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The Deterioration of Freedom of the Media in OSCE Countries

Tuesday, April 4, 2000, 4:00 am
Witnesses
David Yang
Senior Coordinator for Democracy Promotion, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
United States Department of State
Freimut Duve
Representative on Freedom of the Media
OSCE
Thomas Dine
President
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Linda K. Foley
President
Newspaper Guild Communications Workers of America & Vice President, International Federation of Journalists
Emma Gray
Europe Program Director
Committee to Protect Journalists
Marilyn Greene
Executive Director
World Press Freedom Committee

The stated purpose of this hearing, presided over by Rep. Christopher Smith (NJ-04) was to draw attention to the deteriorating status of free speech and press throughout the OSCE region, raise alarm about this deterioration, and call upon OSCE participating states to recommit themselves to these freedoms.

Such an impetus was drawn from how members of the press were mistreated in foreign countries. For example, 34 journalists were killed in the OSCE region in the year of 1999.