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News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
ODIHR hosts election observers from around the world to exchange on best practices and emerging challenges
Publishing date: 22 November 2024
Content type: News
Where we are: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
What we do: Elections
Representatives of more than 30 international election observation organizations from around the world, which have committed to upholding the highest methodological standards and ethical practices, concluded a three-day meeting today in Gdansk, Poland, hosted by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
Criminal justice in Central Asia focus of biennial forum in Astana
Publishing date: 22 November 2024
Content type: News
Where we are: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
What we do: Democratization
Over 100 criminal justice experts and representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as well as from international organizations met in Astana from 20 to 21 November 2024 for the Ninth Expert Forum on Criminal Justice for Central Asia, organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan.
To tackle hate crime and support victims, hate crimes must be prosecuted as such, OSCE human rights office says
Publishing date: 15 November 2024
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
What we do: Tolerance and non-discrimination
WARSAW, 15 November 2024 – Making the bias motivation behind all hate crimes visible and ensuring they are prosecuted correctly is essential to protect the rights of victims and at the same time ensure effective policies to prevent and address hate crime, said the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on launching its annual hate crime report ahead of the 2024 International Day for Tolerance
ODIHR experts discuss electoral recommendations following local elections in Serbia
Publishing date: 8 November 2024
Content type: News
Where we are: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
What we do: Elections
Election experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) presented the final report and recommendations of the observation mission to the June local elections in Serbia during a visit to Belgrade from 23 to 26 September 2024.
US elections showed resilience of democratic institutions with a well-run process in a highly polarized campaign, international observers say
Publishing date: 6 November 2024
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
What we do: Elections
WASHINGTON D.C., 6 November 2024 – Engagement was high across the political spectrum in yesterday’s US elections that underscored the resilience of the country’s democratic institutions. The presidential vote was highly competitive, but the campaign was marked by deep polarization and harsh and confrontational rhetoric, while public trust was undermined by disinformation campaigns and political violence, international observers said in a statement today.
Moldova’s well-managed presidential run-off offered voters genuine choice, despite legal deficiencies, unbalanced media coverage and impact of foreign interference, international observers say
Publishing date: 4 November 2024
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
What we do: Elections
CHISINAU, 4 November 2024 – The 3 November second round of Moldova’s presidential election was administered efficiently and professionally, and offered voters a choice between genuine political alternatives, international observers said in a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions today. Candidates were able to campaign freely, but the quiet, ten-day campaign was marked by an increase in negative rhetoric from across the political spectrum targeting both contestants, often spread through online social networks. The challenges posed by foreign interference and vote-buying continued to reverberate during the run-off campaign, the statement says.
Voters lacked a genuine choice in Uzbekistan’s technically well-prepared parliamentary elections
Publishing date: 28 October 2024
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
What we do: Elections
TASHKENT, 28 October 2024 – Uzbekistan’s 27 October parliamentary elections took place amid ongoing reforms, including amendments to the Constitution, but the political environment remained constrained, not providing voters with a genuine choice, international observers said in a preliminary statement released today. Despite the ongoing reforms, fundamental freedoms remain disproportionally limited both by legislation and in practice, the statement says.