News and press releases

VIENNA, 22 August 2022- As we mark the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief, the continued Russian aggression against Ukraine bring more death, new refugees, and the destruction of civilian sites, including houses of worship and religious shrines and memorials. Christians, Muslims, Jews, those of other religious beliefs, and those with no religious belief are among the victims. The religious leaders in Russia willingly or under coercion provide a rationale for this unprovoked war. Those who would speak out or even remain silent do so at their own peril.

The first specialized training on operative essentials for anti-corruption officers was held in Yerevan on 8-12 August. The training, which focused on the effective investigation of corruption was hosted by the OSCE’s Office of the Co-ordinator of Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) with the support of the newly established Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia (ACC).

KYIV, 3 August 2022- During their visit to Kyiv, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Poland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau, and OSCE Secretary General, Helga Maria Schmid have announced a new OSCE Secretariat Extra-Budgetary Support Programme for Ukraine.

On his official visit to Uzbekistan from 28 July to 2 August 2022, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov met representatives of the national and regional authorities and civil society in the Tashkent and Fergana regions to discuss inter-ethnic relations and regional co-operation.

During his official visit to Kyrgyzstan from 24 to 27 July 2022, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov discussed the country’s inter-ethnic policy and the importance of multilingual education with representatives of the government and civil society, including national minorities.

THE HAGUE, 26 July 2022 – The Social Justice Center (SJC) from Georgia has been selected as the winner of the 2022 Max van der Stoel Award. The Award recognizes its work to support and empower vulnerable groups, including national minorities, in Georgia.

On 22 July 2022, an OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation Group discussion was held in Vienna on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of co-operation between the OSCE and Japan. Japan was the first Asian country to be invited to a CSCE meeting in 1992.