News and press releases

BERLIN, 1 April 2016- Gernot Erler, Special Representative of the Federal Government of Germany for the OSCE Chairmanship, issued the following statement today on the decision by the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan to release the lawyer and human rights defender Intiqam Aliyev from imprisonment on 28 March 2016...

Mainstreaming social services for former prisoners in the framework of ongoing criminal justice reforms and institutionalization of integrated social services was the aim of the OSCE-supported workshop co-organized with the Offenders’ Rehabilitation Center of Armenia’s Ministry of Justice on 31 March- 2 April 2016 in Aghveran, Kotayk region of Armenia...

VIENNA, 1 April 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today welcomed the sentences of five people for the killing of journalist Rasim Aliyev in August 2015 in Baku...

The SMM observed a further increase in the number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In Luhansk region the SMM recorded a low number of ceasefire violations. It monitored and facilitated repairs of essential infrastructure. The SMM observed the marking of mined areas in the security zone. It followed up on reports of shelling. The SMM facilitated the safe passage of civilians stranded between Ukrainian Armed Forces and “LPR” checkpoints in Luhansk region. The Mission reached a border crossing point in an area not controlled by the Government. The SMM was restricted in its freedom of movement mostly in areas not controlled by the Government*...

DUSHANBE, 1 April 2016 – Twenty-five officials from border security and management agencies of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan today completed a week-long workshop at the OSCE Office in Tajikistan on the role of effective border delegates...

Vienna, 1 April 2016- OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier today expressed deep sadness as news of former German Foreign Affairs Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher’s passing was announced. He extended his heartfelt condolences to OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the family and friends of the late minister, and to the German people.

COPENHAGEN, 1 April 2016 – On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the founding of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) congratulated the thousands of parliamentarians involved in the OSCE PA for their immense contributions to the OSCE process and people since 1991...