News and press releases

The review of limitations on fundamental rights, the harmonization of electoral laws and the removal of restrictions on the rights of individuals to vote and run as candidates are some of the main recommendations contained in the  final report  by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous 24 hours, mostly concentrated in areas to the east and north-east of Mariupol and including the use of multiple-launch rocket systems, and a similar number of ceasefire violations in Luhansk region compared to the previous 24 hours. It observed damage from shelling to a house in Luhanske and corroborated reports of civilian casualties in Lozove and Avdiivka. The Mission monitored disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access there and elsewhere remained restricted. SMM cameras recorded ceasefire violations inside the Stanytsia Luhanska area. The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in government controlled areas, as well as weapons missing from permanent storage sites in areas not under government control. It again noted long queues of civilians at three entry-exit checkpoints. The SMM continued to monitor the blockade of railway routes crossing the contact line. The Mission continued monitoring protests outside banks in Kyiv and Dnipro...

SARAJEVO, 21 March 2017 – On the occasion of World Social Work Day, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) supported the associations of social workers from BiH in organizing the conference “Challenges of social work in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, which concluded today in Sarajevo...

WARSAW / STRASBOURG / VIENNA, 21 March 2017 – Promoting inclusion and mutual respect through education and strong positive narratives is essential to preventing incitement to hatred and countering hate speech in the digital age, the heads of three European human rights institutions said in a joint statement on today’s International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 17 and 18 March compared with the previous reporting period, but fewer ceasefire violations in both between the evenings of 18 and 19 March compared with the previous 24 hours. It observed damage to houses and infrastructure from shelling in Yasynuvata, Dokuchaievsk, Kalynove, Zolote and Hnutove, and corroborated a report of a civilian casualty in Yasynuvata. The Mission monitored disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access there and elsewhere remained restricted.* SMM cameras recorded ceasefire violations inside the Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote areas. The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines, as well as weapons beyond withdrawal lines but outside storage sites. It again noted long queues of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints and visited three border areas currently not under government control. The SMM continued to monitor the blockade of railway routes crossing the contact line. The Mission monitored a public gathering in Lviv...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on civilian casualties in Donetsk and Valiuske, and observed damage to civilian property in Horlivka and Dokuchaievsk. The Mission monitored the disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access remained restricted.* The SMM camera recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote area. The Mission saw for the first time anti-tank mines in government-controlled parts of that area and heard an explosion assessed as the impact of an artillery round inside the area. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines and missing from storage sites. It visited a border area currently not under government control. The Mission continued to monitor the blockade of routes crossing the contact line and monitored a session of a regional council, which supported the blockade and the related recent decision of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine. It monitored the continuation of a protest outside a bank office in Kyiv and a protest in front of the Russian Federation Consulate General in Odessa...

On 17 March five SMM members were positioned – outside two of its vehicles – 15km north of Donetsk on the eastern side of highway H20, where it intersects with a secondary road leading east to Donetsk Water Filtration Station, (located between government-controlled Avdiivka and “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata) to monitor adherence to the ceasefire for demining at and around the filtration station as well as the restoration of water supply to both sides of the contact line...