News and press releases

VIENNA, 25 June 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today condemned the physical attack and death threat against a journalist Hrvoje Bajlo last night in Zadar.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, however more in Luhansk region between the evenings of 22 and 23 June compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 23 and 24 June, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Yasynuvata and Dokuchaievsk. It observed fresh damage caused by shelling in a residential area of Pikuzy. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded an explosion inside the Stanytsia Luhanska and three projectiles inside the Zolote disengagement areas. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere, including Nova Marivka. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Novoaidar. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station. In Lviv, the SMM followed up on media reports of a physical attack against members of the Roma community in the city.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. In Petrivske, the SMM was forced to drive on a mine-contaminated road by an armed member of the armed formations. The Mission observed shelling impacts in a residential area of Pikuzy. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it again observed military presence inside the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas, and was also restricted in Luhansk city and at a heavy weapons permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled part of Luhansk region. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Hirske and Novookhtyrka. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station. It also continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema and to the water distribution network in Stanytsia Luhanska. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a gathering outside a patrol police headquarters.

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.

The rehabilitation of victims of torture was the main focus of a workshop organized in Vienna on 21 June 2018 by the Italian OSCE Chairmanship, the Government of Denmark, the Government of Switzerland, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the inter-governmental

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports of a civilian casualty near Trokhizbenka. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it observed ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and was also restricted at a checkpoint in Kozatske. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station. It also facilitated and monitored repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema, to the water distribution network in Stanytsia Luhanska and to an electric transformer station near Vasylivka. In Kharkiv, the SMM monitored a gathering in front of the City Council building and saw smoke inside the building...