The activity of Osce

- OSCE media freedom representative in Berlin to launch guide on access to information on World Press Freedom Day

VIENNA, 29 April 2010 - The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatovic, will be in Berlin on 3 May, World Press Freedom Day, to launch a guide for journalists on access to information.

The guide, called Legal Leaks Toolkit, was prepared by the Access Info Europe and Network for Reporting on Eastern Europe n-ost non-governmental organizations and co-funded by the OSCE Representative’s office. It aims to help journalists access government-held information by informing them of the rules of access, appeal procedures and other important aspects of free access to information in Europe, Russia, the South Caucasus, Canada and the United States.

Journalists are invited to the news conference and launch of the Legal Leaks Toolkit with the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatovic, at 10:30 am on Monday, 3 May, at the ARD-Hauptstadtstudio (Wilhelmstraße 67a, 10117 Berlin).

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- OSCE Centre supports forum on Internet development in Central Asia

ALMATY, 29 April 2010 - A two-day forum on development of the Internet in the Central Asian region co-organized by the OSCE Centre started in Almaty today.

The event brings together more than 100 participants, including media experts and journalists from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and representatives from the Kazakhstani government, international organizations and diplomatic missions.

The participants will discuss challenges to developing the Internet as one of the few unrestricted sources of information in the region, and exchange views about potential threats to the free flow of online information.

"The Internet has become one of the most important sources of pluralistic information, as well as an increasingly significant means of communication," said Jeannette Kloetzer, the Deputy Head of the OSCE Centre in Astana. "However, the rapid development of the Internet might result in over-regulation and the censorship of online content, which could create a serious challenge for newly emerging Internet media outlets. That is why the OSCE, in particular its Representative on Freedom of the Media, monitors the media situation, including the Internet, in the OSCE region and urges governments to comply with international standards and OSCE commitments on freedom of expression and the free flow of information."

Aigul Solovyeva, Member of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, added: "The free flow of and access to information are an integral part of universal human rights, fundamental freedoms and democracy. In this regard, with the co-operation of civil society, political forces and the media, the Internet can facilitate the expression of different views and increase society’s participation in the democratic process."

The participants will also discuss the Internet and freedom of expression; government regulation of the Internet; business aspects of the Internet; the content of local electronic media; and web resources in national languages.

Forum participants will produce recommendations for government institutions and other interested parties on furthering the development of the Internet.

The event was co-organized by the OSCE Centre in Astana, the MediaNet International Centre of Journalism, the public foundation "Media Alliance of Kazakhstan" and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

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- OSCE workshop in Vienna promotes international legal framework against terrorism

VIENNA, 29 April 2010 -An OSCE workshop that starts in Vienna today encourages OSCE participating States to become party to and implement four international counter-terrorism instruments that provide for better legal tools in the fight against terrorism. 

The 1.5-day day workshop, organized in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, promotes four universal anti-terrorism instruments that were concluded in 2005:

 The International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism,

 The Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material,

 The Protocol to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation,

 The Protocol to the Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf.

So far, 30 of the 56 OSCE participating States have ratified the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, but the ratification of or accession to the remaining three treaties is considerably lower, and the workshop aims at adding additional impetus to this process.

The Kazakh Ambassador Kairat Abdrakhmanov, Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council, underlined that the OSCE could contribute to speeding up the accession by participating States to these instruments, just like it did by supporting the ratification and implementation of 12 older anti-terrorism conventions and protocols.

"The workshop should result in a better understanding of the need for participating States to become party to all the universal legal instruments against terrorism," he said. "It will demonstrate how the conventions and protocols can be incorporated into national legislation and implemented to give the countries the ability to prosecute terrorist suspects and co-operate in line with the highest standards of international law."

OSCE Foreign Ministers in 2009 adopted a decision that called on OSCE participating States to consider becoming party to the 2005 instruments "and to fully implement their provisions".

Workshop participants will discuss model counter-terrorism legislation prepared by the UNODC Terrorism Prevention Branch (TPB). The chief of that branch, Cecilia Ruthstrom-Ruin, commended close co-operation between the OSCE and the UNODC and said that TPB would assist any requesting OSCE participating State.

"Over the years, our organizations have consistently made efforts to create synergies and endeavour toward the common objective of countering terrorism and enhancing the efficiency of criminal justice systems of our member countries," she said.

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