News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
OSCE Special Representative on Gender Issues visits Belarus
Publishing date: 19 December 2014
MINSK, 19 December 2014 – Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Gender Issues June Zeitlin today concluded a two-day country visit to Belarus, during which she focused primarily on domestic violence and also discussed women’s political participation as well as anti-discrimination protection...
Enhanced international co-operation in countering terrorism in focus of OSCE-supported event in Kazakhstan
Publishing date: 19 December 2014
ASTANA, 19 December 2014 – An OSCE-supported conference on mechanisms to enhance the effectiveness of international co-operation in preventing and combating violent extremism and terrorism is being held today in Astana...
Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 18:00 (Kyiv time), 18 December 2014
Publishing date: 18 December 2014
The SMM continued to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum and the work of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC). The SMM observed no shelling or use of fire-arms, although the JCCC did report on a number of cases. Furthermore the SMM noted no movement of weaponry towards the contact line, noting on the contrary movement away from it...
Weekly update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 10:00 (Moscow time), 17 December 2014
Publishing date: 18 December 2014
Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, Russian Federation (RF). The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCP)s. Overall cross-border traffic flows increased at both BCPs. The OM continued to observe a significant number of persons in military-style clothing crossing the border in both directions...
Efforts to increase freedom of expression and tolerance should go hand in hand, says OSCE Representative
Publishing date: 18 December 2014
VIENNA, 18 December 2014 – At an expert meeting on the relationship between freedom of expression and tolerance and non-discrimination, OSCE media freedom representative Dunja Mijatović emphasized that the two values should not only co-exist, but they can also strengthen each other...
OSCE Presence in Albania trains representatives of foreign ministry, election commission and civil society on short-term election observation
Publishing date: 18 December 2014
Representatives of the Albanian Foreign Ministry, Central Election Commission and civil society completed on 18 December 2014 a three-day training course in Tirana on short-term election observation. The course was organized by the OSCE Presence in Albania and follows the successful delivery of a similar training course in July 2014...
OSCE/ODIHR final report on Latvia’s parliamentary elections notes respect for fundamental freedoms, recommends review of candidacy right provisions
Publishing date: 18 December 2014
While finding that Latvia’s 4 October 2014 parliamentary elections took place in an open and peaceful environment with respect for fundamental freedoms, the final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) recommends a review of limitations on the rights of some individuals to run as candidates.