[International] :
South Korea, the United States and Japan are set to hold their trilateral multidomain Freedom Edge exercise this week.  According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS), this year’s second Freedom Edge exercise runs Wednesday to Friday in international waters south of Jeju Island.  The three ...

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The ability to unlock your iPhone means that you can use it with different carriers. To unlock your iPhone, use these steps.

Bill Cosby gestures outside his home in Elkins Park, Pa., on June 30, 2021, after being released from prison when the Pennsylvania's supreme court overturned his sexual assault conviction. Cosby expressed support for former TV co-star Phylicia Rashad's freedom of speech after she defended him in a tweet.; Credit: Matt Rourke/AP

Bill Cosby called on Howard University to support former co-star Phylicia Rashad's freedom of speech after she expressed support for him when his sexual assault conviction was overturned.

In a statement, Cosby also lashed out at the media, comparing journalists to the rioters who stormed the Capitol in January.

"Howard University you must support ones Freedom of Speech (Ms. Rashad), which is taught or suppose to be taught everyday at that renowned law school, which resides on your campus," Cosby said in a statement provided to NPR by his spokesman Andrew Wyatt.

"This mainstream media has become the Insurrectionists, who stormed the Capitol," Cosby continued in his statement. "Those same Media Insurrectionists are trying to demolish the Constitution of these United State of America on this Independence Day."

Cosby concluded by saying, "WE THE PEOPLE STAND IN SUPPORT OF MS. PHYLICIA RASHAD" in all caps.

Cosby's support of Rashad comes after the actress, who played his TV wife in The Cosby Show, defended the comedian in a tweet. Cosby was released from prison last week when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court vacated his sexual assault conviction on the grounds that his due process rights were violated.

"FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted- a miscarriage of justice is corrected!" Rashad said last week.

The tweet has since been removed and Rashad later backpedaled, writing that she "fully support survivors of sexual assault coming forward." She also sent a letter of apology to Howard students

Many Howard alumni had expressed disappointment at the remarks. Howard University responded with its own tweet, stating that Dean Rashad's "initial tweet lacked sensitivity towards survivors of sexual assault."

Rashad was recently named Dean of Howard University's Chadwick Boseman College of Fine Arts.

Rashad, an acclaimed stage and screen artist, graduated from Howard magna cum laude in 1970 with a bachelor's in fine arts. She returned as a guest lecturer and adjunct faculty member.

In a statement announcing her appointment in May, Provost Anthony K. Wutoh said Rashad's "passion for the arts and student success makes her a perfect fit for this role."

One of the students Rashad mentored at Howard was the late actor Chadwick Boseman, for whom the school's College of Fine Arts is named.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Opus VO is waiving its setup fee for the month of July!

South Korean authorities cancel an international event expected to gather 30,000 participants from 78 countries, sparking a global controversy and financial losses.

After the successful Kickstarter campaign of 'Autopro X', a dongle that transforms vehicle navigation into a laptop by Mayton Motion, the company is now launching a relay funding campaign on Indiegogo.

South Korean local government cancels international event with 30,000 participants from 78 countries, causing international damage

To celebrate the opening, Home2 Suites is offering an Exclusive Government Package, available with the booking code GV7. This package falls under the Alternate Government Rate, offering a rate below the standard government per diem.

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South Korean local government cancels international event with 30,000 participants from 78 countries, causing international damage

South Korean local government cancels international event with 30,000 participants from 78 countries, causing international damage

Chris and Jon discuss the latest in 360 degree video, exemplified by Jon’s latest video series VIRTUAL 360 Everest Trek Links: Watch this episode on video VIRTUAL 360 Everest Trek Podcast: The Future of Photography Download the MP3 for this episode Receive TFTTF updates via email Support the show on Patreon or via SEPA

The post 901 360 Degrees of Freedom appeared first on PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS FROM THE TOP FLOOR.

Earn while you sleep: Realistic passive income ideas you can pursue part time! Ditch the 9-5 with the right idea, hard work, & these essential tools.

BOSTON (October 22, 2024) -- The Free Software Foundation (FSF) has announced today that it is working on a statement of criteria for free machine learning applications, which will require the software, as well as the raw training data and associated scripts, to grant users the four freedoms.

The Winamp Collaborative License included restrictions that rendered Winamp nonfree

We're planning a jam-packed anniversary year and we hope you'll join us for the festivities!

