News and press releases

COPENHAGEN, 20 December 2016 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Christine Muttonen (MP, Austria) condemned in the strongest terms the attack Monday at a Christmas market in Berlin, offering condolences to the families of the victims and wishing the survivors speedy recoveries. In a statement issued today, she stressed that indiscriminate acts of violence can never be justified or tolerated, and called for increased international co-operation to counter all forms of violent extremism.

BERLIN / VIENNA, 19 December 2016- OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Secretary General Lamberto Zannier strongly condemned the fatal attack on the Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Ankara today.

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.