News and press releases

BAKU, 10 February 2020 – The restrictive legislation and political environment prevented genuine competition in Azerbaijan’s early parliamentary elections, international observers said in a preliminary statement published today. Although some prospective candidates were denied the right to stand, candidate registration was otherwise inclusive. Despite the large number of candidates, voters were not provided with a meaningful choice, due to a lack of real political discussion, the statement says.

Darko Brajović, National Programme Officer in the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, met on 6 February 2020 with Executive Director of the Association of Youth with Disabilities Marina Vujačić. They discussed ways to ensure that persons with disabilities can participate in electoral processes in Montenegro.

Summary Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations both in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Mission continued monitoring the security situation at the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. The Mission monitored adherence to

KYIV, 7 February 2020 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, concluded today his official visit to Kyiv, where he held discussions with the authorities, the media community and international organizations, focusing particularly on two new draft laws, on Media and on Countering Disinformation respectively.

Summary Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded a similar number of  ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. It followed up on reports of an injury to a man in non-government-controlled Holubivske due to shelling. An SMM patrol heard small-arms fire

VIENNA, 7 February 2020 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, strongly condemned today the attack on Novaya Gazeta’s investigative journalist Elena Milashina and lawyer Marina Dubrovina in Grozny, the capital of the Chechen republic of the Russian Federation.

VIENNA, 7 February 2020 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his concern today over the absence of the independent media outlet N1 among channels offered by cable operators affiliated with the Telekom Serbia network. Telekom Serbia is a joint stock company predominantly owned by the state.