The members of the International Press Institute (IPI), meeting at their 60th Annual General Assembly during the IPI World Congress on 26 September 2011 in Taipei, Taiwan, adopted by unanimous vote a resolution expressing concern over media restrictions in Hungary.
Hungary’s new media law, enforced this year, has been heavily criticized by European Union politicians, the media freedom representative of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the United Nations’ Human Rights Council’s special rapporteur on freedom of expression, journalists and a host of press freedom and freedom of expression groups, including IPI, over its potential to stifle free speech and harm media pluralism.
Despite amendments passed in March intended to defuse this criticism, troubling provisions remain, including restrictive content requirements, a highly centralised regime of regulation under the prime minister’s control, high fines for violations of the law and weak protection of the confidentiality of journalists’ sources.
IPI members said that Hungary’s government must demonstrate respect for media freedom, recognise the need for media pluralism and the right of journalists to protect sources, and reform media legislation so that it complies with international media freedom standards.
The members urged the government to limit regulatory control to broadcast media only, and to ensure that it is conducted by an independent body.