VIENNA, Nov 30 (KUNA) -- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), Ambassador Jan Braathu said Sunday that "media freedom is not a luxury, it is essential to stability and public trust." In a report presented to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) permanent council, Ambassador Braathu said they "are witnessing a transformation that strikes at the foundations of our democratic and security architecture." During his presentation of the report, Ambassador Braathu warned "a profound and accelerating paradigm shift in the information environment is undermining democratic resilience and placing journalists at growing risk across the OSCE region." The Representative stressed that political pressure, disinformation, economic fragility, the dominance of major online platforms, and the rise of artificial intelligence are reshaping how societies access and trust information.
This concentration of power, combined with increasing hostility toward journalists, is further fragmenting public discourse.
The report highlights continued attacks, intimidation, and arbitrary detentions of journalists, including during protests, as well as impunity for perpetrators.
Braathu voiced concern over intrusive surveillance practices; restrictive legislation, including "foreign agent" laws; and the spread of vexatious lawsuits (commonly known as SLAPPs) aimed at silencing public interest reporting.
He underlined the urgent need for all participating States to implement the OSCE Ministerial Council Decision 3/2018 on the Safety of Journalists, and to ensure that measures against disinformation reinforce, rather than restrict, media freedom. (end) amq.mb