Presents, in graphic novel format, the story of the Haitian Revolution and its role in Napoleon's decision to sell Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe the whole Louisiana Territory, when they sought to buy only New Orleans.

"From #1 New York Times bestselling author Thomas E. Ricks, a dual biography of Winston Churchill and George Orwell, with a focus on the pivotal years from the mid-1930s through the 1940s, when their farsighted vision and inspired action in the face of the threat of fascism and communism helped preserve democracy for the world. Both George Orwell and Winston Churchill came close to death in the mid-1930's— Orwell shot in the neck in a trench line in the Spanish Civil War, and Churchill struck by a car in New York City. If they'd died then, history would scarcely remember them. At the time, Churchill was a politician on the outs, his loyalty to his class and party suspect. Orwell was a mildly successful novelist, to put it generously. No one would have predicted that by the end of the 20th century they would be considered two of the most important people in British history for having the vision and courage to campaign tirelessly, in words and in deeds, against the totalitarian threat from both the left and the right. Together, to an extent not sufficiently appreciated, they kept the West's compass set toward freedom as its due north. It's not easy to recall now how lonely a position both men once occupied. By the late 1930's, democracy was discredited in many circles, and authoritarian rulers were everywhere in the ascent. There were some who decried the scourge of communism, but saw in Hitler and Mussolini 'men we could do business with,' if not in fact saviors. And there were others who saw the Nazi and fascist threat as malign, but tended to view communism as the path to salvation. Churchill and Orwell, on the other hand, had the foresight to see clearly that the issue was human freedom— that whatever its coloration, a government that denied its people basic freedoms was a totalitarian menace and had to be resisted. In the end, Churchill and Orwell proved their age's necessary men. The glorious climax of Churchill and Orwell is the work they both did in the decade of the 1940'sto triumph over freedom's enemies. And though Churchill played the larger role in the defeat of Hitler and the Axis, Orwell's reckoning with the menace of authoritarian rule in Animal Farm and 1984 would define the stakes of the Cold War for its 50-year course, and continues to give inspiration to fighters for freedom to this day. Taken together, in Thomas E. Ricks's masterful hands, their lives are a beautiful testament to the power of moral conviction, and to the courage it can take to stay true to it, through thick and thin." -- Provided by publisher.

We take a look at the meaning of Independence Day through story. This episode is hosted by Larry Rosen.

Storyteller:

Juan Rodriguez recounts his American journey.

Surrounded by a 26-foot-high separation wall, barbed wire, and a watchtower, a group of young Palestinians prepares a 3.5-acre piece of land for the growing season in spring. The noise

WASHINGTON, DC -- Eight members of the House of Representatives have added their support to a resolution opposing "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local broadcast radio stations. The Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA), which signals members of Congress's opposition to any potential legislation that imposes new performance royalties on broadcast radio stations for music airplay, now has 87 cosponsors in the House and eight in the Senate.

WASHINGTON, DC -- Twenty-five members of the House of Representatives and six Senators have added their support to a resolution opposing "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local broadcast radio stations. The Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA), which signals members of Congress's opposition to any potential legislation that imposes new performance royalties on broadcast radio stations for music airplay, now has 112 cosponsors in the House and 14 in the Senate.

WASHINGTON, DC -- Twelve members of the House of Representatives and one Senator have added their support to a resolution opposing "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local broadcast radio stations. The Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA), which signals members of Congress's opposition to any potential legislation that imposes new performance royalties on broadcast radio stations for music airplay, now has 124 cosponsors in the House and 15 in the Senate.

