News and press releases

BISHKEK, 10 June 2016 – An OSCE-supported training course for 10 staff members of the National Security State Committee’s (NSSC) remand prisons on improving the prison service standards concluded today at the NSSC Institute in Bishkek...

An SMM national staff member who had been held in Donetsk city was released. The SMM observed more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared to the previous day. Luhansk region remained calm with no ceasefire violations recorded. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of heavy weapons; it noted armoured combat vehicles and an anti-aircraft gun in the security zone. Armed “DPR” members continued to keep the power supply to SMM’s repeater in Donetsk city disconnected; the SMM faced two additional restrictions on its freedom of movement, both in border areas not controlled by the Government...

VIENNA, 9 June 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today welcomed the removal of a provision increasing prison terms for defaming elected officials and judges from a bill being considered by the Italian Senate...

The SMM observed more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared to the previous day. Luhansk region remained calm with no ceasefire violations recorded. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons, and noted heavy weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines; it also noted armoured combat vehicles in the security zone. Armed “DPR” members continued to keep the power supply to SMM’s repeater in Donetsk city disconnected, and prevented the SMM from accessing Verkhnoshyrokivske.* The Mission has been working to verify the whereabouts and ensure the safe return of an SMM national staff member missing since 7 June. The SMM observed the situation at the administrative boundary line between Kherson and Crimea...

VIENNA, 8 June 2016 – Accreditation for foreign correspondents should not be a precondition for a journalist to obtain a visa or to enter a country, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović said today as she presented a set of recommendations on the accreditation of foreign journalists for implementing the right to freedom of information...

The SMM observed more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared to each of the previous two days, and noted a high number of ceasefire violations, including 266 explosions, in Luhansk region compared to none on 4 and 5 June. The SMM conducted crater analysis in government-controlled Krymske and at the “LPR” checkpoint on the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. It continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to essential infrastructure in the Zolote-Pervomaisk area and in Veselohorivka. It continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. The SMM monitored gatherings in Odessa. Its freedom of movement was restricted on four occasions on both sides of the contact line...

The SMM observed more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region both on 4 and 5 June as compared to 3 June, and observed a similarly high number of ceasefire violations in Luhansk region on the night of 3 June – compared to the previous night and fewer during the remainder of the reporting period – compared to 3 June. In particular, a sharp increase of violence was noted in the Avdiivka-Yasynuvata area and south-east of Svitlodarsk. On both sides of the contact line, the Mission conducted crater analysis and observed damages to civilian houses caused by shelling; on one occasion, the SMM observed a dead person. The SMM noted that a “DPR” checkpoint had been relocated closer to a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to essential infrastructure. The Mission’s operations were restricted by the sides on several occasions...