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Russian official urges OSCE to blacklist worst freedom of speech offenders

The Russian official suggested creating "a virtual wall of shame" for officials and state bodies who persecute journalists"

Russian Civic Chamber’s Commission for the Development of Information Society, Mass Media and Mass Communications Alexander Malkevich Yuri Smityuk/TASS Host Photo Agency

Russian Civic Chamber’s Commission for the Development of Information Society, Mass Media and Mass Communications Alexander Malkevich

© Yuri Smityuk/TASS Host Photo Agency

WARSAW, September 17. /TASS/. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) should take a more decisive action against media freedom offenders, including by identifying and blacklisting them, a senior Russian Civic Chamber official said on the sidelines of an OSCE annual conference on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, head of the Russian Civic Chamber’s Commission for the Development of Information Society, Mass Media and Mass Communications Alexander Malkevich took part in two plenary sessions on media freedoms, held within the framework of the annual OSCE Human Dimension Impmentation Meeting.

"I expected the OSCE to take a more decisive action, or any action at all," Malkevich said, commenting on the results of those sessions. "We keep mapping out problems, but the OSCE only says that they heard us."

According to the official, the OSCE failed to offer any kind of response to Moldova’s detention of Sputnik Moldova head Vladimir Novosadyuk and Ukraine’s entry ban for journalist Yevgeny Primakov.

"If OSCE bodies continue demonstrating the same attitude, it will only contribute to greater lawlessness," the Russian official said.

"At least, they could have created a virtual wall of shame by publishing on the OSCE website the list of officials and state bodies who persecute journalists. The next step could be slapping them with visa restrictions, or designating them as non-desirable persons for at least a year. Introducing measures of this kind would be of no trouble at all," Malkevich said.

"However, to prevent any abuse, it should be explained why this or that official was blacklisted," he added.

Besides, in the Russian official’s opinion, "OSCE should draft regulatory documents, protecting media and journalists in all countries, regardless of their views and language.".

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