News and press releases

BERLIN, 3 June 2016 – Some 20 OSCE parliamentarians were in Berlin this week for an OSCE Code of Conduct conference focused on strengthening parliamentary control of the security sector. The event, which took place 2-3 June, highlighted the important role that parliaments play in both the oversight of armed forces and in increasing the level of political support for the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects, particularly in the context of emerging security challenges...

WARSAW, 3 June 2016 – Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), expressed concern today over yesterday’s sentencing by a court in Dushanbe of two leaders of the banned Islamic Renaissance Party (IRPT) to life imprisonment, and 11 other high-ranking party officials to jail terms ranging from two to 28 years...

The SMM observed more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer ceasefire violations in Luhansk region compared with the previous day. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and noted heavy weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. The SMM also noted armoured combat vehicles in the security zone. The Mission’s freedom of movement was restricted several times, mostly in areas not controlled by the Government, including once at the border. An SMM mini UAV crashed south of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, and the SMM lost all communication with its long-range UAV while it was flying over “DPR” controlled areas.* The Mission observed several peaceful protests in Kyiv...

VIENNA, 3 June 2016 – OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier presented today the OSCE Handbook on Combating Corruption, which outlines an array of measures for preventing and combating corruption related to economic, legal and human rights issues...

Secretaries General and Deputy Secretaries General of Western Balkans parliaments, heads of human resources and information and communications technology departments, legal advisors and representatives of OSCE Missions in the region took part in a meeting on strategic and annual planning in parliaments in Podgorica, Montenegro on 1 and 2 June 2016...

Enhancing the capacity of civil society organizations to prevent and respond to hate crimes was the focus of a workshop organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Bucharest on 2-3 June 2016.

The role of women in creating safer communities was the topic of a roundtable discussion organized by the OSCE Mission to Skopje in co-operation with the Sector for Internal Affairs Kumanovo that took place in Lipkovo on 3 June 2016. Fourteen women from different ethnic backgrounds who engage with the community on a regular basis discussed how they can contribute to policing, safety and security in the communities...