News and press releases

ULAANBAATAR, 24 May 2017 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened a limited election observation mission for the 26 June presidential election in Mongolia. The mission’s deployment follows an official invitation from the Mongolian Government...

ASTANA, 23 May 2017 – An OSCE-supported four-day regional training seminar for military officers on the practical implementation of the confidence- and security-building measures of the Vienna Document 2011 began today in Astana...

The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remained restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations. In Donetsk region the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations, but more explosions, compared with ceasefire violations recorded between the evenings of 20 and 21 May. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations. It observed damage from gunfire in residential areas in Dokuchaievsk. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The SMM saw for the first time a mine hazard sign near Kruta Hora. The Mission visited a border area currently not controlled by the Government. In Odessa the SMM monitored a protest by internally displaced persons. In Kyiv the Mission followed up on reports of an explosion at the office of a political party...

VIENNA, 23 May 2017 – The OSCE launches today the #DailyThrills social media challenge inviting young people to share their stories of resilience and commitment to inspire their peers. Violent extremists often purport to offer meaning, belonging, recognition or adventure to attract new recruits. Rather than falling prey to these deceitful narratives, there are many positive ways young people are channelling their energy, passion, and desire to push their limits...

The OSCE Mission to Moldova organized the second in a series of Human Rights Club meetings for lawyers from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River on 19 May 2017. The event, held in Chisinau, brought together some 40 lawyers and civil society representatives to discuss current ethical norms and standard practices governing the legal profession...

VIENNA, 23 May 2017 – Young people are most vulnerable to terrorist radicalization and greater efforts should be made to prevent youth from being misled by violent extremists, said OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Austria’s Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz today as he opened the 2017 OSCE-wide Counter-Terrorism Conference in Vienna...

BELGRADE, 23 May 2017 – The OSCE Mission to Serbia, in partnership with the National School of Defence of the Military Academy, launched today in Belgrade a course on defence and security issues for some 20 members of the Serbian National Assembly...