OSCE Urges Kyrgyz Parliament To Reconsider Restrictions On Media

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic has voiced concern about a resolution passed by Kyrgyzstan's parliament last week calling for the banning of a news website.

Mijatovic said a ban on the fergana.ru website and other similar recent measures could potentially limit media pluralism in the country.

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic
In its resolution last week, parliament accused fergana.ru of "igniting ethnic hatred" between ethnic Uzbeks and Kyrgyz and said it should be blocked.

Mijatovic said such legal initiatives "will negatively affect media coverage of important issues" just before a Kyrgyzstan presidential election due this autumn.

compiled from agency reports