OSCE media Representative, Dunja Mijatovic, "surprised by Russian criticism"

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic says she is surprised by Russian FM Sergei Lavrov's doubts about the organization's impartiality. 

 The Russian website Sputnik noted that earlier on Monday, Lavrov "expressed his concern whether the OSCE was unbiased, saying that Mijatovic's description of restrictions imposed by Kiev on Russian journalists was insufficient to represent the entire problem." 

"I must say I find it quite surprising that Minister Lavrov decides to comment on a statement made by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media at the regular session of the UN Human Rights Council, not least since my office was the only international organization that raised the issue of the recent restrictions imposed on Russian journalists in Ukraine. I wonder on which parameters that could be considered as biased," Mijatovic said in an email to RIA Novosti.

"However, it is important that Minister Lavrov is following the work of my Office and I would be happy to meet with him soon to discuss this, or any of my other statements on free media in Russia or elsewhere in the OSCE region," she said.

On February 12, the Ukrainian parliament made a decision to strip Russian news outlets of accreditation in Ukraine's government agencies, the website reported, and noted that "a list of media outlets that fell under the ban was not provided."

According to Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) more than 100 Russian media organizations are on the black list, while an SBU source told RIA Novosti that the list includes Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency and all Russian television channels "apart from Dozhd."

"The freedom of the media in Ukraine has been repeatedly violated since the military confrontation between Kiev forces and Donbas independence supporters started in April 2014. Several international journalists have been abducted, tortured and killed during the hostilities," Sputnik said.
  http://www.b92.net//eng/news/world.php?yyyy=2015&mm=03&dd=02&nav_id=93348
2/3/15
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• Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic said on Monday she was surprised by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's doubts about the organization's impartiality.

Earlier on Monday, Lavrov expressed his concern whether the OSCE was unbiased. He said that Dunja Mijatovic's description of restrictions imposed by Kiev on Russian journalists was insufficient to represent the entire problem.................http://sputniknews.com/europe/20150302/1018955801.html#ixzz3TGYUF5n6
2/3/15
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• Lavrov questions impartiality of OSCE regarding media...

"We are faced with an organized attack on freedom of speech and an attempt to ban the profession of journalism," the Russian foreign minister stated addressing the 28th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
"There are serious doubts about the impartiality of the OSCE since the OSCE representative on Freedom of the Media (Dunja Mijatovic) referred to the decision of the Ukrainian authorities to ban the Russian media in Ukraine merely as 'an excessive measure'," Lavrov said, according to TASS.

He added that the confrontation with the Russian media in Ukraine and Mijatovic's statement on the matter went contrary to the efforts of "our partners in the OSCE to protect the rights of journalists as a special category of citizens."

Mijatovic said last week that the measures restricting the work of Russian journalists in Ukraine were "excessive" and asked the authorities in Kiev "to explain the reasons why they have taken these steps, as well as publish a full list of the media to which they relate."
 http://www.b92.net/eng/news/world.php?yyyy=2015&mm=03&dd=02&nav_id=93345
2/3/15
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