News and press releases

SAMARKAND, 23 November 2018 – Addressing the Asian Forum on Human Rights yesterday, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) and human rights committee Chair Margareta Kiener Nellen (MP, Switzerland) stressed the central role that parliaments play in upholding human

MINSK, 22 November 2018 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG and its Working Groups in Minsk on 22 November 2018:

TASHKENT, 21 November 2018 – OSCE PA President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) welcomed today in Tashkent the continued engagement of Uzbekistan with the OSCE, and discussed with the country’s authorities how parliamentary diplomacy can contribute to stability and development in Central Asia...

A training seminar dedicated to the monitoring of media coverage during elections concluded in Astana on 20 November 2018. The event was organized by the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan (CEC) in co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Astana and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

Between the evenings of 16 and 17 November, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 17 and 18 November, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM saw recent damage caused by shelling to civilian properties in Zolote-5 and Kruta Balka. The SMM observed heavy weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region. The SMM recorded a ceasefire violation inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. In Kyiv, the Mission monitored a gathering in relation to attacks against civil activists, including Kateryna Handziuk. It also monitored a pre-announced gathering in support of transgender rights and saw two female participants being treated for pepper spray irritation. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as near Bezimenne, Novolaspa and Dovzhanske, an area close to the border with the Russian Federation.*

ASTANA, 19 November 2018 – OSCE PA President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) commended today Kazakhstan’s strong support of the OSCE and its active participation in the Parliamentary Assembly as a sign of the country’s commitment to the success of the Organization.

Modernizing the system to select judges and activities of the High Judicial Council in Kazakhstan were the topic of an OSCE-supported international roundtable discussion held in Astana on 16 November 2018