News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
Newly declared states of emergency must include a time limit and parliamentary oversight, OSCE human rights head says
Publishing date: 30 March 2020
WARSAW, 30 March 2020 – Emergency legislation being adopted by governments across the OSCE region must include a time limit and guarantee parliamentary oversight, said the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) ahead of a vote in Hungary to extend emergency measures earlier adopted in the EU member state. ODIHR is systematically monitoring the content and consequences of the states of emergency being declared in response to the COVID-19 pandemic...
OSCE Media Freedom Representative welcomes swift reaction of Armenian Government in addressing his concerns on State of Emergency Decree
Publishing date: 27 March 2020
VIENNA, 27 March 2020 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, welcomed today the swift reaction of the Armenian Government in addressing his concerns about the Decree on the State of Emergency, adopted on 23 March, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic...
OSCE Media Freedom Representative urges public officials in Slovenia to refrain from pressure on independence of public broadcaster
Publishing date: 27 March 2020
VIENNA, 27 March 2020 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his concern today regarding the accusations against, and pressure on, the public service broadcaster Radiotelevizija Slovenija (RTVS), by the Prime Minister of Slovenia, Janez Janša.
Briefed by Lombardy Region President, OSCE PA leadership discusses steps forward during coronavirus crisis
Publishing date: 27 March 2020
COPENHAGEN, 27 March 2020 – In a series of virtual meetings this week with leaders and staff of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, members discussed the way forward in the context of the COVID-19 global pandemic. The OSCE parliamentarians were briefed by the President of the hard-hit Lombardy Region of Italy, who appealed for assistance.
Press Statement of Special Representative Grau after the regular Meeting of Trilateral Contact Group on 26 March 2020
Publishing date: 27 March 2020
KYIV, 27 March 2020 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group, Ambassador Heidi Grau, made the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG and its working groups:...
Romania presidential election 2019: ODIHR observation mission final report
Publishing date: 26 March 2020
Following the presidential election in Romania on 10 and 24 November 2019, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has published its final report. The report concludes that the 2019 presidential election was competitive, pluralistic, and offered voters a genuine
OSCE Media Freedom Representative expresses deep concern about detention of journalist Serguey Satsouk in Belarus
Publishing date: 26 March 2020
VIENNA, 26 March 2020 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his deep concern today about the detention of Serguey Satsouk, director and editor of the news website Ezhednevnik (ej.by) in Belarus, reportedly because of his earlier investigations into alleged corruption by the Ministry of Health Protection...