News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
Impact of emergency measures on human rights and democracy key focus of new OSCE/ODIHR report
Publishing date: 17 July 2020
WARSAW, 17 July 2020 – The COVID-19 pandemic has been a formative experience for all humanity and a health emergency of global proportions, presenting a huge challenge to national leaders, health systems, and citizens. The findings of a new report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) shows that it has also been a test to our democracies and the respect for human rights to which countries across the OSCE committed many years ago.
Azerbaijan early parliamentary elections 2020: ODIHR observation mission final report
Publishing date: 17 July 2020
ODIHR's recommendations on Azerbaijan 2020 elections ODIHR final report on the 2020 Azerbaijan early parliamentary elections A restrictive legal and political landscape meant that voters in the early parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan were not provided with meaningful choice despite a high
OSCE PA President Tsereteli urges de-escalation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, return to substantive negotiations
Publishing date: 16 July 2020
COPENHAGEN, 16 July 2020 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli has closely followed the situation along the border of Azerbaijan and Armenia and has been in contact this week with the countries’ OSCE PA delegations and relevant international actors. Today, he urged both sides to urgently de-escalate and to engage in “substantive negotiations"...
North Macedonia’s early parliamentary elections well managed despite pandemic but legal instability remains a concern, international observers say
Publishing date: 16 July 2020
SKOPJE, 16 July 2020 – The early parliamentary elections in North Macedonia were generally well run and candidates could campaign freely, but legal stability was undermined by significant revisions to the legal framework and subsequent government decrees, international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in a statement today.
OSCE PA leaders criticize Belarus’s failure to extend timely invitation to observe election and to provide a level playing field for all stakeholders
Publishing date: 16 July 2020
COPENHAGEN, 16 July 2020 – The leaders of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions expressed concern today that Belarus had failed to extend a timely invitation to the OSCE to observe its upcoming presidential election. The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) announced yesterday that the lack of an invitation has prevented ODIHR from observing the election process...
OSCE seminar explores role of suspicious transaction analysis and financial investigation in combating money laundering and related crimes in Turkmenistan
Publishing date: 15 July 2020
Sharing advanced experience in the analysis of suspicious transactions reports (STR) and further financial investigation is the objective of an OSCE-organized online seminar that opened in Ashgabat on 15 July 2020. The two-day event will provide an overview of initial, operational and strategic analysis and financial investigation in efforts to combat money laundering, the financing of terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office urges immediate return to ceasefire along Armenian-Azerbaijani border
Publishing date: 14 July 2020
VIENNA/TIRANA, 14 July 2020 – “I am deeply concerned by the increased violence we have seen along the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and urge an immediate return to the ceasefire before we see any further loss of life,” said OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Albania’s Prime Minister and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Edi Rama today.