WASHINGTON, DC -- Fourteen members of the House of Representatives and three Senators have added their support to the Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA) opposing "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local broadcast radio stations bringing the number of cosponsors to 138 in the House and 18 in the Senate. The National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) expressed their support for the resolution, which signals members of Congress's opposition to any potential legislation that imposes new performance royalties on broadcast radio stations for music airplay, in a letter to congressional leaders on June 11.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Eleven members of the House of Representatives have added their support to a resolution opposing "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local broadcast radio stations. The Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA), which signals members of Congress's opposition to any potential legislation that imposes new performance royalties on broadcast radio stations for music airplay, now has 149 cosponsors in the House and 18 in the Senate.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Ten members of the House of Representatives have added their support to a resolution opposing "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local broadcast radio stations. The Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA), which signals members of Congress's opposition to any potential legislation that imposes new performance royalties on broadcast radio stations for music airplay, now has 159 cosponsors in the House and 18 in the Senate.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Ten members of the House of Representatives and four Senators have added their support to a resolution opposing "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local broadcast radio stations. The Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA), which signals members of Congress's opposition to any potential legislation that imposes new performance royalties on broadcast radio stations for music airplay, now has 169 cosponsors in the House and 22 in the Senate.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A dozen members of the House of Representatives have added their support to a resolution opposing "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local broadcast radio stations. The Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA), which signals members of Congress's opposition to any potential legislation that imposes new performance royalties on broadcast radio stations for music airplay, now has 181 cosponsors in the House and 22 in the Senate.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Eleven members of the House of Representatives and two Senators have added their support to a resolution opposing "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local broadcast radio stations. The Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA), which signals members of Congress's opposition to any potential legislation that imposes new performance royalties on broadcast radio stations for music airplay, now has 198 cosponsors in the House and 24 in the Senate.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Eleven members of the House of Representatives have added their support to a resolution opposing "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local broadcast radio stations. The Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA), which signals members of Congress's opposition to any potential legislation that imposes new performance royalties on broadcast radio stations for music airplay, now has 208 cosponsors in the House and 24 in the Senate.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A bipartisan majority of the House of Representatives are now cosponsoring the Local Radio Freedom Act, a resolution opposing "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local broadcast radio stations. The Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA), which signals members of Congress's opposition to any potential legislation that imposes new performance royalties on broadcast radio stations for music airplay, now has 222 cosponsors in the House and 28 in the Senate.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Broadcaster associations representing all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia have unanimously approved a resolution opposing "any new performance fee, tax, royalty or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings" on local broadcast radio stations.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A bipartisan coalition of 13 senators led by Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and John Barrasso (R-WY) introduced a resolution today opposing "any new performance fee, tax, royalty or other charge" on local broadcast radio stations. The Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA) signals policymakers’ opposition to any potential legislation that would impose new performance fees on broadcast radio stations for music airplay.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Twelve members of the House of Representatives and one senator have added their support to a resolution opposing "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local broadcast radio stations. The Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA), which signals the opposition of members of Congress to any potential legislation that imposes new performance royalties on broadcast radio stations for music airplay, now has 167 cosponsors in the House and 21 in the Senate.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Twenty-one members of the House of Representatives and two senators have added their support to a resolution opposing "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local broadcast radio stations. The Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA), which signals the opposition of members of Congress to any potential legislation that imposes new performance royalties on broadcast radio stations for music airplay, now has 188 cosponsors in the House and 23 in the Senate.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- More than 200 members of the House of Representatives and 24 senators are now supporting a resolution opposing "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local broadcast radio stations. The Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA), which signals the opposition of members of Congress to any potential legislation that imposes new performance royalties on broadcast radio stations for music airplay, now has 202 cosponsors in the House and 24 in the Senate.

International standards and the national legal framework on freedom of religion or belief were the focus of two consecutive training events organized jointly by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institution and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Regional Office for Central Asia (ROCA) of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) from 25 to 28 July 2016 in Bishkek.

The training for 25 prosecutors and 31 defence lawyers from all regions of Kyrgyzstan was provided in close co-operation with the Training Centre for Prosecutors under the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Training Centre for Lawyers. The course covered a wide variety of topics directly relevant to the work of the participants, including recent developments in Kyrgyzstan.

Drawing on the guidance of national and international experts, participants discussed the nature of the right to freedom of religion or belief, its interrelatedness with other human rights and fundamental freedoms, the nature, extent and impact of violations of freedom of religion or belief, and the duties of the state to respect, protect and fulfil this universal human right. Participants also took part in mock trials on cases involving interference with freedom of religion or belief, such as through the banning of religious clothing and discrimination against religious organizations. 

“In using topical case studies, the participants were able to apply the knowledge they had acquired in a practical ‘courtroom’ environment and improve their legal skills in analysing freedom of religion or belief cases and advancing cogent and structured arguments,” said Mark Hill, one of the participating international experts and a senior barrister from the United Kingdom.

Dilnoza Satarova, Associate Officer on Freedom of Religion or Belief at ODIHR, said: “ODIHR welcomes co-operation with the Training Centre for Prosecutors of Kyrgyzstan and the Training Centre for Lawyers in organizing this course. Such capacity-building activities are key to advancing freedom of religion or belief for all, and ODIHR stands ready to support similar initiatives in Kyrgyzstan in the future.”

