The OSCE Stands for Decriminalization of Press Libel

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on Freedom Dunja Mijatovic urged the Belarusian authorities to cancel the criminal prosecution of journalists for libel, criticism, satire. It was told at a press conference in Minsk, summing up her first visit to Belarus.

Dunja Mijatovic, reported that only 11 out of 56 OSCE countries decriminalize journalists for libel. Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Britain, Ireland, Georgia, USA, Ukraine and Estonia are among them. The OSCE is actively cooperating with other countries, including Belarus, Telegraf reports.

Dunja Mijatovic stressed that media legislation should not restrict media pluralism, but rather contribute to its development. «The law should allow media to be free,» the OSCE representative said.

Belarusian Media Lacks Pluralism, Mijatovic

According to Dunja Mijatovic, there’s no pluralism in the Belarusian media at all. «It is limited to print media, and remains under threat in the Internet,» Dunja Mijatovic said. In this regard, the OSCE representative urged Belarusian authorities to remove all administrative restrictions on media, such as issuing cautions to newspapers up to their closure.

«In my opinion, media legislation needs changing in the nearest future. The organization, I represent, is ready to provide any assistance to the Belarusian government to bring Belarusian laws into conformity with the laws of modern democratic countries,» Dunja Mijatovic said.

In addition, the OSCE spokeswoman called on the Belarusian authorities to support the weaker independent media, as well as to create the necessary conditions for creating self-regulating mechanisms of independent media, apart from the government.

According to Dunja Mijatovic, a dialogue with the Belarusian authorities, represented by the Foreign Minister of Belarus Sergei Martynov, the head of the main ideological department of the Administration of President of Belarus Vsevolod Yanchevskii, CEC Chairman Lidia Yermoshina, Information Minister Oleg Proleskovski, turned out constructive.

Mijatovic Reached «Agreement in Principle» with the Belarusian Authorities

«I am pleased to have reached agreement in principle in Belarusian media legislation to be progressively reviewed and revised», Dunja Mijatovic said.

As it was found out by Telegraf journalist, the OSCE representative considers her visit to Belarus as positive in general. The mere fact that Dunja Mijatovic has received an open invitation from the state, is regarded by the OSCE representative as an expression of openness and good will of the government and the beginning of a long process of changing the media law in the country.

«It was very useful for me to visit the country and communicate directly with the authorities and civil society to make an objective conclusion about the positive and negative tendencies in the country. Senior Belarusian officials discussed complex issues with me very openly and constructively. I hope to continue the dialogue in the same way,» Dunja Mijatovic said.