1. All OSCE participating States have agreed that democracy, human rights and the rule of law is at the core of the comprehensive concept of security.
2. Freedom of opinion and expression, media freedom, protection of human rights defenders and the safety of journalists are essential for fulfilling our OSCE commitments and international obligations on human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. They are central priorities for the EU internally and externally.
3. Civil society, human rights defenders, journalists and other media actors are indispensable in holding participating States accountable.
4. We acknowledge that women journalists and media actors face an increasing number of attacks, both online and offline, and face gender-specific threats.
5. Journalists and media actors continue to be at risk daily while reporting on Russia’s continued unprovoked, unjustifiable and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. According to the Council of Europe Safety of Journalists Platform, at least sixteen journalists and media actors have been killed, and at least forty injured. The Moscow Mechanism report in April found that journalists are among the thousands of civilian Ukrainians arbitrarily detained by Russia. Journalists and media actors reporting from armed conflict zones must be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law. We demand an end to the persecution of journalists and human rights defenders in territories of Ukraine illegally and temporarily occupied by Russia, including Crimea.
6. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, enabled by the Lukashenka regime, starkly reminds us that internal repression and external aggression go hand in hand. In Russia, authorities continue to increase the systematic repression by cracking down on opposition politicians, civil society  representatives, independent media, journalists and media actors and other critical voices, using repressive legislation, steep fines,  arbitrary detention and lengthy politically motivated prison sentences.
7. We reiterate our deep concern about the deteriorating human rights situation in Belarus. We strongly condemn the persecution and intimidation campaigns against all segments of Belarusian society, including human rights defenders, independent journalists and media actors, and civil society representatives. We call for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, and their effective rehabilitation.
8. Furthermore, the EU is deeply worried about the introduction of legislation negatively affecting the work of civil society and the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of association and media freedom in several countries, including in Georgia and Kyrgyzstan.
9. We reiterate our call on Azerbaijan to release all those imprisoned for exercising their fundamental rights, including independent journalists, human rights defenders and political activists.
10. In connection to the 25th mandate anniversary, the former RFoM Teresa Ribeiro emphasised that there can be no security without media freedom. We fully share this view, and in this context express our hope that a new Representative will be appointed without further delay. We encourage all participating States to make use of the tools and expertise offered by the RFoM.
11. At home, the EU has taken significant steps with the adoption of the European Media Freedom Act and new rules against abusive lawsuits against public participation. All participating States should take decisive action to protect freedom of opinion and expression and media freedom, and implement all OSCE commitments in this field.

The Candidate Countries NORTH MACEDONIA*, MONTENEGRO*, ALBANIA*, and BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA*, and the EFTA countries ICELAND and LIECHTENSTEIN, members of the European Economic Area, as well as SAN MARINO and the UNITED KINGDOM align themselves with this statement.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.