The two events are part of a series of training events for lawyers, prosecutors and judges on a variety of human rights-related issues conducted as part of the OHCHR project “Peace and Reconciliation through strengthening the rule of law and protection of human rights”, which is funded by the Peacebuilding Fund. 

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VIENNA, 13 July 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today said that media laws under consideration by the Parliament in Moldova run counter to international standards on media freedom.

On 7 July the Parliament adopted, in the first reading, three amendments to the Audio-visual Code of the Republic of Moldova. All three amendments aim to limit broadcasts in foreign languages or those originating from abroad.

“It is counterproductive to try to limit speech through excessively restrictive legislation,” Mijatović wrote in a letter yesterday to the Chairperson of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, Andrian Candu. “In my view it seems excessive and may be ineffective.”

The reasoning given for introducing the restrictive provisions banning broadcasts or rebroadcasts of certain content is that it originates from states that are neither members of the European Union, nor are parties to the European Convention on Transfrontier Television. 

“I trust that the draft laws will be carefully reviewed by the members of Parliament before being adopted in the second reading, ensuring that the regulation does not pose undue limits on free expression and free flow of information,” Mijatović said.

The Representative also pointed to the recommendations of her Office’s non-paper “Propaganda and Freedom of the Media” published in 2015 (available at www.osce.org/fom/203926).

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom. 

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BISHKEK, 28 July 2016 – A two-day training conducted by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek for 14 defence lawyers and 12 officers from the Prosecutor’s office on the right to liberty and freedom from arbitrary arrest or detention, ended today in the Kyrgyz capital.

The workshop focused on the international framework for measures of restraint, as well as the internationally recognized constitutional right to institute proceedings in cases of violations.

The detention of minors, persons with disabilities, women with children, or defendants in need of continued medical treatment and hospitalization were among the topics discussed, and participants learned more about their specific concerns to ensure that the restraint measures taken comply with human rights standards.

“The right to liberty is a basic fundamental right, protected by international human rights law and enshrined in the Kyrgyz Constitution,” said Anete Erdmane, acting Senior Human Dimension Officer at the OSCE Centre. “To ensure that restrictions on liberty are applied in compliance with the law and that other human rights are not violated as a result of the deprivation of liberty, it is important that prosecutors and lawyers are aware of the relevant standards and obligations. In line with its mandate, the OSCE Centre works to improve the administration of justice and strengthen the rule of law in Kyrgyzstan.”

The course was delivered by Ulugbek Azimov, a well-known national expert in the field, while  Sergey Poduzov, an international human rights law expert from Russia, also led a training session.

The training course is part of the OSCE Centre’s project on promoting a comprehensive approach to the rule of law, administration of justice, prevention of torture, and capacity building. 

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PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 3 May 2016 – Respectable standards of freedom of press have been achieved in Kosovo over the years, creating a vibrant and diverse media scene - but these efforts need to continue in order to address remaining challenges, said Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo Jean-Claude Schlumberger today on World Press Freedom Day.

“Freedom of the media in Kosovo is periodically violated, when journalists face intimidation, threats and sometimes even physical attacks. There were 27 cases of violence against journalists in 2015 and at least five cases during the first quarter of 2016,” he said.

Ambassador Schlumberger called on the law enforcement structures and the institutions of justice to enhance the level of priority given to countering intimidation against journalists and reach tangible results in processing cases of violence against journalists without delay.  

“Unfettered and professional media are the cornerstone of democracy,” he said. “On this day, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo acknowledges the importance of the media for building a democratic society. We also take the opportunity to commend the hard work and dedication of many journalists in Kosovo who reflect the spirit and values of media freedoms and professionalism. At the same time, we call on all institutions to do their utmost to further the respect for press freedoms and the right of the public to be informed.”

Schlumberger urged media regulators to ensure a conducive media environment and follow up closely on any breaches of ethical codes of conduct by audio-visual, print, and online media.

“To mark World Press Freedom Day, the Mission will support three televised debates promoting freedom of expression and freedom of media, in Albanian and Serbian languages,” said Schlumberger.

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is mandated with human rights protection and promotion, democratization and public safety sector development. It is helping to safeguard the freedom of the media and freedom of expression and supports media development.

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PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 9 May 2016 – A ten-day school of journalism organized by the OSCE Mission for around 20 young people from northern Kosovo started today in Mitrovica/Mitrovicё North.

