News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 23 June 2020
Publishing date: 23 June 2020
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons increased at both BCPs compared to the previous week.
OSCE PA webinar explores challenges faced by minorities and vulnerable populations during COVID-19 pandemic
Publishing date: 23 June 2020
COPENHAGEN, 22 June 2020 – Noting that racism and discrimination against ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities have been on the rise during the COVID-19 crisis, participants at an OSCE Parliamentary Assembly webinar said today that public officials have a duty to speak out against intolerance and to work in favour of social cohesion. The pandemic and related measures, if not carefully managed, have the potential to fuel discrimination, threaten stability and undermine security, they emphasized...
OSCE Permanent Council Chair Hasani and Secretary General Greminger urge sides to ensure security of OSCE SMM to Ukraine personnel and assets
Publishing date: 22 June 2020
VIENNA, 22 June 2020 – The Chair of the OSCE Permanent Council, Ambassador Igli Hasani, and OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger expressed their deep concern about a recent serious incident involving threats to the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) personnel and assets...
Media freedom lies at the heart of modern democracies, OSCE experts say
Publishing date: 22 June 2020
VIENNA, 22 June 2020 – The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges to the freedoms of expression, information and the media, highlighting the need to find new approaches to digital technologies if we are to safeguard these freedoms that lie at the heart of the OSCE commitments to human rights and democracy. These topics will be discussed intensively during a two-day OSCE meeting starting today.
Parliamentarians press for more action to help child refugees and prevent human trafficking ahead of World Refugee Day
Publishing date: 19 June 2020
COPENHAGEN/STRASBOURG, 19 June 2020 – On the eve of World Refugee Day, parliamentarians from the OSCE and Council of Europe participated in a high-level discussion organized by the British House of Lords on how to best protect unaccompanied child refugees, enable relocations and prevent human trafficking.
OSCE Special Representative encourages leaderships in Chisinau and Tiraspol to focus on constructive, forward-looking dialogue
Publishing date: 18 June 2020
CHISINAU, 18 June 2020 – Concluding his visit to the Republic of Moldova, the Special Representative of Albania’s OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniestrian Settlement Process, Ambassador Thomas Mayr-Harting encouraged the Sides to focus on maintaining a constructive, results-oriented and forward-looking dialogue...
Multilateral action, diplomacy and international solidarity to combat the COVID-19 Pandemic in Afghanistan
Publishing date: 18 June 2020
A message of solidarity from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Vienna