News and press releases

VIENNA, 6 April 2018 –OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today welcomed the release of the head of the Internet TV channel Kanal 13 in Azerbaijan...

At 12:14 on 5 April, an SMM patrol consisting of six members and two armoured vehicles was stationary, preparing for a scheduled flight of its mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) while positioned on road H15, 2km east of a checkpoint of the armed formations east of Kreminets (non-government controlled, 16km south-west of Donetsk). Just before that, a blue Lada car (with plates AA237 and with “police” markings in Russian) travelling west to east turned around towards the SMM. Three men (one in camouflage clothing, two in blue police-type attire) then emerged from the car, each carrying an assault rifle (AK-variant, hanging down over their shoulders), and approached the patrol. The man in camouflage clothing introduced himself (in Russian) as a “commander of a special unit”. He said it was a “no-fly zone” and that they were not informed of the SMM’s activities with the UAV. The SMM explained the mandate of the Mission and its activities, including the operation of UAVs.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission confirmed a civilian casualty in Donetsk city. Small arms were fired in areas where SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) were flying near Novoselivka and near Shevchenko. The SMM long-range UAV experienced jamming. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and recorded ceasefire violations near, but outside, the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske near the border with the Russian Federation in Luhansk region, outside government control.* The SMM observed a weapon in violation of withdrawal lines near Oknyne in Luhansk region, as well as weapons beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites on both sides of the contact line. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema and a water pipeline near Zaitseve. In Kyiv, the Mission monitored a gathering in front of the Ombudsperson’s office. The SMM followed up on reports of an incident at a church building in Rivne region and of a robbery at a church building in Kadiivka.

VIENNA, 5 April 2018 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today criticized the temporary detention of journalists and editors from Ratel.kz and Forbes Kazakhstan, and the blocking of the Ratel.kz webpage in Kazakhstan...

COPENHAGEN, 5 April 2018 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is deploying a mission of observers to Azerbaijan next week for the presidential election on 11 April. Nilza de Sena (MP, Portugal) will serve as Special Co-ordinator and leader of the 300-plus short-term OSCE observer mission, while Margret Kiener Nellen (MP, Switzerland) will serve as head of the OSCE PA delegation of some 40 members of parliament from more than 20 countries.

MINSK, 5 April 2018 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG and its Working Groups in Minsk on 4 April 2018:...

An OSCE-supported two-day workshop on the temporary admission of goods under Istanbul’s 1990 Convention and the practical application of the Carnet ATA (Admission Temporaire/Temporary Admission) system concluded on 5 April 2018 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.