News and press releases

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region between the evenings of 21 and 22 September. Between the evenings of 22 and 23 September, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM followed up on a civilian casualty in Popasna. The SMM observed damage as a result of shelling in residential areas in Yasynuvata, Pikuzy and Uzhivka. The SMM continued to observe civilians facing hardships crossing the contact line. The SMM saw military-type presence inside the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas; it was also restricted again near Zaichenko and Bezimenne, as well as near Novolaspa and Voznesenivka, near the border with the Russian Federation.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of agreed withdrawal lines in Sakhanka. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. It also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs and maintenance works to water infrastructure in Avdiivka, Yasynuvata and Stanytsia Luhanska, and to power lines in Zolote, as well as demining in Pishchane. The SMM observed a protest in Odessa and followed up on reports of an activist being shot later the same day...

ASTANA, 24 September 2018 – An OSCE-organized week-long simulation exercise on how to identify and rescue victims of human trafficking kicks off today at the Regional Hub for Countering Global Threats in Astana. More than 50 professionals from law enforcement, labour inspectorates, financial investigative units, prosecutorial offices, NGOs and social services from 14 OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation are participating in the live-action training...

VIENNA, 24 September 2018- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today denounced the arrest of three journalists from the Greek daily newspaper Fileleftheros on defamation charges and welcomed that the prosecutor decided not to immediately press charges, a move that led to their release. He called on authorities to decriminalize defamation...

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), in co-ordination with the BiH Agency for the Prevention of Corruption and Co-ordination of the Fight against Corruption, organized a one-day workshop for the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (HNC) Anti-corruption Team and anti-corruption focal points within the ministries of the Herzegovina-Neretva cantonal government on 20 September 2018 in Mostar.

The OSCE-supported ninth annual Central Asian Leadership Programme (CALP) on Environment for Sustainable Development involving young leaders from the Central Asia and Afghanistan concluded on 23 September 2018 in Almaty, Kazakhstan...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM saw military presence inside the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas; it was also restricted near Betmanove and, again, near Verkhnoshyrokivske. The SMM observed weapons in violations of agreed withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. It also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs and maintenance works to water infrastructure in Stanytsia Luhanska, Avdiivka and near Artema...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM saw military presence inside the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as again near Verkhnoshyrokivske. Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of a multiple launch rocket system in violation of withdrawal lines near Buhaivka. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. It also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs and maintenance works to critical water infrastructure in Stanytsia Luhanska and Slovianoserbsk and to the Krasnohorivka gas distribution station between Marinka and Oleksandrivka, as well as demining in Pishchane. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a gathering regarding the status of non-Ukrainian ATO veterans...