OSCE Media Representative welcomes decision by Russian President to veto restrictive media amendments

VIENNA, 26 November 2002 - The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Freimut Duve, welcomed yesterday's decision by the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, to veto amendments to Russian laws on mass media and on combating terrorism that were recently adopted by both houses of the Russian Parliament. The amendments dealt with restricting press freedom in the country.

"I fully support this veto by President Putin after an appeal has been made to him by the heads of Russia's media organizations", Mr. Duve said. "I believe that any codes of responsible conduct, especially dealing with reporting on such situations as the recent hostage crisis in Moscow, should be developed by the journalists themselves", he stressed.

After the proposed amendments were adopted by Parliament, the OSCE Representative commissioned a legal review that was conducted by experts from the leading media non-governmental organization Article 19. These experts concluded that the amendments were highly restrictive and in violation of Russia's international commitments.