News and press releases

VIENNA, 7 June 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his concern today over the dismissal of the General Director of the RTCG, Andrijana Kadija, and its consequences for the independence of the broadcaster...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission heard small arms fired near its position, assessed as directed at its SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flying near Novoselivka Druha. An SMM long-range UAV was jammed near Debaltseve and Sofiivka. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and was also restricted near Izvaryne at the border with the Russian Federation. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to monitor the security situation around the Donetsk Filtration Station and again heard ceasefire violations in the area, despite security guarantees. It continued to monitor and facilitate repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. Small arms were fired in the direction of an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near Zaitseve and an SMM long-range UAV was jammed near Horlivka. The SMM followed up on reports of two civilian casualties, in Vozdvyzhenka and in an area close to the contact line. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near all three disengagement areas. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and was also restricted near Siedove, an area in Donetsk region near the border with the Russian Federation. The SMM monitored the security situation and successfully facilitated the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to and from the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS), as well as of repair works to the DFS and demining activities around the station. Due to ceasefire violations registered in the area and the presence of explosive devices near the DFS, the Mission decided to suspend and review its facilitation of the physical access of DFS employees through enhanced SMM presence. It continued to monitor and facilitate repairs to the Petrivske pumping station in Artema.

VIENNA, 6 June 2018- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today condemned the killing of journalist and videographer (or vlogger) Zachary Stoner, who was fatally shot on 30 May in Chicago, United States. Stoner published videos on his YouTube page called “zacktv1”, which has 170,000 videos and more than 180,000 subscribers. Stoner’s videos focused on the realities of life in his community and hip hop artists in Chicago.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM observed fresh impact sites in Shyrokyne. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote and Petrivske disengagement areas. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and was also restricted near Izvaryne, an area in Luhansk region near the border with the Russian Federation. The SMM saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line near Vodiane, Bohoiavlenka, Sentianivka and in Luhansk city. The SMM’s monitoring and facilitation of the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS), as well as demining activities near the DFS, was interrupted after the SMM heard ceasefire violations in nearby areas. The Mission continued to monitor and facilitate repairs to the Petrivske pumping station in Artema.

VIENNA, 4 June 2018 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today expressed his concern that the Spokesperson of the General Prosecutor of Ukraine published a list, which includes journalist Miroslava Gongadze and Chair of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine Sergiy Tomilenko, accusing them of being traitors...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 1 and 2 June, compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 2 and 3 June, the SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more ceasefire violations in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours. Small arms fire was directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle near non-government-controlled Teplychne in Luhansk region. The SMM followed up on a civilian casualty near Panteleimonivka. The Mission saw fresh damage as a result of shelling to a house in Chermalyk. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement areas. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere, including at a permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region. The SMM continued to monitor and facilitate the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) as well as demining near the DFS. The SMM heard ceasefire violations near the DFS, despite security guarantees. It continued to monitor and facilitate repairs to high-voltage power lines near Yuzhna-Lomuvatka, Almazna and Veselohorivka. In Kyiv, the SMM observed two peaceful public gatherings.