In the course of the programme, led by Davor Glavaš, a renowned journalist and lecturer at the University of Zagreb, participants will gain practical knowledge in reporting, writing skills and the use of social media and new technologies, such as blogs and web portals. Enhancing these skills will help them in their careers as well as contribute to media pluralism in Kosovo.

“For democratic societies it is crucial to have well educated journalists able to report in an objective, factual and independent manner. It is also important to provide aspiring young people with education opportunities to pursue a career in journalism,” said Christopher Tuetsch, Director of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo Democratization Department. “With this activity the OSCE Mission aims to help media outlets in northern Kosovo strengthen their human capacities and enhance information pluralism offered to the public.”

Following the successful completion of the programme, the top four candidates will be selected to participate in a six-month apprenticeship programme, to be implemented jointly with four media outlets in northern Kosovo: TV Mir, Radio Kosovska Mitrovica, Radio Kontakt Plus and the KoSSev web portal.

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is mandated with human rights protection and promotion, democratization and public safety sector development. It helps safeguard freedom of the media and freedom of expression, and supports media development.

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VIENNA, 13 July 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today said that media laws under consideration by the Parliament in Moldova run counter to international standards on media freedom.

On 7 July the Parliament adopted, in the first reading, three amendments to the Audio-visual Code of the Republic of Moldova. All three amendments aim to limit broadcasts in foreign languages or those originating from abroad.

“It is counterproductive to try to limit speech through excessively restrictive legislation,” Mijatović wrote in a letter yesterday to the Chairperson of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, Andrian Candu. “In my view it seems excessive and may be ineffective.”

The reasoning given for introducing the restrictive provisions banning broadcasts or rebroadcasts of certain content is that it originates from states that are neither members of the European Union, nor are parties to the European Convention on Transfrontier Television. 

“I trust that the draft laws will be carefully reviewed by the members of Parliament before being adopted in the second reading, ensuring that the regulation does not pose undue limits on free expression and free flow of information,” Mijatović said.

The Representative also pointed to the recommendations of her Office’s non-paper “Propaganda and Freedom of the Media” published in 2015 (available at www.osce.org/fom/203926).

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom. 

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VIENNA, 16 July 2016 – OSCE media freedom representative Dunja Mijatović today said she was deeply saddened upon learning of the death of photojournalist Mustafa Cambaz in Turkey, and worried about the state of media freedom in the country.

“I was deeply saddened to learn about Cambaz’ death,” Mijatović said. “The authorities must do their utmost to ensure journalists’ safety and free flow of information during times of crisis.”

Cambaz, a photojournalist with the media outlet Yeni Safak, was shot last night during the unrest in Turkey. Reportedly, a number of members of the media were detained last night for a short period of time. Some journalists were also injured, including Reporters Without Borders correspondent Selçuk Şamiloğlu who was beaten when reporting from the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul.

“Journalists continue to put themselves in great danger in order to provide information to the public,” Mijatović said. “They must be able to report freely and safely.”

Further, Mijatović noted reports that the editorial offices of several newspapers, including the Hürriyet newspaper, Hürriyet Daily News, and broadcaster CNNTürk, were raided and taken over for a few hours by a group of soldiers in Istanbul.

The Representative also welcomed the attention attributed to journalists’ safety by Prime Minister Binali Yildirim in his public remarks today, expressing regret for any harm that media workers might have suffered during the events.

Mijatović said she will continue to follow and closely monitor all issues related to media freedom and safety of journalists in the country.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: www.twitter.com/osce_rfom and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom. 

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VIENNA, 21 July 2016 – The mass cancellation of broadcasting licenses, criminal investigations against, and dismissal of, hundreds of journalists at the state broadcaster, and blocked websites are the latest, severe challenges to freedom of expression and media freedom in Turkey, Dunja Mijatović, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, said today.

Fully aligning herself with the statement made by the Chairperson-in-Office and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier on 16 July, strongly condemning any attempt to change the democratic order of Turkey through the use of force (statement available at www.osce.org/cio/254431), the Representative said:

“Democratically elected governments must be safeguarded, but they in turn must protect media freedom and support the role journalists play in ensuring and strengthening democracies,” Mijatović said.  “Fully recognizing the difficult times that Turkey is going through, the authorities need to ensure media freedom offline and online in line with their international commitments.”

