News and press releases

WARSAW, 23 August 2021 – Despite a number of positive legal changes to the nomination process for the judges of Georgia’s Supreme Court, today’s final monitoring report of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) shows that the stage of the appointment procedure carried out by parliament still lacks adequate safeguards, negatively affecting the integrity of the overall process.

Summary In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded 55 ceasefire violations, including six explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 117 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded 92 ceasefire violations, including 60 explosions. In the previous reporting

Summary In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded 117 ceasefire violations, including 62 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 160 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded 12 ceasefire violations, including seven explosions. In the previous reporting

VIENNA, 20 August 2021- Throughout this past year we have witnessed acts of violence and hate-motivated attacks based on religion or belief across the OSCE region. Jews, Muslims, minority Christian communities, and others were targeted and endured physical and verbal abuse and even murder, solely because of their religious identification. Despite the strength and resilience many participating States have demonstrated in managing the COVID-19 crisis, the pandemic and its physical distancing restrictions have led to the proliferation of online intolerance. This includes racist discourse and incitement against members of religious and belief communities, anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, and hate speech against Muslims. These developments should alarm us all.

The Eighth Annual Anti-Terrorism Experts Meeting, organized by the Anti-Terrorist Center under the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan, the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, and the OSCE’s Action against Terrorism Unit/Transnational Threats Department, was held from 18 to 21 August 2021 in Issyk-Kul.

WARSAW, 20 August 2021 – Governments need to work harder to protect victims of religious hate crimes, and consistently condemn and prosecute all bias-motivated crimes, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said ahead of the third anniversary of the United Nations International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion.

Summary In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded 160 ceasefire violations, including 24 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 165 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded 475 ceasefire violations, including 149 explosions. In the previous reporting