News and press releases

WARSAW, 8 April 2025 – Support and understanding of the importance of civil society to protect and promote the rights of Roma and Sinti are crucial as the OSCE area continues to witness shrinking space and a significant reduction in funding opportunities for human rights and watchdog organizations focusing on the human rights situation of Roma and Sinti in the region, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said on today’s International Roma Day.

WARSAW, 2 April 2025 – Georgia’s new law ‘On the Foreign Agents Registration Act’, requiring all individuals or organisations considered to act in the interest of a foreign entity to register as foreign agents, due for example to foreign funding, and imposing sanctions for lack of compliance, adds to concerns over other legislation adopted recently and the law’s negative impact on civil society, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said today.

TIRANA, 2 April 2025- The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an election observation mission for the 11 May parliamentary elections in Albania, following an official invitation from the national authorities.

The need to prioritize the welfare, wellbeing and empowerment of young survivors of human trafficking was the focus of discussions at an event organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and led by International Survivors of Trafficking Advisory Council (ISTAC) on the margins of the 25th Conference of the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons.

BUCHAREST, 25 March 2025 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an election observation mission for the 4 May repeat presidential election in Romania, following an official invitation from the national authorities.

Both rounds of the presidential election as well as the constitutional referendum were well managed, and contestants campaigned freely despite concerns over illicit foreign interference and active disinformation efforts. The election administration worked professionally and demonstrated impartiality in its decision-making. Voters were offered a variety of political alternatives among presidential candidates, who were registered in an inclusive process. However, the manner in which the presidential election and referendum campaigns were conducted simultaneously, and media coverage that favoured the incumbent, did not provide fully equal opportunities. The regulation of the short second-round period limited campaign opportunities and the effectiveness of legal remedies, while overly burdensome financial reporting requirements together with limited disclosure of actual donations and expenditures negatively impacted the transparency of campaign finances in the second round. 

VIENNA, 17 March 2025 – Independent media are essential in providing factual, unbiased reporting that counters propaganda, promotes informed public debate and ensures accountability, OSCE leaders said at the opening of a two-day conference to discuss the role of media in conflict and humanitarian crises against the background of international law today.