News and press releases

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. Man injured by small-arms fire during repair works near the Krasnohorivka gas distribution station. Apartment building in Chermalyk hit by small-arms fire. The Mission saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to essential civilian infrastructure in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. It was also restricted at a compound near Perevalsk in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region. In Uzhhorod, Kharkiv and Dnipro, the Mission observed public gatherings on the occasion of the Day of the Unity of Ukraine.

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. • Small-arms fire damaged a functioning kindergarten in Chermalyk. • The Mission saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. • The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable 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 checkpoint near Yasynuvata.* • The SMM followed up on reports of an incident at a newspaper office in Kherson. • In Kyiv and Chernivtsi, the Mission observed public gatherings on the occasion of the Day of the Unity of Ukraine.

CHISINAU, 23 January 2019 – In meetings this week with senior officials in Moldova, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) stressed the importance of holding transparent and fair elections, noting that the conduct of the 24 February parliamentary elections would be watched closely by the OSCE PA and other international observers...

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 was 8,227 at both BCPs. The overall number of border crossings by persons decreased at both BCPs compared to the previous week.

Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. Small-arms fire damaged a functioning school in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka. The SMM recorded ceasefire violations and continued to observe an armoured combat vehicle and anti-aircraft guns inside the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted at a permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region and near a border crossing point in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region. The SMM observed a gathering related to LGBTI rights...

VIENNA, 22 January 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today expressed his satisfaction following a decision by Azerbaijan’s authorities to drop new charges against the imprisoned blogger and chair of the media NGO Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety, Mehman Huseynov. The OSCE Representative called on the authorities to release Huseynov as soon as possible...

COPENHAGEN, 22 January 2019 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) today welcomed reports from Azerbaijan that the General Prosecutor’s Office has terminated a criminal case against anti-corruption blogger and chair of the media NGO Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety Mehman Huseynov. Huseynov has been detained on defamation charges since March 2017 and in December 2018, new charges were initiated against him that could have extended his imprisonment by seven years...