COPENHAGEN 3 May 2011 — OSCE PA President Petros Efthymiou released the following statement today commemorating World Press Freedom Day:

“One of our most cherished values is the freedom of democracy, but equally important is the freedom of media.

“To the governments who restrict press freedoms through laws that make insult a criminal act, harassment that forces printing presses to shut down, or physical abuse that ultimately silences reporters every year, may today give you pause to reconsider and reverse these policies so inconsistent with your OSCE commitments.

“We are proud at the OSCE to have such a strong voice on behalf of journalists in the Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatovic. Unfortunately, her voice alone cannot bring the change we need in this field. Only political will and government action can ensure journalists throughout our 56 countries are safe and free to do their jobs and report the news we depend on to have vibrant, democratic societies.”