News and press releases

VIENNA, 24 February 2022 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), Teresa Ribeiro, presented today a legal analysis of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On Media”, adopted by the Milli Majlis (parliament) of the Republic of Azerbaijan on 30 December 2021. The law was later signed by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, on 8 February 2022.

VIENNA, 24 February 2022 – Referring to the Russian military operation in Ukraine as “indefensible” and a “gross violation of international law,” OSCE parliamentarians gathered in the hybrid Winter Meeting urged an immediate end to the hostilities and a return to diplomacy. Some 28 parliamentarians took the floor in an open debate, with most expressing clear opposition to the incursion and deep concern for the lives of civilians in Ukraine.

BUDAPEST, 24 February 2022- The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an election observation mission for the 3 April parliamentary elections and referendum in Hungary, following an official invitation from the national authorities and a needs assessment mission conducted in January this year.

WARSAW/VIENNA, 24 February 2022 – The OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Foreign Minister of Poland, Zbigniew Rau and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid condemned the launch by President Putin of a military operation in Ukraine and made the following statement:

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) held an online workshop in support of open data for anti-corruption on 22 February 2022. The event was jointly organized with the Anti-Corruption Agency of Uzbekistan (ACA) and the International Open Data Charter (ODC).

VIENNA, 23 FEBRUARY 2022 – Following the decision by Russian President Vladimir Putin to recognize parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine as independent, the 2022 Polish Chairmanship-in-Office convened the OSCE Permanent Council yesterday to meet in a reinforced format to address the current situation.

BELGRADE, 23 February 2022- The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an election observation mission for the 3 April presidential and early parliamentary elections in Serbia, following an official invitation from the national authorities and a needs assessment mission conducted in December last year.