News and press releases

KYIV, 8 May 2017 – The Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan, condemns the sexual harassment of an SMM patrol member by an armed man in the non-government controlled area of Donetsk region, which took place on 5 May...

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. The Mission recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including in an incident in which an armed man sexually harassed a female patrol member. The SMM assessed impact sites and damage to residential areas caused by shelling. The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in non-government controlled areas. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to a gas pipeline in Zhovte, and power lines in Krasni Partizan and between Mykhailivka and Kadiivka. The SMM monitored one border area currently not under government control...

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. The Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region but fewer in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Avdiivka. The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The SMM observed demining activity as well as the presence of unexploded ordnance (UXO). The Mission monitored two border areas currently not under government control...

An OSCE-organized course on TV coverage of major events for editors and camera operators from Turkmenistan’s TV channels concluded on 5 May 2017 in Ashgabat...

A group of 30 Italian prosecutors and judges improved their ability to address hate crime during a training course co-organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) on 5 May 2017 in Milan, Italy. The event, part of ODIHR’s Prosecutors and Hate Crimes Training

A workshop organized by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo for around 20 Roma and Ashkali grassroots activists and civil society organizations from the Gjilan/Gnjilane and Ferizaj/Uroševac municipalities on how to shape better local policies for the benefit of communities concluded on 3 May 2017...

ATHENS, 5 May 2017- The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Madina Jarbussynova, on Friday concluded a visit to Athens, Lesvos and Thessaloniki to discuss how best to support first responders in identifying potential victims of trafficking among large flows of migrants and refugees...