News and press releases

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region between the evenings of 21 and 22 September. Between the evenings of 22 and 23 September, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM followed up on a civilian casualty in Popasna. The SMM observed damage as a result of shelling in residential areas in Yasynuvata, Pikuzy and Uzhivka. The SMM continued to observe civilians facing hardships crossing the contact line. The SMM saw military-type presence inside the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas; it was also restricted again near Zaichenko and Bezimenne, as well as near Novolaspa and Voznesenivka, near the border with the Russian Federation.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of agreed withdrawal lines in Sakhanka. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. It also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs and maintenance works to water infrastructure in Avdiivka, Yasynuvata and Stanytsia Luhanska, and to power lines in Zolote, as well as demining in Pishchane. The SMM observed a protest in Odessa and followed up on reports of an activist being shot later the same day...

VIENNA, 24 September 2018- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today denounced the arrest of three journalists from the Greek daily newspaper Fileleftheros on defamation charges and welcomed that the prosecutor decided not to immediately press charges, a move that led to their release. He called on authorities to decriminalize defamation...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM saw military presence inside the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas; it was also restricted near Betmanove and, again, near Verkhnoshyrokivske. The SMM observed weapons in violations of agreed withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. It also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs and maintenance works to water infrastructure in Stanytsia Luhanska, Avdiivka and near Artema...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM saw military presence inside the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as again near Verkhnoshyrokivske. Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of a multiple launch rocket system in violation of withdrawal lines near Buhaivka. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. It also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs and maintenance works to critical water infrastructure in Stanytsia Luhanska and Slovianoserbsk and to the Krasnohorivka gas distribution station between Marinka and Oleksandrivka, as well as demining in Pishchane. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a gathering regarding the status of non-Ukrainian ATO veterans...

VIENNA, 21 September 2018 – In a letter to the authorities of the Russian Federation the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his concern regarding the proposed amendments to the country’s Code of Administrative Offences and the Criminal Code, which were adopted yesterday in the final reading by the lower house of parliament, the State Duma. The amendments, among other things, strengthen the penalties for the dissemination of ‘false’ information related to defamation and information that affects privacy protection...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer ceasefire violations in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM observed damage as a result of gunfire in a residential area of Dokuchaievsk. The SMM saw two new military positions inside the Zolote disengagement area, as well as military and military-type presence inside the Petrivske disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as again near Bezimenne and Zaichenko.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of the respective withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. It also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs and maintenance works to critical water infrastructure in Luhansk region, as well as repairs to houses in Avdiivka and demining in Pishchane. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored two public gatherings related to customs clearance, road maintenance and the use of biometric passports...

VIENNA, 20 September 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today expressed his condolences following the news of a tragic death of a young journalist, who died yesterday while filming a police operation at a protest near Aachen in Germany...