News and press releases

BISHKEK, 20 April 2015 – A two-day roundtable to discuss draft laws on the Criminal Code, Criminal Procedure Code, Civil Procedure Code, Penal-Executive Code, Code on Offences, as well as legislative acts on increasing the responsibility of judges, and legislative acts on bailiffs and others is being held on 20-21 April 2015 in Bishkek...

VILNIUS, 20 April 2015 – More than 70 experts from across North America, Europe and Asia are meeting in the Lithuanian capital today for a conference to discuss the implementation of the key UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. The conference is organized by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), UN Women and the Lithuanian Government...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. The SMM, based on its monitoring – which was restricted by third parties and by security considerations (cf. below) – observed on-going fighting in and around Donetsk airport, albeit at a lower intensity compared to previous days. The situation, however, remained relatively calm in the Luhansk region and in the rest of the Donetsk region, notably around Shyrokyne, where for the first time the SMM maintained an overnight static presence...

On 17 April, at 18:30hrs, an SMM team, composed of eight staff from the Head Office and the Mariupol Hub and led by the SMM Deputy Chief Monitor, replaced the SMM team that was in the village since 06:40hrs the same day. The SMM located a suitable site to monitor the ceasefire as foreseen in the Minsk package. The SMM parked its two armoured vehicles close to a shelter which the team could use if needed. The SMM marked its location with large OSCE flags which could be illuminated in case of emergency. Throughout the night the OSCE SMM Unmanned/Unarmed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) hovered over Shyrokyne and environs, updating the SMM team in real-time about the situation in the area...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. The SMM, based on its monitoring – which was restricted by third parties and by security considerations – observed ongoing intensive fighting in and around Donetsk airport. The situation, however, remained relatively calm around Shyrokyne, and mostly calm in the rest of the Donetsk region and the Luhansk region...

VIENNA, 17 April 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today welcomed the recent decision to drop all charges against Slovenian journalist Anuška Delić...

Following the escalation of violence in Shyrokyne (22km east of Mariupol) over the Orthodox Easter weekend, SMM Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug and his team travelled to Mariupol on 13 April to spearhead efforts for a localised ceasefire. Since 13 April the SMM has visited Shyrokyne on a daily basis, engaging the two sides in a dialogue aiming at the cessation of hostilities. The SMM directly negotiated with the actors on the ground in an effort to gain unrestricted access to the village. Consequently, the SMM conducted a humanitarian assessment of the location, which included personal interaction with over 35 of the civilians left in the conflict-torn village.