On 19 July, the Radio and Television Supreme Council of Turkey (RTÜK) cancelled the licenses of radio and television stations that allegedly support the Gulen movement. The following television channels are currently affected: STV, Samanyolu Haber, Samanyolu Haber Radyo, Can Erzincan TV, Kanal 124, Yumurcak TV, Hira TV, MC TV, Dünya TV, Kanal Türk, Bugün TV, Mehtap TV, Berfin FM, Kanal Türk Radyo, Burç FM, Samanyolu Haber Radyosu, Radyo Mehtap, Haber Radyo Ege, Dünya Radyo, Radyo Küre, Merkür TV, Esra Radyo, Tuna Shoping TV, and Radyo Anadolu.

“Using the full force of my mandate, I urge the authorities of Turkey to ensure that pluralistic debate, diverging views and safety of journalists are respected,” Mijatović said, adding that the deteriorating media freedom situation in Turkey have been subject to numerous interventions from her Office in the past few years (available at www.osce.org/fom).

Also on 19 July, the Ankara Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation against 370 staff members of the state broadcaster TRT, for their alleged links to the Gulen movement.  

Further, the Representative expressed concern about the rapidly growing number of blocked websites in Turkey. In the past few days, dozens of websites suspected for endangering national security and public order have been blocked. More than 112.000 websites are reported being blocked in the country today.  

Mijatović noted with deep concern reports about death threats being made in social media against journalists critical to the authorities, and emphasized the importance of journalists’ safety. She also recalled warnings in several major media outlets announcing the possible arrests of members of the media on terrorism charges. She said that Turkey holds more journalists in prison than any other OSCE participating State – a fact her Office continuously raises attention to, by regularly publishing a detailed table on imprisoned journalists.

“Freedom of expression does not stop at views deemed appropriate by the government,” Mijatović said. “It remains the role of journalists to inform people of public issues, including highly sensitive ones, and it remains the role of the authorities to ensure that journalists can do so freely and safely.”

The Representative offered the continued assistance and expertise of her Office to the authorities in Turkey ensuring that media freedom and freedom of expression are protected, even under difficult circumstances.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom. 

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GENEVA / VIENNA, 28 July 2016 – Two top holders of media freedom mandates of the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) today condemned the ongoing crackdown on journalists and the media launched by Turkish Government in the wake of the attempted coup.

The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, David Kaye, and the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, expressed alarm at recent measures adopted by the Turkish authorities. Dozens of journalists have been reportedly arrested and a large number of media outlets closed in the past twenty-four hours.

“The simultaneous arrests of independent journalists and shutdowns of print and broadcast media strike a major blow against public debate and government accountability,” the experts warned. “We strongly urge the Turkish authorities to reconsider these decisions and confirm their obligations to media freedom.”

Reports indicate that the Government ordered the closure of three news agencies, 16 TV channels, 23 radio channels, 45 papers and 15 magazines. Since the attempted coup, authorities have issued arrest warrants against 89 journalists and have already arrested several of them, blocked access to more than 20 news websites, revoked the licenses of 29 publishing houses, and cancelled a number of press accreditations.

Numerous academic institutions, schools, civil society organizations were also ordered to close down by decrees issued after the adoption of the “Statutory Decree Regarding Measures to be Taken Within Scope of State of Emergency and Regulation of Certain Institutes and Institutions” on 23 July.

“It is quite clear that this wave of restrictions against media groups does not meet the basic international standards concerning restrictive measures even in times of emergency,” Mijatović said. “The disregard for any assurance of due process is flagrant and only contributes to the extreme levels of insecurity affecting all those working to inform people of the ongoing crisis in the country.”

“The attempted coup cannot justify such a broad attack against almost all voices, not just critical ones but analytic and journalistic,” Kaye said. “The widespread and abrupt nature of the measures, lacking even the basic elements of due process, is shocking and unprecedented in recent times in Turkey.”

“The Government’s purging of personnel and institutions of what it perceives as being dissenting and critical voices, solely on the basis of allegations of membership in the Gülen movement, clearly violates standards of international human rights law,” he noted.

Both experts expressed their continued willingness to discuss their concerns with Turkish authorities. UN Special Rapporteur Kaye will be visiting Turkey on an official visit in November, at the invitation of the Government. OSCE Representative Mijatović reiterated her Office’s assistance in improving media freedom, including a visit to the country. 

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.  

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