News and press releases

VIENNA, 26 June 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today expressed alarm after a van was driven into the offices of the De Telegraaf newspaper in the Netherlands, and the vehicle then set on fire...

A study visit to Belarus for Tajik state officials and representatives of free economic zones was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe from 18 to 24 June 2018.

WASHINGTON DC, 22 June 2018- OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir concluded a three-day visit to the United States of America today, during which he met with representatives of the Department of State, the Department of Justice, members of the US Congress and its Helsinki Commission and press freedom organizations to discuss the freedom of expression and the media in the United States and the OSCE region.

Promoting dialogue to reflect on opportunities and challenges related to democratic representation in the age of rising populism was the focus of a conference co-organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Brussels from 18 to 20 June 2018. The conference,

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 15 and 16 June compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 16 and 17 June, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission followed up on civilian casualties in Pivdenne and Druzhkivka. It observed fresh damage caused by shelling in residential areas of Pikuzy and Zolote. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Pankivka. The Mission continued to facilitate the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station. In Kyiv, it monitored the “March of Equality” organized by activists of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Holubivske. It observed fresh damage caused by shelling in a residential area of Pikuzy as well as damage to a school in Betmanove. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it observed military hardware inside the Zolote and Petrivske disengagement areas. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three areas. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near residential areas in Tarasivka as well as in Oleksandropil, Novoaidar and Topolyne. The Mission continued to facilitate the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to the Donetsk Filtration Station through monitoring the security situation around the station. It continued to monitor and facilitate repairs to water pipelines near Holmivskyi and mine clearance at the entry-exit checkpoint near Maiorsk...

MINSK, 11 June 2018- Highly toxic rocket fuel components completely removed in Belarus on 11 June 2018. The representatives of the OSCE, Belarus Defence Ministry, the Contractor, international experts and donors signed the final certificates of the joint project closure today in Minsk...