News and press releases

The SMM observed a high number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, mostly in the Yasynuvata-Avdiivka area. In Luhansk region the situation remained relatively calm and a low number of ceasefire violations was recorded. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. The SMM observed the marking of mined areas in the security zone. It facilitated and monitored the retrieval of the body of a Ukrainian Armed Forces serviceman. The Mission reached four border crossing points in areas not controlled by the Government. The SMM encountered freedom of movement restrictions in areas not controlled by the Government.* In Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lviv and Odessa the SMM observed public demonstrations...

COPENHAGEN, 29 March 2016 – The Chairperson of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions, Isabel Santos (MP, Portugal), and the OSCE PA Special Representative on the South Caucasus, Kristian Vigenin (MP, Bulgaria), today welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan to release on probation Intigam Aliyev, a prominent human rights lawyer...

ASTANA, 29 March 2016 – A two-day training seminar organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in co-operation with the Financial Monitoring Committee (FMC) of Kazakhstan’s Finance Ministry began today in Astana with a focus on detecting terrorism financing through money transfer systems...

The SMM observed an increase in ceasefire violations around Donetsk city and in the Yasynuvata-Avdiivka area compared with 25 March. The situation in Luhansk region remained calm with no ceasefire violations recorded. The Mission observed the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance, and the marking off of mined areas in the security zone. It reached three border crossing points not controlled by the Government. The SMM faced a number of restrictions of its freedom of movement on both sides of the contact line...

ALMATY, Kazakhstan, 28 March 2016 – A five-day OSCE-supported training seminar for Kazakhstan’s Border Guards on document integrity and advanced methods to detect document forgery as well as potential impostors began today in Almaty, Kazakhstan...

The SMM observed a significant decrease in ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous day, and several ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. It observed the presence of mines, marking off of mined areas and demining in the security zone. It reached border crossing points not controlled by the Government. The SMM faced a high number of restrictions of its freedom of movement, all in areas not controlled by the Government, including border areas...

The SMM continued to observe a tense situation around Donetsk city and Svitlodarsk, while the situation in Luhansk region remained stable. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure. It reached two border crossing points not controlled by the Government. The SMM faced restrictions of its freedom of movement in areas not controlled by the Government. Long queues of vehicles were observed at a checkpoint near the contact line. In Kyiv, the Mission monitored events related to the General Prosecutor’s Office...