News and press releases

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM continued monitoring all three disengagement areas. The Mission observed that three civilians were let through the government checkpoint north of the Zolote disengagement area but were denied passage to areas not under government control. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including again in Samiilove, a settlement close to the border with the Russian Federation, and in Boikivske.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance to essential infrastructure in Shchastia and near Artema. The SMM visited three border areas not under government control. The Mission continued to monitor an ongoing gathering in Kyiv where it observed reduced numbers of participants.

Developing the technical skills to design a high-impact national action plan to support the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on Women, Peace and Security was the topic of the National Action Plan (NAP) Academy which ended on 20 October 2017 in Vienna. The workshop was organized by the OSCE Secretariat’s Gender Section and the Washington-based organization Inclusive Security.

KYIV, 20 October 2017 – The safety of journalists and putting an end to impunity for crimes committed against them must be adequately addressed to maintain a favourable environment for freedom of the media in Ukraine, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir said today, during his visit to Kyiv.

THE HAGUE, 20 October 2017 – In a visit to The Hague, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Christine Muttonen (MP, Austria) held meetings today at the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Senate of The Netherlands and the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM)...

The results of Moldova’s National Risk Assessment (NRA) of money laundering and terrorist financing and an Action Plan addressing how to mitigate these risks were presented by the country’s Money Laundering Prevention Unit on 20 October 2017 in Chisinau, at an event organized by the OSCE, the World Bank and the European Union. The event brought together representatives from the public and private sector to discuss how to address gaps in legislation and enforcement...

RABAT, 20 October 2017 – A delegation from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is concluding a two-day visit to Morocco today, having met with religious leaders, participated in a seminar on countering violent extremism in the OSCE region, and held a series of meetings with parliamentary and government leaders in the Moroccan capital...

Vienna, 20 October 2017 – In times of interconnected challenges to security, such as emergency situations, violent extremism or large movements of people fleeing conflict, the fight to end human trafficking requires a flexible, creative and system-wide approach involving governments, the private sector, civil society and international organizations, stressed participants at today’s conference on Human Trafficking in Conflict and Crisis Situations.