News and press releases

Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area. SMM unmanned aerial vehicles spotted destroyed houses in the south-eastern part of Pivdenne in Donetsk region and fresh craters in residential areas of Zolote-4/Rodina and Zolote-5/Mykhailivka, in Luhansk region. The SMM saw a weapon in violation of withdrawal lines in Oleksandro-Kalynove. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to water and electric infrastructure on both sides of the contact line and to damaged houses in Marinka. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted near Siedove and Dovzhanske – close to the border with the Russian Federation – and near Popasne.

Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons increased at both BCPs compared to the previous week...

OSCE participating States should act more decisively to enhance the participation of Roma and Sinti in public and political life, participants said at an event in Vienna on 11 December 2018. The event was organized to present a report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) assessing the status of implementation of the Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti within the OSCE Area.

Strong democracy and good governance are necessary prerequisites to ensure adequate protection of human rights, affirmed participants in an OSCE-supported conference held on the occasion of International Human Rights Day on 10 December in Podgorica...

An OSCE-supported seminar on assessing and managing the risks of violent extremist prisoners, including the rehabilitation of returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters, concluded on 7 December 2018 in Astana...

VIENNA, 10 December 2018 – The Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFOM), together with the International Press Institute, are organizing the world premiere today in Vienna of their film, A Dark Place – a documentary highlighting the experiences of female journalists who have been targeted by online harassment...

Ukraine’s Mine Action Law was adopted by the parliament on 6 December 2018, after consultations with the Project Co-ordinator, who provided advice on the content. It establishes a framework for humanitarian demining, divides responsibilities among state institutions, and envisages the creation of a mine action centre.