News and press releases

BERLIN, 31 May 2016 – Violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism can only be effectively addressed through a broad range of measures, co-ordinated in a joint international effort, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and Germany’s Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière said today as they opened a high-level OSCE-wide Counter-Terrorism Conference in Berlin...

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine and the International Renaissance Foundation supported a training session for eight board members of the Association of Legal Clinics in Ukraine on strategic planning, which was held in Bucha, Ukraine, on 30-31 May 2016...

ASHGABAT, 31 May 2016 – Some 25 law-enforcement and military officials, at an OSCE-organized training course that concluded in Ashgabat today, discussed practices of responding to terrorism threats to large public events...

On both Saturday and Sunday, the SMM observed more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with 27 May. The Mission followed up on allegations of shelling on both sides of the contact line. It continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons, and noted armoured combat vehicles and newly laid mines in the security zone. The SMM monitored the situation of civilians at checkpoints and observed border areas not controlled by the Government. In Chernivtsi, the SMM monitored a peaceful march to celebrate a Jewish holiday. The Mission’s freedom of movement was restricted on three occasions in areas not controlled by the Government. East of Shyrokyne, near a “DPR” checkpoint, an armed man fired warning shots and pointed his weapon at the SMM, forcing the patrol to leave the area...

VIENNA, 30 May 2016 – Senior representatives of Russian and Ukrainian journalists’ unions today agreed to co-operate on steps to increase journalists’ safety and professionalism as they met again in Vienna. The meeting was hosted by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović with the purpose of planning further joint activities to improve the situation for media working in and around Ukraine...

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) Astrid Thors visited Moldova from 23 to 25 May 2016 to discuss issues including the draft integration strategy developed with HCNM’s assistance to the Bureau for Interethnic Relations, relations between Chisinau and the autonomous territorial

DUSHANBE, 30 May 2016- Some 90 participants, including government officials and civil society representatives, are coming together in Dushanbe today for a meeting organized by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan to discuss human rights issues specific to the country, ahead of the annual OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting in Warsaw...