News and press releases

WARSAW, 16 February 2024 – The reported death of Alexei Navalny while serving a lengthy prison sentence is a tragedy that follows years of unjust imprisonment and the denial of his rights, including to a fair trial, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said today.

BAKU, 8 February 2024 – This was the first election to be held throughout the internationally recognized territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, an issue that dominated the campaign and was echoed in public sentiment. While preparations for the election were efficient and professional, it lacked genuine pluralism and critical voices were continuously stifled. Longstanding restrictions on freedoms of association and expression were reinforced by recent legal amendments and resulted in legislation not in line with international democratic standards, international observers said in a statement today.

WARSAW/VIENNA, 7 February 2024 – The decision of Kyrgyzstan’s parliament, the Jogorku Kenesh, to proceed towards the adoption of the so-called “foreign representatives” bill is of great concern, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Matteo Mecacci and OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) Teresa Ribeiro said today.

WARSAW/COPENHAGEN, 29 January 2024 – The decision of the Russian Federation not to invite OSCE observers to the upcoming presidential election is deeply regrettable, leaders of the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) said today.

VALLETTA/WARSAW/WASHINGTON, 27 January 2024 – On today’s International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the OSCE honours the victims of Nazi persecution, reflecting on the painful lessons from one of the darkest chapters of human history and seeking to learn from them, both for the present and future. The immense suffering and anguish endured by six million Jews, as well as millions of other innocent people, cannot be overstated or much worse forgotten.

WARSAW, 23 January 2024 – The initiative of the Albanian authorities to resume the country’s electoral reform ahead of the 2025 parliamentary elections is an important and positive development in a process that has already served as an example of good practice for the region and beyond, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said today.

Following the 2023 constitutional referendum and early presidential election in Uzbekistan, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has published final reports with recommendations to assist the country in bringing its electoral process closer in line with international