Freedom of speech and media - discussed at OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting

Freedom of speech, freedom of the media and the right to information were among the topics discussed in Warsaw at the Annual Meeting of the Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE) on the Human Dimension Implementation (HDIM). 

On Tuesday, on the sidelines of the HDIM, the Permanent Mission of Romania to the OSCE, alongside the Permanent Mission of Finland, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) organised the event "Building resilience in order to overcome vulnerabilities generated by the misuse of information in democratic societies," informed a press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE). 

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), Harlem Desir, participated as the main speaker. 

Romania actively supported the organisation of this event, relying on its experience during the time when it exercised the presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2019, in combating disinformation, shows the same source. 

The Annual Meeting of OSCE on Human Dimension Implementation represents a unique platform in Europe, which brings together almost 1,500 representatives of the OSCE participating states and the civil society, who promote human rights, experts, other international organisation and the mass-media. Romania actively participates in the annual debates, according to its consistent stand in supporting the Human Dimension of the OSCE and the autonomous institutions of the Organisation. 

The event occasions a substantial exchange of ideas on disinformation, manipulation of public spaces, hybrid threats, hate speeches - phenomena affecting the democratic society and the decision making processes. A special emphasis was placed on the technological infrastructure that amplifies disinformation and the evolution of manipulation technologies with digital content. Moreover, the speakers underscored that one of the negative effects of misinformation is that it damages trust in institutions and democratic process. 

The meeting takes places until September 27.