News and press releases

BERLIN, 9 March 2016 – Gernot Erler, Special Representative of the German Government for the OSCE Chairmanship, expressed today great concern following reports concerning the health of Nadiya Savchenko, the Ukrainian pilot imprisoned in the Russian Federation.

The SMM observed an increase in ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous day. The situation remained stable in Luhansk. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. The SMM observed probable unexploded ordnance and explosive remnants of war. It continued to facilitate demining and repair work to essential infrastructure. The Mission reached border crossing points in areas not controlled by the Government in both Luhansk and Donetsk regions, as well as government-controlled border crossing points. The SMM encountered freedom-of-movement restrictions. It monitored demonstrations in support of Nadiya Savchenko in front of the Russian Embassy in Kyiv and the General Consulate in Lviv...

VIENNA, 9 March 2016 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, today presented a new guidebook outlining the major issues and developments on freedom of expression on the Internet in the OSCE region...

VIENNA, 9 March 2016 – Current security challenges in the OSCE area need to be tackled through a comprehensive dialogue process with all participating States demonstrating political will, said speakers at a joint meeting today of the Organization’s Forum for Security Co-operation, currently chaired by the Netherlands, and its Permanent Council chaired by Germany...

ASTANA, 9 March 2016 – An OSCE-supported national seminar on identification and profiling techniques for officers of Kazakhstan’s Border Service and Migration Police began today in Astana...

The SMM observed a decrease in ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared to the previous day. The situation remained stable in Luhansk. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. It did not observe any live-fire exercises. The Mission facilitated and monitored demining and repair work on both sides of the contact line, and observed the fencing off of a mined area. The SMM encountered freedom-of-movement restrictions in areas not controlled by the Government.* It reached border crossing points in areas not controlled by the Government in Donetsk region. The Mission engaged with women active in their communities throughout Ukraine on the occasion of International Women’s Day...

BERLIN/VIENNA, 8 March 2016 – OSCE Chairperson‑in‑Office, Federal Foreign Minister Frank‑Walter Steinmeier and OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier today condemned the horrific attack by violent extremist gunmen on military barracks in the Tunisian town of Ben Guerdane, bordering Libya...