The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media functions as a watchdog on

media Media may refer to: Communication * Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass el ...

developments in all 57 participating member states of the

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is the world's largest regional security-oriented intergovernmental organization with observer status at the United Nations. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, prom ...

(OSCE). The representative provides early warning on violations of

freedom of expression Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The right to freedom of expression has been recogni ...

and promotes full compliance with OSCE principles and commitments regarding freedom of expression and

press freedom Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the fundamental principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic media, especially published materials, should be considered a right to be exerci ...

Mission

In cases where serious violations have occurred, the representative seeks direct contacts with the offending state and other parties involved, assesses the facts and assists in resolving problems. The representative collects and receives information on the situation of the media from a variety of sources, including participating OSCE States,

non-governmental organizations A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...

and media organizations. The representative meets with member governments. The office of the representative is based in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

, and has a staff of 15. Each year, they issue a joint declaration calling attention to worldwide free expression concerns.

Other bodies

The OSCE Representative is one of the four international mechanisms for promoting freedom of expression. The others are: * UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression *

OAS Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression The office of the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression of the Organization of American States (OAS) was established by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in 1997 to monitor OAS member states' compliance with the American ...

African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) is a quasi-judicial body tasked with promoting and protecting human rights and collective (peoples') rights throughout the African continent as well as interpreting the African Charter ...

Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression

Past and present representatives

Freimut Duve Freimut Duve (26 November 1936 – 3 March 2020) was a German journalist, writer, politician and human rights activist. From 1980 to 1998 he was a member of the Bundestag for the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). He was the first OS ...

(Germany): 1998–2004 *

Miklós Haraszti Miklós Haraszti (born 2 January 1945, Jerusalem) is a Hungarian politician, writer, journalist, human rights advocate and university professor. He served the maximum of two terms as the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media from 2004 to ...

(Hungary): 2004–2010 *

Dunja Mijatović Dunja Mijatović ( sr-cyr, Дуња Мијатовић; born 8 September 1964) is a Bosnian human rights expert and activist, serving as the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights. She was elected by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Cou ...

(Bosnia and Herzegovina): 2010–2017 *

Harlem Désir Harlem Jean-Philippe Désir (; born 25 November 1959) is a French politician who served in the government of France as Secretary of State for European Affairs from 2014 to 2017. Previously he was First Secretary of the French Socialist Party. Sin ...

(France): 2017-2020 *

Teresa Ribeiro Teresa (also Theresa, Therese; french: Thérèse) is a feminine given name. It originates in the Iberian Peninsula in late antiquity. Its derivation is uncertain, it may be derived from Greek θερίζω (''therízō'') "to harvest or re ...

(Portugal): since 2020

References

External links

{{external media , video
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media on #SOFJO
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, February 23, 2018
Official website of the Representative on Freedom of the Media

Mandate of OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media

Follow the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media on Facebook

Follow the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media on Twitter
Intergovernmental human rights organizations Freedom of expression Diplomacy Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Journalism organizations in Europe