News and press releases

VIENNA, 18 October 2017 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today expressed his concern about an injunction issued by the Reykjavik District Commissioner on any reporting on leaked documents from the collapsed bank Glitnir. The documents, which have been reported on by international and domestic news media, allegedly include information about the prime minister’s financial interests at the bank...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24-hours. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and recorded ceasefire violations, including two explosions assessed as outgoing rounds, inside the Petrivske disengagement area, outside the reporting period. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including to a weapons storage site in areas outside government control and in Ivanivka, towards an area close to the border with the Russian Federation. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Zhelanne. Near Zernove the SMM saw a concentration of tanks and armoured combat vehicles, in a zone within which deployment of heavy armaments and military equipment is proscribed according to the Memorandum. The SMM observed the presence of mines, including east of Popasna, where it had previously seen demining activities. The Mission visited two border areas not under government control. The SMM monitored gatherings in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipro...

VIENNA, 17 October 2017 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today condemned an assault on Sunday on three journalists in Osh, Kyrgyzstan on the premises of a polling station...

VIENNA, 16 October 2017 – Harlem Désir, OSCE media freedom representative, expressed immense shock over the death of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, and urged the Maltese authorities to carry out swift, transparent investigations into the case...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region between the evenings of 13 and 14 October compared with the previous reporting period and fewer between the evenings of 14 and 15 October compared with the previous 24 hours. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations between the evenings of 13 and 14 October compared with the previous reporting period and more between the evenings of 14 and 15 October compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas and recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere, including near Pikuzy.* The Mission again observed anti-tank mines near Popasna. The SMM visited three border areas not under government control. In Kyiv, the SMM observed two large gatherings – one commemorating Defender of Ukraine Day, and the other for animal rights...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, including, however, a similar number of explosions, compared with the previous reporting period. In Luhansk region the Mission recorded a significant increase in ceasefire violations compared with the previous reporting period, mostly west-north-west of Kadiivka. The SMM continued monitoring all three disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor demining activities inside the Zolote disengagement area as part of preparatory work to clear the road and possibly open a new entry-exit checkpoint. The Mission’s access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including in Svobodne and Ozerianivka.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Dovhe and Kalmiuske. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure between Klynove and Novozvanivka, in Shchastia, near Artema, and between Zolote and Popasna. The SMM observed long queues at checkpoints near the contact line. In Kharkiv, the Mission monitored the security situation around a concert...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM continued monitoring all three disengagement areas. It recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske and near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement areas. The SMM facilitated and monitored demining activities inside the Zolote disengagement area as part of a preparatory work to clear the road and open a new entry-exit checkpoint. The Mission’s access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including in a heavy weapons holding area in an area not controlled by the Government in Donetsk region. The SMM saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Novoselivka and Novoamvrosiivske. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance to the thermal power plant in Shchastia, as well as demining activities in the area of a gas distribution station near Marinka...