Free press advocate warns media freedom on decline in Europe

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Free press advocate warns media freedom on decline in Europe
Vanessa Gera, Associated Press
Updated 11:09 am, Tuesday, September 22, 2015

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A leading advocate for media freedom warned Tuesday that the climate for journalists in Europe is deteriorating as governments react to political crises with restrictions that include physical harassment, bans on freedom of movement and limits on freedom of expression.

Dunja Mijatovic, media freedom representative for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, cited attempts by Ukraine and the Baltic states to keep out journalists with strong pro-Russian views, and anti-terror laws in Western Europe that she said limit freedom of expression. She also denounced Hungarian police for threatening reporters covering the refugee crisis.

"In the name of security, governments are adopting laws that can definitely have a negative effect on media freedom and freedom of expression, even in established democracies," Mijatovic told The Associated Press on the sidelines of an OSCE conference in Warsaw.

Ukraine has come under criticism in recent days for blacklisting more than 40 journalists and bloggers as it expanded sanctions against Russia over its involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Three of those banned were employees of the BBC's Moscow office. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko removed their names from the list a day later after the list sparked an outcry.


Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/world/article/Free-press-advocate-warns-media-freedom-on-6521525.php

[DFW]

1. This is not limited to Russia or its former colonies in Eastern Europe

Belgium has, and has had, some of the tightest restrictions on reporting I have heard of since the fall of the Soviet Empire. Hell, how do you think Marc Dutroux was able to be fingered as a child molester and killer, and yet get out of being locked up for ten years? He said he had friends in the government, and indeed, he did. There are other bad apples all over that country, but the press is forbidden to report on them. For years, they were even prohibited from naming the nationality of violent criminals. It got so that the Belgians were saying assaults and rapes were committed by "the Swedes," since they were not on the forbidden list.

[certainot]

2. does there happen also to be an increase in rw talk radio?

cause that's what happened here and since it was so successful they've been exporting it