Dunja Mijatovic hails end to restrictions on Iryna Khalip’s freedom

Dunja Mijatovic, the OSCE representative on freedom of the media, has welcomed a district judge’s decision to lift all restrictions on journalist Iryna Khalip’s freedom.

“I am relieved that Irina (Iryna) Khalip is no longer serving the sentence handed out to her in 2011. I followed this case from the beginning and raised it several times with the Belarusian authorities”, said Ms. Mijatovic on July 19.

“I hope that similar penalty of another Belarusian journalist, Andrzej Poczobut, also sentenced in 2011, will be lifted as well and that no journalists face prosecution or harassment in the future,” said Ms. Mijatovic.

The OSCE representative added that during her recent visit to Minsk Belarusian authorities had expressed readiness to intensify dialogue and cooperation with her office on much needed improvement of the media freedom situation, according to the OSCE press office.