News and press releases

• The Mission observed the beginning of the disengagement process at the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. • Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. • The SMM saw fresh damage from gunfire to a civilian house in Dokuchaievsk and to a pig farm near Novoluhanske. • It saw anti-tank mines near Petrivske, some for the first time. • The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to critical civilian infrastructure, including to water pipelines and powerlines. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. • Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere.

More than 30 women MPs from North Macedonia and South-Eastern Europe enhanced their knowledge on gender-sensitive parliaments and use of public funding for gender equality during the OSCE-supported event that ended on 27 June 2019 in Skopje.

At 12:00 on 26 June, the SMM observed the beginning of the disengagement process at the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area.

VIENNA, 27 June 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today called upon the authorities of Tajikistan to investigate reports that a journalist’s family members were intimidated and to reconsider withdrawal of press accreditation for Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) correspondent in Dushanbe.

To commemorate the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on 26 June, the Coalition against Torture (CAT), with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, held a series of events in the cities of Bishkek and Osh.

KYIV, 26 June 2019 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group, Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made the following statement to the press:

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer Luhansk region. • Small arms were fired in the vicinity of the SMM, and other civilians, in Donetsk city and of an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle near Zolote. • The SMM followed up on a boy injured from the detonation of unexploded ordnance in Holmivskyi. • The Mission saw fresh craters near Vodiane and Molodizhne, and again saw the presence of mines near Vodiane, Travneve, Holmivskyi and Nyzhnie Lozove. • The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to water pipelines in Luhansk region and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure in Donetsk region. • Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and elsewere.*