News and press releases

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM followed up on reports of three men who sustained shrapnel wounds following the explosion of a device near government-controlled Hrodivka. The SMM saw anti-tank mines and military hardware on the road inside the Zolote disengagement area and recorded ceasefire violations near the same area. The SMM saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of both Luhansk and Donetsk region. The Mission monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to essential civilian infrastructure in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as the recovery of human remains from an area in Luhansk region close to the contact line. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. It was also restricted at a heavy weapons holding area in Donetsk region, at a checkpoint near Popasna and, on three occasions, at a checkpoint near Verkhnoshyrokivske. In Odessa, the SMM monitored a gathering in front of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation...

An OSCE-organized photography and photojournalism master class for persons with disabilities took place from 22 to 26 February 2019 in Ashgabat...

The final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on the 28 October and 28 November 2018 presidential election in Georgia recommends a comprehensive review of the election legislation in order to eliminate gaps and ambiguities and ensure uniform application.

MINSK, 28 February 2019 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG and its Working Groups in Minsk on 27 February 2019...

STRASBOURG, France, 27 February 2019 – Presenting the priorities of the 2019 Slovak OSCE Chairmanship to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg today, Chairperson-in-Office and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia, Miroslav Lajčák called on all 47 Member States of the Council of Europe to defend institutions, rules and effective multilateralism.

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Bullets flew over the heads of SMM patrol members in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka. The SMM observed fresh damage caused by shelling to a functioning school in Sakhanka and houses in Zolote-1/Soniachnyi. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the disengagement area near Zolote. The SMM saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas of Donetsk region. The Mission monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable an inspection of and repair works to essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. It was also restricted at a heavy weapons holding area in Donetsk region, at a compound in Samiilove, at a checkpoint near Novoazovsk and at a checkpoint in Popasna.

VIENNA, 27 February 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today said he is concerned about the detention of several journalists and bloggers who were covering rallies in the cities of Almaty, Zhanaozen and Uralsk in Kazakhstan...