts, public demonstrations and otherwise reporting on issues of public interest must always be respected,” Ribeiro said. “In this regard, I also call on the Russian authorities to refrain from undermining professional and courageous journalism, which importantly contributes through their objective and professional reporting to keeping the public informed.”
“I will continue to follow the situation very closely,” the Representative concluded.