News and press releases

WARSAW, 8 April 2025 – Support and understanding of the importance of civil society to protect and promote the rights of Roma and Sinti are crucial as the OSCE area continues to witness shrinking space and a significant reduction in funding opportunities for human rights and watchdog organizations focusing on the human rights situation of Roma and Sinti in the region, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said on today’s International Roma Day.

ERGNETI, 3 April 2025 – The 124th Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) convened in Ergneti today, co-facilitated by the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus, Christoph Späti, and the Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), Bettina Patricia Boughani.

HELSINKI/CHISINAU, 28 MARCH 2025- The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniestrian Settlement Process, Ambassador Thomas Lenk made the following statement after the Joint Control Commission (JCC) Co-Chairs on 27 March confirmed the removal of all checkpoints established by Tiraspol in the Security Zone in 2022 and approved the relevant protocols from the previous JCC meetings, pending from 2022:

The OSCE, launched has presented a new resource on virtual assets, “Decoding Crypto Crime: A Guide for Law Enforcement,” at the Interpol Virtual Assets Summit in Lyon, France, on 27 March. The guide will support law enforcement officers, prosecutors, tax and forensic specialists and other key stakeholders in navigating the complex world of virtual assets.

In response to security challenges in the region, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department held a training course on building psycho-emotional resilience for 32 border and customs officers working at the Uzbek-Afghan border, as well as private sector personnel operating at the Termez Cargo Centre, an international logistics terminal in Termez, Uzbekistan, from 24 to 26 March 2025.

The OSCE Transnational Threats Department held a workshop focusing on gender considerations in cyber/ICT security in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 25 and 26 March. The event gathered 23 cybersecurity experts and policymakers from Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and showcased practical ways to empower women to actively take part in shaping inclusive policies and strategies related to cybersecurity and cyber diplomacy.

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission) notes with concern recent attempts to restrict or prohibit media access to parliamentary sessions across Bosnia and Herzegovina, including at the municipal level. Access to information and the ability to report freely on matters of public