“Journalists Face Considerable Risks. Murder Should Not be One of Them,” Ambassador Gilmore says in Meeting with Representative Désir
PRESS RELEASE | September 18, 2019
United States Permanent Representative to the OSCE, Ambassador James S. Gilmore III, met with the OSCE Representative on Freedom of Media (RFoM), Harlem Désir, on September 17 on the sidelines of the Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM) in Warsaw. Ambassador Gilmore expressed the United States’ continued support for the Representative’s independence, budget and mandate, all of which allow the Office to respond quickly to threats against media freedom and to address emerging challenges throughout the OSCE region. “Freedom of speech and of the press are fundamental values embedded in our Constitution’s First Amendment. Societies where governments respect the right to free expression and ensure journalists are free to report are the most peaceful, the most open, and the most able to cooperate internationally,” Ambassador Gilmore said.
The Human Dimension Implementation Meeting, Europe’s largest human rights gathering, is an important venue where civil society organizations can come face to face with government representatives to hold them accountable for human rights commitments. “The United States is very concerned about the role of disinformation and malign foreign influence,” the Ambassador noted, and urged the Representative to prioritize countering disinformation.
As a member of the OSCE informal Group of Friends on the Safety of Journalists, the Ambassador urged Representative Désir to strengthen the Milan Ministerial decision on the Safety of Journalists. “Journalists keeps citizens informed, foster debate, and hold governments to account. They often face considerable risks. Murder should not be one of them,” Ambassador Gilmore emphasized.
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For additional information, please contact:
U.S. Mission to the OSCE
Elaine A. Paplos, Counselor for Public Affairs
Email: PaplosEA[at]state.gov
