News and press releases

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on a civilian casualty caused by the explosion of an object in Myrne and observed multiple impact sites in Staromykhailivka and Donetsk city. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it observed ceasefire violations assessed as inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to power lines near Veselohorivka and a water pipeline in Obozne. The SMM observed a restriction measure hearing in the trial of the captain of the fishing ship Nord, who was released on his own recognisance...

VIENNA, 13 April 2018 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today strongly condemned the publication of a list of more than 200 people by a Hungarian media outlet which claimed that over 2,000 people, including those listed by name, are allegedly working to “topple the government”...

VIENNA, 13 April 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today expressed his concern about a court’s decision to block the Telegram messaging and social networking application in the Russian Federation...

VIENNA, 13 April 2018 – Today OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir called on the Tajikistani authorities to release from pre-trial detention Khayrullo Mirsaidov, a reporter with a number of national and international media outlets in Tajikistan in the past years. Mirsaidov is facing charges of embezzlement of funds, falsification of documents, making false accusations, and incitement to inter-ethnic hatred.

VIENNA, 13 April 2018 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today called upon the Czech authorities to respect journalists’ rights to protect confidential sources, following complaints by investigative journalists Jaroslav Kmenta (of The Reporter), Janek Kroupa (of Czech Radio) and Sabina Slonkova (of Neovlivni.cz) regarding pressure by police investigators to disclose their sources. The journalists allege that in recent months, they have been repeatedly questioned by the police and the General Inspection of Security Corps (GIBS) over their reporting related to corruption cases...

A three-day training course on anti-corruption reviewing of draft legislation for 30 representatives of government institutions, academia and civil society concluded on 13 April 2018 in Astana...

Public monitoring of the environment was the focus of a training seminar co-organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana and the Zhaiyk-Caspian Aarhus Centre that was held on 13 April 2018, in Atyrau, Kazakhstan, for some 30 representatives of the government, environmental NGOs, the private sector and the media...