News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Secretary General call for immediate release of detained OSCE officials in areas of Donetsk and Luhansk
Publishing date: 24 April 2022
WARSAW/VIENNA, 24 April 2022- OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zbigniew Rau, and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid call for the release of four national members of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine detained in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Countering risks of human trafficking amid refugee flow focus of visit to Moldova by OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President and Special Representative
Publishing date: 22 April 2022
CHISINAU, 23 April 2022 – Countering the risks of human trafficking amid the humanitarian crisis caused by attack on Ukraine was at the centre of a two-day visit to Moldova by the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Margareta Cederfelt (Sweden), and the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Valiant Richey.
OSCE distributes awareness-raising materials to help Ukrainian civilians mitigate increased chemical security risks
Publishing date: 20 April 2022
The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine has published a collection of leaflets and publications on chemical security risks to help civilians take care of their safety in the conditions of ongoing hostilities.
OSCE Media Freedom Representative denounces latest arrests of media workers, calls on authorities to repeal restrictive laws
Publishing date: 14 April 2022
VIENNA, 14 April 2022 – Following the arrests of Mikhail Afanasyev, an award-winning editor-in-chief of the Abakan based Novyi Focus online magazine, and Sergei Mikhailov, founder of the Gorno-Altaysk based Listock newspaper, the OSCE Representative on Media Freedom, Teresa Ribeiro, today made the following statement:
Russia must stop aggression and destruction of religious sites and places of worship – joint statement by Special Representatives of OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Council of Europe
Publishing date: 13 April 2022
– As the Russian military attack against Ukraine continues, we mourn the victims of war and lament the millions forced to leave their homes and their country behind, seeking shelter and safety within Ukraine, in Europe and beyond. Children, women and the elderly are particularly vulnerable. Many victims of the war suffer from profound psychological trauma.
Moscow Mechanism experts report to OSCE Permanent Council on Ukraine
Publishing date: 13 April 2022
The OSCE Moscow Mechanism mission of experts undertaken by Professor Wolfgang Benedek, Professor Veronika Bílková and Professor Marco Sassòli presented their findings to the OSCE Permanent Council on 13 April 2022, collected in the report entitled ‘Report On Violations Of International Humanitarian And Human Rights Law, War Crimes And Crimes Against Humanity Committed In Ukraine Since 24 February 2022’.
OSCE Troika meets with Ukrainian Foreign Minister, expresses strong support to Ukraine and calls on Russia to immediately stop its military attack
Publishing date: 8 April 2022
RZESZOW, 8 April 2022- The Foreign Ministers of Poland, Sweden, and North Macedonia, representing the OSCE Troika met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Rzeszow, in Poland’s Podkarpacie Region. During a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, the Foreign Ministers of Sweden, Poland and North Macedonia reiterated their call for the Russian Federation to end hostilities and withdraw its forces from Ukraine and expressed their full support in these challenging times.