News and press releases

Strengthening the ability of Greek prosecutors to address hate crimes was the focus of a train-the-trainer course organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), in co-operation with the office of the Prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Greece, from 1 to 3 December

The final package of recommendations developed under the OSCE flagship project to strengthen regulatory governance in Kyrgyzstan was approved by the Kyrgyz Government’s Regulatory Reform Council on 1 December 2017.

The Programme Office in Bishkek supported the Central Election Commission of Kyrgyzstan in organizing a debate on 28 November 2017 on the lessons learnt from the October 2017 presidential elections and on issues to further consolidate the country’s electoral system.

The State Committee on Religious Affairs of Kyrgyzstan and the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek held the National Forum on Inter-confessional Dialogue on 29 and 30 November 2017 in Bishkek.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it observed calm situations in each. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including near Siedove and Samiilove.* It followed up on reports of shelling at a grain production facility in Yasynuvata. The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Netailove. It observed Ukrainian Armed Forces positions in southern areas of Verkhnotoretske. In Luhansk city the SMM saw Russian Federation flags placed alongside “LPR” flags outside certain buildings. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure in Vesela Hora. The SMM visited three border areas not under the control of the Government.

WARSAW, 2 December 2017 Ahead of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, marked on 3 December, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir invited participating States to establish closer partnerships with persons with disabilities and their representative organizations to jointly work towards more representative and equal societies...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, and no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. The Mission observed damage to residential properties from shelling in Dovhe. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including near Yasynuvata and Mineralne.* The SMM attempted to reach Travneve but was unable to do so due to the possible presence of mines or unexploded ordnance on the road leading to the village. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure in Shchastia, and near Krasnyi Lyman and Vesela Hora. The SMM visited three border areas not under government control. The Mission observed incidents at a public gathering in Kyiv.