News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid concludes visit to Poland
Publishing date: 20 April 2021
WARSAW, 20 April 2021 — OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid concluded a one-day visit to Poland for discussions with the Polish President, Andrzej Duda, Foreign Minister, Zbigniew Rau, Deputy Foreign Minister, Marcin Przydacz, and the Polish delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Linde concludes visit to Uzbekistan
Publishing date: 15 April 2021
TASHKENT, 15 April 2021 — OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde, concluded her official visit to Uzbekistan on 14 April.
Troubled by recent developments in Turkey, OSCE PA human rights leaders stress importance of respect for democratic principles
Publishing date: 13 April 2021
COPENHAGEN, 13 April 2021 – Concerned by moves to legally dissolve the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) in Turkey, leaders of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s human rights and democracy committee said today that banning one of the country’s largest political parties would be a mistake and could further undermine democratic principles in Turkey. The recent arrest of HDP parliamentarian Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, following the stripping of his parliamentary immunity, is only the latest in long string of elected officials whose mandates have been removed, the OSCE PA members said.
Enable Roma communities to recover from the pandemic, say human rights heads
Publishing date: 8 April 2021
WARSAW/VIENNA, 8 April 2021 – All societies still feel the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the challenges for Roma are particularly acute, say the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on International Roma Day
OSCE Mission to Montenegro provides jackets and vests for journalists
Publishing date: 7 April 2021
As part of its activities contributing to the visibility and safety of journalists, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro provided seven media outlets with over 320 jackets and vests with a “PRESS” insignia, which were handed over on 6 and 7 April 2021.
OSCE human rights head voices serious concerns over continued rights violations in Belarus, offers monitoring
Publishing date: 6 April 2021
WARSAW, 6 April 2021 – The numerous credible reports of criminal charges, administrative detention, intimidation and harassment targeting Belarusian citizens and human rights defenders simply for going about their lives or carrying out their work that have reached the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in recent months, are of increasing concern amid the ongoing human rights violations in the country.
Bulgaria’s competitive parliamentary elections well run, but impacted by media shortcomings and significant ruling-party advantage, international observers say
Publishing date: 5 April 2021
SOFIA, 5 April 2021 –Bulgaria’s parliamentary elections were competitive and efficiently run despite the difficult circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and fundamental freedoms were respected. However, the massive use of state resources gave the ruling party a significant advantage, and a lack of editorial diversity was of concern, international observers said in a statement today...