News and press releases

VIENNA, 7 July 2016 – Against the backdrop of the continuing conflict in and around Ukraine, the United Nations’ Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Šimonović addressed the Permanent Council in Vienna today on the co-operation and assistance of the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) to Ukraine in this field...

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations compared to the previous reporting period. Most of the fighting was recorded in the areas around Yasynuvata, Shyrokyne and Donetsk city. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded a number of ceasefire violations, most of which were assessed as live-fire exercises. The Mission confirmed reports of three children killed by a grenade explosion in Yenakiieve. The SMM followed up on reports of shelling and conducted crater analysis in Kominternove, Horlivka and Myronivka. It continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles in the security zone. The Mission continued to monitor the situation of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. The SMM observed the situation at the administrative boundary line between Kherson and Crimea...

BERLIN, 6 July 2016- The German OSCE Chairmanship, in co-operation with the Network ‘Initiative Mediation Support Germany’ (IMSD), holds a conference today in Berlin which puts the role of the OSCE as a mediator at the center of its attention, focusing on the Organization’s capabilities, instruments and potentials in this area...

Thirty experts were trained to deliver specialized training courses for judges on how to review corruption–related disputes and prevent corruption in the judiciary during a two-day session, organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine and the National School of Judges on 5-6 July 2016 outside Kyiv...

BERLIN / VIENNA, 5 July 2016 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier today congratulated Christine Muttonen, an Austrian parliamentarian, on her election as President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. They also thanked outgoing President Illka Kanerva from Finland for his work since July 2014...

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations compared to those recorded during the day on 3 July. Most of the fighting was recorded in the areas around Yasynuvata, Horlivka and Shyrokyne. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded no ceasefire violations during the reporting period. The SMM followed up on reports of shelling and conducted crater analysis on both sides of the contact line, in Klynove and Kominternove. It continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and the situation of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. The Mission monitored a border area not controlled by the Government and encountered a restriction there. The Mission’s freedom of movement was restricted on six occasions, five of which were in areas not controlled by the Government.* In Odessa, the SMM monitored the 49th consecutive day of an around-the-clock protest by internally displaced persons. In Kharkiv the SMM followed up on reports of weapons discovered in Mala Rohan...

ALMATY, 5 July 2016 – The annual OSCE Central Asian Youth Network (CAYN) forum and seminar began today in Almaty...