OSCE Media Representative criticizes restrictive media law drafted in German City-State

VIENNA, 21 October 2002 - The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Freimut Duve, has sent a letter to the German Foreign Minister, Joschka Fischer, criticizing a draft law proposed by the Senator of the Interior of the German City-State of Hamburg, which would allow the authorities to survey the activities of journalists by optical and acoustic devices.

"Such legislation would jeopardize the protection of journalistic sources", Mr. Duve stressed, whose role is to critically observe developments in media legislation in OSCE participating States. "This would not only be in contradiction to the German Constitution, but also to OSCE commitments subscribed to by Germany, which guarantee freedom of the press and the media", Mr. Duve added in his letter, which was sent on 17 October.

Mr. Duve also emphasized that his Office had repeatedly warned particularly the young democracies among the OSCE participating States against adopting draft legislation threatening the freedom of the media.