OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media

The European Federation of Journalists, European Centre for Press & Media Freedom, PEN International and Reporters Without Borders criticised on Wednesday new restrictive laws on online media in Albania.

The laws were proposed by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama as part of his drive against "defamation".

Harlem Désir, the Organization for Security and co-Operation in Europe(OSCE) Representative on Freedom of the Media, has criticized the Turkish government over the detention of hundreds of social media users for criticism the ongoing Afrin operation in Syria.

Mijatovic was elected by Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) at its plenary session in Strasbourg, for a non-renewable term of six years starting on April 1, 2018, the CoE announced.

She obtained 107 of the votes cast in the second round, a relative majority. Pierre-Yves Le Borgn' (France) obtained 103 votes and Goran Klemencic (Slovenia) obtained 19 votes.

Greek Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas is not among the final top three candidates for the Council of Europe's human rights commissioner, after coming in fourth place on Thursday with 21 votes.

"We made a dignified effort," he told Kathimerini. "We believed the country deserved this position after everything it has done. But the people who did qualify are excellent for the job."

OSCE media freedom representative Harlem Desir says he is worried by a series of recent measures introduced by the US and Russia.

These countries are requiring media entities from other countries to register themselves as “foreign agents," the OSCE said in a statement.

The start of the trial against journalists and board members of the daily newspaper Cumhuriyet highlights the urgent need to protect journalism and improve media freedom in Turkey, Harlem Désir, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media stated.

Austrian President Alexander Van Der Bellen has awarded the honorary Order of Merit of the Austrian Republic to Dunja Mijatovic.

As announced, Mijatovic, a former OSCE representative on Freedom of the Media, was recognized for promotion and protection of human rights during her term as the OSCE representative.

Elvi Fundo, director of the news portal Citynews.al and Radio Best, was beaten up by unidentified assailants near Tirana's train station on Wednesday and later hospitalized.

Dunja Mijatovic has called on OSCE states to step up their investigations and identify and prosecute those who commit crimes against journalists.

The OSCE representative on Freedom of the Media issued this statement on November 2, International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Committed against Journalists.

BELGRADE - OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović called today on all responsible stakeholders in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Serbia, in particular the media, to refrain from inflammatory language that could incite hatred.