News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
ODIHR needs assessment mission to visit Estonia
Publishing date: 7 January 2011
Following an invitation to observe the parliamentary elections in Estonia scheduled for 6 March 2011, ODIHR will send a needs assessment mission to the country on 10-13 January.
OSCE media freedom representative calls for end to crackdown on independent media in Belarus
Publishing date: 5 January 2011
VIENNA, 5 January 2011 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatovic, called today for an end to the attacks on independent media in Belarus and urged authorities to immediately release imprisoned journalists...
Chairperson emphasizes need to continue OSCE work in Belarus
Publishing date: 4 January 2011
The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis, reiterated in a meeting on 5 January 2010 in Vilnius that he considers it crucial that the Organization be able to continue operating a field operation in Belarus.
Welcome to the new OSCE website
Publishing date: 31 December 2010
This is the first redesign of the OSCE website since 2004. Much has changed in that time, and the new website is more focused on providing information about our activities, simpler navigation and enhanced multimedia...
Final report on parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan stresses need for 'profound electoral reform'
Publishing date: 20 December 2010
In its final report on the 10 October parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan, published on 20 December, ODIHR concluded that: "[the] elections constituted a further consolidation of the democratic process. Political pluralism, a vibrant campaign and confidence in the Central Commission for Elections and Referenda... characterized the elections. The authorities displayed the political will tohold democratic elections in line with OSCE commitments. Nevertheless, there is an urgent need for profound electoral legal reform."
Belarus still has considerable way to go in meeting OSCE commitments, despite certain improvements, election observers say
Publishing date: 19 December 2010
MINSK, 20 December 2010- Yesterday's presidential election showed that Belarus still has a considerable way to go in meeting its OSCE commitments, although some specific improvements were made, concluded the international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA)...
Head of ODIHR election observation mission presents report at special European Parliament session on Belarus
Publishing date: 19 December 2010
Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens, the head of ODIHR's election observation mission for the presidential election in Belarus on 19 December 2010, presented the mission's preliminary findings during an extraordinary session of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee in Brussels on 12 January.