OSCE against Internet censorship in Serbia

OSCE representative in charge of media freedom, Dunja Mijatovic, criticized today Serbian authorities over a disturbing trend of efforts to censor media content on the Internet. Illustration Illustration Mijatovic, at a press conference dedicated to the Internet held in Stockholm, called on authorities in Serbia to nurture uncensored debate on matters of public interest, especially in times of crisis, such as the flood situation in the region. “I am deeply concerned by reports that websites and online content were blocked. It is a clear violation of the right to freedom of expression. Internet is essential for the free flow and access to information,” she said. According to her, in times of crisis free flow of information is crucial, so that people are able to assess their own situation. Mijatovic warned that during the emergency in Serbia there was deletion of entire websites from the Internet, as well as censoring of certain blogs and arrest of individuals. “The arrest of individuals for blogs, comments or other forms of writing is not acceptable. It has a negative impact on the general situation of press freedom in the country and it can lead to self-censorship. I call on Serbian authorities to put an end to this and stop interfering in the work of on-line media,” Mijatovic said. She said that her office is ready to help Serbian authorities in this area.

Source: http://inserbia.info/today/2014/05/osce-against-internet-censorship-in-serbia/