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Läs Olof Klebergs tal på OSCE Review Conference

Speech at the Working Session on Media Freedom, OSCE Review Conference, Warsaw Oct 7, 2010, 3-6 pm.

(My speech was planned for three minutes – but all contrubutions that afternoon were reduced to two minutes)

Ladies and gentlemen!

I am speaking on behalf of the Swedish OSCE Network, a network of 25 Human Rights and Peace Organizations.

In many member states of the OSCE there were expectations that Kazakhstan would substantially democratizise its policies in the area of human rights, openness and media. Kazakhstan also gave large-scale promises. Those promises have evidently not been fulfilled.

Many human rights representatives from Kazakhstan have given us negative reports during these last days: it´s worse today than one year ago, before the chairmanship. They are disappointed with the accomplishments of the OSCE.

Now it´s time for NGO´s outside Kazakhstan to take a stand.

Today´s item is media freedom. Free media are a cornerstone of any vivid society. Free media mean that journalists are free to publish and free to choose what to publish.

As a former editor-in-chief I know: journalists just have one duty: the duty to the public. Never to the state.

Let me just highlight two cases of abuses of media freedom in Kazakhstan: Ramazan Yesergepov and Golos Respubliki

//If I had been allowed to speak for three minutes I would have said the following:

1. 1. Ramazan Yesergepov is condemned to three years in prison, condemned for disclosing ”state secrets”. He wrote an article which could have been published in every democratic country with free media.
2. 2. Golos Respubliki – a well reputable newspaper. First condemned to huge damages for a normal, investigative article. Then deprived of its printing house because of financial accusations.

These problems would not have occurred in any open society!

Moreover the Internet is to a great extent blocked and censured. That is everyday life in China – but shouldn´t be it within the OSCE.//

Kazakhstan provides nice promises. But what counts is PRACTICE.

You need a SPIRIT of freedom and openness. It is easy to find nice words and paragraphs – but you must BELIEVE in them.

That´s what lacks in the Kazakh leadersip. Mrs Chair stressed in her introduction that media freedom is a Kazakh priority. I simply don´t believe it!

My recommendations to the Summit in Astana are:

-       Preserve and strengthen the important work of the Representative on Freedom of the Media

-       Let the Troika of the OSCE see to it that Human Rights issues will become an important part of the Summit, not just a foot note!

Publicerad den 15 oktober, 2010