News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
ODIHR expresses appreciation for work of Poland’s Commissioner for Human Rights in joint statement with other global and regional human rights organizations
Publishing date: 1 March 2016
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) joined with other global and regional intergovernmental human rights organizations and experts in issuing a statement of appreciation for the work of Poland’s national human rights institution, the Commissioner for Human Rights,
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Steinmeier in address to UN Security Council stresses need to strengthen ties between OSCE and UN in turbulent times
Publishing date: 29 February 2016
NEW YORK 29 February 2016 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier briefed today the United Nations (UN) Security Council on the priorities of the German 2016 Chairmanship.
Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30hrs, 28 February 2016
Publishing date: 29 February 2016
The SMM noted a lower number of ceasefire violations recorded compared to previous days in most areas of Donetsk region. It observed craters and damage to houses caused by recent shelling in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Mission noted a number of weapons missing from permanent storage sites and holding areas in both government- and non-government-controlled areas. The SMM was restricted in its freedom of movement in areas not controlled by the Government*. It facilitated and monitored repair works on both sides of the contact line and observed the handover of remains of a soldier. The SMM followed up on media reports on the blockade of Russian Federation-registered trucks at a border crossing point...
Dialogue and compromise the only way to solve crisis, says National Dialogue Quartet at OSCE Mediterranean Contact Group meeting in Vienna
Publishing date: 29 February 2016
VIENNA, 29 February 2016 – The Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet, winner of the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize, addressed the OSCE Mediterranean Contact Group, in Vienna today. The Contact Group serves as the main venue for regular dialogue between the Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation and the OSCE participating States. It is headed by the incoming 2017 Chair of the OSCE, Austria...
OSCE/ODIHR signs agreement with Valencia City Council for hate crime training programme for local law enforcement
Publishing date: 29 February 2016
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the City Council of Valencia, Spain, signed an agreement on 29 February 2016 to train local law enforcement officers in recognizing, understanding and investigating hate crimes...
OSCE/ODIHR trains young policy advisors from Moldova to improve their policymaking skills
Publishing date: 29 February 2016
Promoting youth political participation was the focus of a course co-organized in Chisinau by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Community of Democracies in Moldova from 27 to 29 February 2016.
OSCE co-hosts international roundtable discussion on countering terrorism in Kazakhstan
Publishing date: 29 February 2016
ASTANA, 29 February 2016 – Factors underlying violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism and the ways to effectively address this threat in Central Asia and beyond were the focus of an international roundtable discussion organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in co-operation with the Centre for Military Strategic Research under the Ministry of Defence, in Astana today...