News and press releases

Understanding the challenges impeding the full access of Roma in Georgia to identity and civil registration documents, as well as the way forward to address this issue, was the focus of a roundtable event organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on 4

Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Mission followed up on reports of a man injured due to gunfire in Betmanove, Donetsk region. The SMM recorded ceasefire violations assessed as inside the Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote disengagement areas. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas.* The SMM observed fresh damage to one of the wooden ramps on the broken section of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. It observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to the Petrivske water pumping station near Artema as well as an assessment of a water pipeline near Popasna. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.

VIENNA, 3 December 2018- Today, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir expressed concern over the decision by the Canadian Supreme Court to uphold a lower court ruling obliging VICE reporter Ben Makuch to hand over his private communications with a source.

Between the evenings of 30 November and 1 December, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 1 and 2 December, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM observed fresh damage in a residential area of Zolote-5/Mykhailivka. The SMM observed military presence inside the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM again observed multiple launch rocket systems in violation of the withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas. It was also restricted near Zaichenko, Sosnivske and Novoazovsk, as well as near Voznesenivka, an area close to the border with the Russian Federation...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. The SMM observed multiple launch rocket systems in violation of the withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region. The SMM followed up at entry-exit checkpoints on possible impacts of the introduction of martial law. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas, as well as near Zaichenko, Novoselivka Druha and at compounds on both sides of the contact line.

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. • The Mission followed up on reports of a civilian injured due to shelling in Holmivskyi. • The SMM observed anti-aircraft guns and infantry fighting vehicles inside the Zolote disengagement area. • The SMM observed tanks in violation of the withdrawal lines near Novoselivka. • In Lviv, the Mission followed up on reports of arson attacks at two Alfa-Bank branches. • In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a protest. • The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as in Valuiky and near Starolaspa.

A roundtable discussion to explore practical ways of ensuring meaningful public participation in lawmaking was hosted by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Warsaw on 30 November 2018. The event brought together 24 experts (14 women and ten men) from 11