Defending media freedom and the safety of journalists: UK statement to the OSCE, November 2026

Official release

Thank you, Chair. Welcome back to the Permanent Council, Representative, dear Jan, and thank you for your report.

The United Kingdom remains steadfast in its commitment to media freedom and is a strong supporter of your mandate here at the OSCE, and we urge participating States to cooperate, heed recommendations and uphold the 2018 Milan Decision on the Safety of Journalists.

We fully agree with your assessment that media freedom is a necessary condition for peace and security, not a peripheral or second-order issue. As we mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, we reiterate that attacks against journalists must be investigated and those responsible held to account.

This is particularly evident in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. UN and ODIHR reporting documents killings, injuries, arbitrary detention and other serious violations against journalists, as well as sustained attacks on civilian infrastructure essential to independent media. At least 26 Ukrainian journalists remain in Russian captivity, many convicted on fabricated charges. We call for the immediate release of all journalists and media workers held by Russia, and accountability for attacks against them.

Inside both Russia and Belarus, systematic repression seeks to silence dissenting voices, criminalise journalism and shut down independent media. By hollowing out domestic accountability and distorting the information environment, such repression also undermines regional security and stands in direct contradiction to our shared OSCE commitments.

We remain concerned by democratic backsliding in Georgia. We condemn politically motivated detentions, including that of Mzia Amaglobeli, and call for the immediate release of those detained. Georgia should reverse repressive legislation and engage constructively with the recommendations of the OSCE Moscow Mechanism rapporteur to address concerns over democracy, rule of law and fundamental freedoms.

The UK will not tolerate foreign states targeting critics, including journalists, on British soil. Journalists in exile must be able to work safely. At home, our National Committee for the Safety of Journalists brings together government, journalists, policing, prosecution services and civil society to strengthen the protection of journalists and oversee implementation of our National Action Plan for their safety.

As 2026 co-chair of the Media Freedom Coalition, alongside Finland, we will continue to champion independent, pluralistic media, including by addressing threats to women journalists, supporting sustainable public-interest media and confronting emerging risks from artificial intelligence.

These are shared challenges, which governments cannot meet alone. Participating States must make full use of the OSCE’s institutions and mechanisms and uphold their commitments to free expression and independent media. When independent voices are silenced, disinformation spreads, corruption flourishes and our societies become less secure.

Representative, dear Jan, we are grateful to you and your team for your work and look forward to working closely with you and your office to advance media freedom and hence the shared security of the OSCE region.

Thank you, Chair.

UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright. Text excerpted and formatting simplified; media and third-party quotations excluded. No endorsement implied.

Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ↗ · Updated 5 Nov 2026, 7:46 pm IST