News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media reiterates call for immediate and unconditional release of all detained journalists in Belarus
Publishing date: 16 March 2022
VIENNA, 16 March 2022 — The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, today reiterated her call to free all journalists and other media workers who have been sentenced, arrested or detained in Belarus.
OSCE human rights office alarmed by forced removal of elected officials in Ukrainian cities
Publishing date: 16 March 2022
WARSAW, 16 March 2022 – After two democratically elected mayors in the Ukrainian cities of Melitopol and Dniprorudne were forcibly removed from office, kidnapped and remain at risk of torture, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is increasingly alarmed by the impact of Russia’s military attack on the country’s democratic institutions.
Seventh Young Policy Advisers Course takes place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Publishing date: 16 March 2022
Twenty-two young officials working in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan’s presidential administrations, parliaments, government agencies, research and academic institutions are taking part in a five-day Young Policy Advisers Course (YPAC) from 14 to 18 March in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
OSCE Chairman-in-Office Zbigniew Rau calls for stronger UN-OSCE co-operation to address global security challenges
Publishing date: 16 March 2022
NEW YORK, 16 March 2022 — We need to engage in closer cooperation with international institutions to stop the aggression against Ukraine and Russia must face consequences of its actions. This was the message underlined by Chairman-in-Office and Poland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau as he concluded his visit to United Nations headquarters in New York.
OSCE States meet to discuss anti-trafficking prevention measures amid humanitarian crisis in Ukraine
Publishing date: 15 March 2022
VIENNA, 15 March 2022 – The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings Valiant Richey today called together the anti-trafficking authorities from 17 OSCE participating States, including the ones most affected by the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. The meeting focused on the risks of human trafficking amid the current crisis and measures being taken to address vulnerabilities of people on the move and to prevent trafficking.
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media concludes visit to Armenia
Publishing date: 15 March 2022
On 11 March 2022, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, concluded an official two-day visit to Armenia.
Strengthening criminal justice capacities to combat gender-based violence focus of OSCE-organized roundtables in South-Eastern Europe
Publishing date: 15 March 2022
From January to March 2022, the OSCE convened the second round of meetings of the Multi-Agency Committees in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. The committees were established as part of the OSCE’s project Enhancing Criminal Justice Capacities for Combating Gender-based Violence in South-Eastern Europe.