News and press releases

The OSCE Presence in Albania, in close co-operation with the National Chamber of Advocacy and the National School of Advocates, completed on 19 December 2016 the Second Edition of the Moot Court Competition, with an event held in one of the High Court’s trial rooms. Eight four-member teams, made of young lawyers who are students of the National School of Advocacy, participated in the event...

An OSCE-supported anti-corruption course was introduced at the National School of Judges of Ukraine on 9 December 2016 as a new tool to increase judicial integrity and accountability...

A graduation ceremony for 44 students of the OSCE Academy in Bishkek’s two Masters Programmes in Politics and Security and Economic Governance and Development was held in the Kyrgyz capital on 16 December 2016...

Strong and independent national human rights institutions (NHRIs) act as a cornerstone of national human rights protection systems and as a bridge between the government and civil society, and they play a vital role in times when human rights and fundamental freedoms are under threat, a statement issued on 19 December 2016 by five global and regional bodies engaged in the protection of human rights said.

The Mediation Support Team of the Conflict Prevention Centre’s Operations Service and the German Chairmanship launched a study on the OSCE’s support to insider mediation on Friday 16 December in Vienna. Conducted by the German Berghof Foundation, the study examines past, present and possible activities with insider mediators for the OSCE, in particular looking at cases from Ukraine, Kosovo and Kyrgyzstan. It provides recommendations for the OSCE and its field operations on how to make use of insider capacities in conflict prevention and resolution.

OSCE participating States should protect and facilitate peaceful assemblies, therefore they are responsible to put in place mechanisms and procedures that ensure that this freedom is enjoyed in practice and is not subject to undue restrictions, says a report  released by the OSCE Office for

Elections experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) met with electoral stakeholders in Ulaanbaatar on 13 and 14 December 2016 to present recommendations from the final report  on the 29 June parliamentary elections in Mongolia. The report’s findings and