News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
OSCE rights chief welcomes decision to release Zhovtis, but expresses concern about clampdown on Kazakh opposition
Publishing date: 1 February 2012
WARSAW, 1 February 2012 – Ambassador Janez Lenarčič, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), today welcomed the decision by a court in Ust-Kamenogorsk to release prominent human rights defender Yevgeniy Zhovtis, but expressed concern about the continuing clampdown on opposition activities in Kazakhstan in the wake of December’s violence in Zhanaozen and parliamentary elections held earlier this month...
Serbian translation of manual on police and Roma and Sinti presented in Belgrade
Publishing date: 1 February 2012
The Serbian version of an OSCE manual on good practices in building trust and understanding between police and Roma and Sinti communities was launched on 1 February 2012 in Belgrade. It will be disseminated among staff of Serbian institutions, notably the Interior Ministry, to be used in their work...
Switzerland’s elections to Federal Assembly vibrant and pluralistic, some concerns over regional variations, says ODIHR report
Publishing date: 31 January 2012
Switzerland’s elections to the Federal Assembly on 23 October 2011 demonstrated that Swiss democracy is deep-rooted and pluralistic but the decentralized system of government leads to some regional variations in electoral practice, concludes the final report of the OSCE/ODIHR election assessment mission...
Twenty years in OSCE, Kyrgyzstan plays important role for security in Central Asia and beyond, says Head of OSCE Centre in Bishkek
Publishing date: 30 January 2012
Twenty years ago, on 30 January 1992, following its independence, Kyrgyzstan joined the Conference for Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE), which later became the OSCE...
OSCE and Mediterranean civil society groups recommend increased Organization engagement to support transitions in the Mediterranean region
Publishing date: 26 January 2012
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) released on 26 January 2012 a report summarizing the discussions and the recommendations agreed at the OSCE- Mediterranean Partner Countries' Civil Society Conference, held in Vilnius on 4-5 December 2011 ahead of the OSCE Ministerial Council...
OSCE media representative calls for release of jailed Kazakhstani editor
Publishing date: 25 January 2012
VIENNA, 25 January 2011- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, condemned today as excessive a raid by law enforcement officers on Kazakhstan’s Vzglyad newspaper and urged the authorities to let independent media work freely...
OSCE holds a workshop for customs and licensing authorities with Mediterranean Partners on military and dual-use goods
Publishing date: 24 January 2012
A regional workshop organized by the OSCE to help combat the trafficking of strategic dual-use commodities and conventional weapons, including small arms and light weapons, started in Valletta, Malta on 24 January 2012...