News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
OSCE Chairmanship calls for restraint and respect for OSCE commitments following Belarus presidential elections
Publishing date: 10 August 2020
VIENNA / TIRANA, 10 August 2020 – Albania’s OSCE Chairmanship has expressed concern about developments in Belarus following the presidential elections held on 9 August, which the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights was unable to observe. The Chairmanship has been following reports of protests and the use of force against protesters as well as detentions and obstruction of the work of journalists and media...
ODIHR opens election observation mission in Montenegro
Publishing date: 5 August 2020
PODGORICA, 5 August 2020 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an observation mission for the 30 August parliamentary elections in Montenegro, following an invitation from the national authorities.
Gender aspects of border and security management in focus of OSCE online meeting in Turkmenistan
Publishing date: 5 August 2020
The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized an online roundtable discussion on gender mainstreaming in border and security management from 3 to 5 August 2020. The event brought together representatives of the State Border, Customs and Migration Services of Turkmenistan, and was held as part of an extra-budgetary project on strengthening the capacities of the State Border Service of Turkmenistan. The roundtable aimed to acquaint participants with best international practices in promoting gender aspects in law enforcement activities...
OSCE/ODIHR calls for remembrance of and education about Roma genocide as key to avoiding recurrence of past atrocities
Publishing date: 1 August 2020
WARSAW, 1 August 2020- The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today joins the international community in marking 76 years since the Nazis murdered the remaining 3,000 Roma men, women and children in Zigeunerlager, the "Gypsy camp" at Auschwitz-Birkenau on 2 August 1944. While the number of Roma victims remains unknown, it is estimated that up to 500,000 Roma and Sinti people died under the Nazi regime, as well as its allies and collaborators...
World Day against human trafficking: OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan co-hosts event on combating this crime amid COVID-19 pandemic
Publishing date: 30 July 2020
To mark the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, an online roundtable discussion on combating this crime in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic was co-organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan and partners on 29 July 2020. The event brought together 90 representatives and experts in the field of combating human trafficking and forced labour from more than 50 government agencies and non-governmental organizations, as well as international organizations...
World Day Against Trafficking in Persons: High-level OSCE officials urge States to redouble efforts, especially amid backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic
Publishing date: 30 July 2020
VIENNA / WASHINGTON, D.C. / WARSAW, 30 July 2020- On the occasion of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons today, high-level OSCE officials have highlighted the need to redouble efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly against the backdrop of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic...
OSCE/ODIHR and UN Women launch policy recommendations to tackle emerging human trafficking during COVID-19 pandemic
Publishing date: 30 July 2020
ODIHR and UN Women launch report on human trafficking The ODIHR and UN Women policy recommendations aim to tackle emerging human trafficking during an post COVID-19 To mark World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the United