News and press releases

VIENNA, 19 October 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today deplored the intimidation and death threats directed at journalists with the well-known Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta. He urged the authorities to swiftly and fully investigate these incidents and ensure journalists’ safety.

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 19 October 2018 – Over 40 representatives of law enforcement agencies in Kosovo concluded today an advanced anti-corruption training programme, organized by the 2018 OSCE Italian Chairmanship, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and the Italian Embassy in Prishtinë/Priština...

An OSCE-supported five-day training seminar on risk profiling at border checkpoints concluded in Zharkent, Kazakhstan on 19 October 2018.

The implementation and monitoring of Georgia’s Justice for Children System Reform Strategy and National Action Plan were the focus of an OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe-supported study visit by members of the Tajik Inter-Agency Working Group for Juvenile Justice Reform to Tbilisi from 8 to 12 October 2018...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. Small-arms fire was directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle near Zolote-5/Mykhailivka. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote disengagement areas. The SMM observed weapons in violation of the agreed withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as near Verkhnoshyrokivske and Valianivske.* An SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle again spotted vehicles in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region moving on a dirt road in the middle of the night away from and towards the border with the Russian Federation where there are no border crossing facilities. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station; it also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to critical civilian infrastructure in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a gathering in relation to public service and economy and observed it disperse peacefully...

Civil society has a critical role to play in preventing violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (VERLT) and more can be done to strengthen partnerships between government and civil society in order to address this security challenge, said speakers at a two-day regional meeting in Tirana on 17 and 18 October 2018. A new OSCE guidebook that focuses on the role of civil society in addressing VERLT in the context of South-East Europe was also launched at the event...

Strengthening protection and preparedness against terrorist attacks aimed at critical energy infrastructure was the focus of a risk-assessment and crisis management exercise held in Turkmenistan’s capital on 17 and 18 October 2018, organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.