News and press releases

The State Committee on Religious Affairs of Kyrgyzstan and the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek held the National Forum on Inter-confessional Dialogue on 29 and 30 November 2017 in Bishkek.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it observed calm situations in each. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including near Siedove and Samiilove.* It followed up on reports of shelling at a grain production facility in Yasynuvata. The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Netailove. It observed Ukrainian Armed Forces positions in southern areas of Verkhnotoretske. In Luhansk city the SMM saw Russian Federation flags placed alongside “LPR” flags outside certain buildings. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure in Vesela Hora. The SMM visited three border areas not under the control of the Government.

WARSAW, 2 December 2017 Ahead of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, marked on 3 December, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir invited participating States to establish closer partnerships with persons with disabilities and their representative organizations to jointly work towards more representative and equal societies...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, and no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. The Mission observed damage to residential properties from shelling in Dovhe. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including near Yasynuvata and Mineralne.* The SMM attempted to reach Travneve but was unable to do so due to the possible presence of mines or unexploded ordnance on the road leading to the village. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure in Shchastia, and near Krasnyi Lyman and Vesela Hora. The SMM visited three border areas not under government control. The Mission observed incidents at a public gathering in Kyiv.

LONDON, 1 December 2017 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today concluded a three-day visit to London in which he discussed the state of freedom of expression and media freedom in the United Kingdom with a broad range of state officials, parliamentarians, stakeholders and civil society representatives.

A one-week tailored training course on business ethics and anti-corruption measures for more than 30 representatives of public sector, business community and civil society concluded on 1 December 2017 in Bishkek. The course was organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek to assist the Kyrgyz government and relevant anti-corruption stakeholders in developing and sustaining effective anti-corruption measures through multi-stakeholder partnerships...

A team from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) visited Yerevan from 29 November to 1 December 2017 to present the  final report of OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission for the 2 April parliamentary elections in Armenia. The report’s findings and recommendations