News and press releases

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and a similar number in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including near Yurivka and Khoroshe.* The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Bakhmut. In Donetsk region the SMM confirmed that Russian Federation Armed Forces officers of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) had withdrawn from their duties in five JCCC offices. The SMM was positioned on both sides of the Maiorsk entry-exit checkpoint to monitor their crossing of the contact line, but no crossing took place. The SMM observed a calm situation at the protest camp near the Parliament building in Kyiv...

A pilot training course on preventing and addressing sexual and gender-based violence in prison was organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), bringing together 14 correctional officers from eight OSCE participating States on 18 and 19 December 2017 in

ERGNETI, 19 December 2017- On 19 December 2017, the 83rd meeting under the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) was held in Ergneti. The meeting took place in an open and constructive atmosphere.

KYIV, 19 December 2017 – As the security situation in eastern Ukraine deteriorates, Ertugrul Apakan, Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), today called for restraint and full adherence to the agreed ceasefire...

A roundtable discussion on national and international commitments on gender equality took place in Dushanbe on 13 December 2017. The event was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe and attended by representatives of the Committee on Women and Family Affairs under the Government of Tajikistan and 35 participants from political parties and civil society, including national gender experts and young adult gender champions.

KAMENSK-SHAKHTINSKIY, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons increased at both BCPs compared to the previous week.

A two-day training course on media literacy for over 20 students from the Faculties of Philosophy and Political Sciences of the University of Sarajevo, organized by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), was held on 16 and 17 December 2017 in Sarajevo...