VIENNA, 29 August 2013 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, expressed her concern today in a letter to the U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron about recent actions of the authorities against the Guardian newspaper.

“Using anti-terrorism legislation, threatening legal action and forcing journalists to destroy data creates a chilling effect on the media in the United Kingdom and beyond and represents a form of unacceptable prior restraint,” Mijatović said.

“It is difficult to fathom that civil servants acting under political instructions would threaten the editor of a major newspaper in the U.K. in the 21st century,” Mijatović said.

In her letter, the Representative also pointed to the detention and questioning of David Miranda and seizure of his electronic equipment under the Terrorism Act of 2000 as he passed through Heathrow Airport a week ago, an issue that she already raised with the U.K. authorities on 19 August.

“I do not in any way challenge the legitimate right of governments to fight terrorism and to protect our societies, but the laws should not be misapplied or abused so that they hinder the work of journalists and suppress free media and the right of free expression,” Mijatović said.

“It is encouraging that civil society and the journalism community reacted promptly to these attacks on free media. I appeal to the authorities to carefully consider any future steps, so that to ensure that they support the right of media to report,” Mijatović concluded.