News and press releases

Vienna, 25 June 2016 – The OSCE Security Days event “From Confrontation to Co-operation- Restoring Co-operative Security in Europe”, held in Berlin on 24 June, explored possible ways to use multilateral institutions and confidence-building instruments to keep dialogue and communication channels open, and to foster meaningful co-operation in addressing persistent divisions and mistrust in the OSCE region.

In Donetsk region, the SMM observed fewer ceasefire violations, with nearly 90 explosions during the night of 23 June and four during the day. In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded some ceasefire violations compared with none during the previous day. It conducted crater analysis and observed damage to houses in Kirovskyi district and Kominternove. The SMM continued to observe long queues at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line, with civilians suffering from high temperatures. It reached the border in an area not controlled by the Government on one occasion. In Kharkiv, the SMM monitored a public gathering related to the status of volunteer participants in the Anti-Terrorism Operation. The SMM’s freedom of movement was restricted on two occasions – once in a government-controlled area and once in an area outside government control...*

The SMM observed more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared to the previous day and no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. It followed up on reports of shelling and observed significant movement of weapons in Luhansk region. The SMM continued to observe long queues at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. In Chernivtsi National University, the number of woman enrolling in the department of military training program has steadily been increasing, the SMM heard. The SMM’s freedom of movement was restricted on one occasion in areas outside government control...

VIENNA, 24 June 2016 – The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, James Warlick of the United States of America, and Pierre Andrieu of France) call on the sides to honour the agreements which were reflected in the Joint Statements of the May 16 summit in Vienna and the June 20 summit in St. Petersburg...

WARSAW/GENEVA, 24 June 2016 – Ahead of Sunday’s International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), and Juan E. Mendez, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, called for redoubling of efforts to eradicate all forms of torture and ill-treatment and to fully implement the victims’ rights to obtain full and effective redress, including full rehabilitation...

Berlin, 24 June 2016 – At the Night-owl session of the Security Days event “From Confrontation to Co-Operation: Restoring Cooperative Security in Europe”, held on 23 June, more than 100 participants representing OSCE participating States, the European Union, think-tanks, civil society, the media and the academic community, discussed the importance of protecting fundamental freedoms in times of crisis. The aim of the session was to explore how to protect fundamental freedoms in times of crisis.

Building capacities of Ukrainian gender equality advisors was the focus of the workshop Mainstreaming Gender into Communication, organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Equal Opportunities Caucus of the Parliament of Ukraine in Lviv, western Ukraine, on 24 June 2016.