News and press releases

VIENNA, 25 March 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today published the legal review of the draft amendments on the right of reply to the Statute on Periodic Press and News Agencies of Slovakia, which was sent to the Slovak authorities on 5 March.

VIENNA, 25 March 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today reiterated his call for Ukrainian authorities to allow foreign journalists to pursue their professional activities unimpeded. His call followed a denial of entry to Marc Innaro, the Moscow correspondent of the Italian Public Service Broadcaster (RAI), and his colleague, who is a camera operator.

Challenges and positive practices that could facilitate the participation of persons with disabilities in political parties were the focus of a meeting in Tbilisi on 25 March 2019. The event was organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in co-operation with

Elections experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) met with electoral stakeholders in Tbilisi on 21 and 22 March 2019 to present the ODIHR final report on last year’s presidential election in Georgia. The report’s findings and recommendations were presented

Representatives of the security sector of Kyrgyzstan concluded a five-day training course on “Violent Extremism and Radicalization leading to Terrorism as a Threat to National Security” on 22 March 2019, in Bishkek...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM observed damage to functioning schools in Holmivskyi and Donetsk city. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. The SMM observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Mission observed long queues of people, up to 1,500, at the entry-exit checkpoint north of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement areas and elsewhere, including near non-government-controlled Zaichenko.

Compared with the previous reporting period, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. The SMM recorded ceasefire violations and saw military hardware, fresh craters, unmanned aerial vehicles and mines seen for the first time inside the Zolote disengagement area; it also saw military hardware inside the Petrivske disengagement area. The Mission observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas, in Voznesenivka, close to the border with the Russian Federation, and elsewhere near non-government-controlled Verkhnoshyrokivske and Staropetrivske.