News and press releases

More than 300 representatives of Kyrgyz law-enforcement bodies participated in nine training sessions from 17 July to 6 August 2017 in Bishkek, Jalal Abad, Osh, Batken and Cholpon Ata on how to ensure that the October 2017 presidential election is free, fair and transparent. The training was delivered by the Central Electoral Commission and the Civil Platform Kyrgyz Public Fund, with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere*, including again at an entry-exit checkpoint in Verkhnoshyrokivske, where armed men impeded the SMM from crossing the contact line into areas east of Mariupol for the eighth consecutive day. The SMM observed weapons in violation of the respective withdrawal lines in Kostiantynivka, Muratove and Sofiivka. It observed tanks outside the designated storage sites in Mykolaivka and Ternove. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable ongoing repair to infrastructure, including a water pipeline, a pumping station and a power plant in Luhansk region. The SMM monitored two border areas not under government control.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere*, including at Verkhnoshyrokivske, where armed “DPR” members impeded the SMM’s access to areas east of Mariupol for a seventh consecutive day. SMM personnel and civilian contractors installing an SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station were forced to take shelter when small-arms fire erupted nearby, despite written security guarantees provided by the sides. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to infrastructure, including a water pipeline, a pumping station and a power plant in Luhansk region. At a government-controlled checkpoint near Popasna, the SMM observed a mortar explosion 500m from its position; no injuries or damage were reported. The SMM monitored two border areas not under government control...

From 09:40 on 3 August, an SMM patrol consisting of ten members, including four workers contracted by the SMM, and three armoured vehicles was positioned at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS). The DFS is located between government-controlled Avdiivka and “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata- about 15km north of Donetsk city. The SMM patrol was monitoring works for the installation of an SMM camera on the roof of the DFS office building by the contracted workers. The Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) had facilitated security guarantees for a ceasefire within a 15km radius in order for the SMM to install the camera...

The last in a series of six OSCE-supported five-day training courses on risk profiling at border checkpoints to assist eighteen officers of the Border Service of Kazakhstan’s National Security Committee in countering transnational threats concluded in Kostanai, Kazakhstan on 4 August 2017...

Some 100 law-enforcement officers, social workers and representatives of the local Akimat (regional administration) from the Atyrau, Aktobe, Mangystau and Western Kazakhstan regions as well as the city of Aktau took part in the last in a series of four OSCE-supported training seminars on anti-trafficking practices and procedures in Aktau, Kazakhstan, which concluded on 4 August 2017....

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and noted a calm situation. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including at Verkhnoshyrokivske where armed “DPR” members impeded the SMM’s access to areas east of Mariupol for a sixth consecutive day. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs at the power plant in Shchastia and at the Petrivske water pumping station in Artema. The SMM monitored one border area not under government control...