News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
Monitors from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine focus on human trafficking during Kyiv training
Publishing date: 8 April 2015
KYIV, 8 April 2015 – The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Ambassador Madina Jarbussynova, stressed the importance of raising awareness about human trafficking among monitors from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) at the end of a two-day training designed to improve their ability to spot this heinous crime...
Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 18:00 (Kyiv time), 7 April 2015
Publishing date: 8 April 2015
The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements” which was restricted by third parties and by security considerations*. The SMM observed an increase in the number of ceasefire violations in the Donetsk region, especially around Donetsk airport. The SMM monitored the situation in the area of Shyrokyne and assessed the security situation as remaining tense. The SMM monitored five heavy weapons holding areas belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In Luhansk region, the SMM observed the security situation to be relatively calm...
OSCE PA President demands end to intimidation of monitors in eastern Ukraine
Publishing date: 8 April 2015
COPENHAGEN, 8 April 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) today called for an immediate end to the intimidation of OSCE monitors in Ukraine and reiterated the need for the monitors to have unfettered access throughout the country...
On International Roma Day, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and human rights chief call for youth focus to promote greater Roma participation
Publishing date: 8 April 2015
BELGRADE/WARSAW, 8 April 2015 – Ivica Dačić, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Serbia’s Foreign Minister, and Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), called today for greater efforts to ensure Roma and Sinti participation in social, political and cultural life. On the occasion of International Roma Day, they stressed that a focus on youth, including on education, is key to providing Roma communities with greater opportunities...
Spot report by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine: “DPR” member opened fire towards an SMM patrol on the outskirts of Shyrokyne, 7 April 2015
Publishing date: 8 April 2015
On 7 April, while traveling east on road E58 toward a “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”) checkpoint in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol, 99km south of Donetsk), the SMM was halted by an improvised “DPR” roadblock, located on the northern edge of Shyrokyne (“DPR”-controlled). As the SMM approached the checkpoint on foot, a patrol member immediately encountered warning shots of heavy machine gun fire to his right, and semi-automatic rifle fire to his left...
OSCE Representative welcomes new legislation to foster media freedom in Ukraine
Publishing date: 7 April 2015
VIENNA, 7 April 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today welcomed new legislation to foster the development of public broadcasting in Ukraine...
Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 18:00 (Kyiv time), 6 April 2015
Publishing date: 7 April 2015
The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements” which was restricted by third parties and by security considerations*. The situation around Donetsk airport and Shyrokyne remained tense. The SMM observed a vehicle of the Ukrainian Armed Forces hitting an anti-tank mine in Berdianske (government-controlled, 18km east of Mariupol) resulting in two deaths and one injury...