News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
OSCE commits to new gender equality targets at Generation Equality Forum in Paris
Publishing date: 1 July 2021
PARIS, 1 July 2021 – The OSCE has pledged to improve gender equality by taking action on Gender Based Violence, Economic Justice and Rights and Technology & Innovation.
Holistic approach needed to eliminate torture, OSCE human rights head says
Publishing date: 25 June 2021
WARSAW, 25 June 2021 – OSCE countries need to honour their recent commitment to uphold the absolute prohibition of torture after acknowledging the practice to be “one of the most flagrant violations of human rights and human dignity”, said the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on the occasion of tomorrow’s International Day in Support of Victims of Torture...
Armenia’s early parliamentary elections were competitive and well run, but polarized and marred by aggressive rhetoric, international observers say
Publishing date: 21 June 2021
YEREVAN, 21 June 2021 –Armenia’s early parliamentary elections were competitive and well-managed within a short time frame. However, they were characterized by intense polarization and marred by increasingly inflammatory language from key contestants, as well as by the sidelining of women throughout the campaign, international observers said in a statement today...
Candidates in Mongolia’s presidential election could campaign freely, but eligibility and media rules remain excessively restrictive, international observers say
Publishing date: 10 June 2021
ULAANBAATAR, 10 June 2021 – Mongolia’s presidential election was well run in difficult circumstances and candidates were able to reach out freely to voters, but overly restrictive candidate eligibility and the blurred line between journalism and political advertising as well as the absence of public debate limited the range of choices and information for voters, international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in a statement today...
ODIHR opens election observation mission in Bulgaria
Publishing date: 9 June 2021
SOFIA, 9 June 2021 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an election observation mission (EOM) for the 11 July early parliamentary elections, following an invitation from the country’s authorities...
Portugal presidential election 2021: OSCE/ ODIHR election expert team final report
Publishing date: 7 June 2021
The presidential election held in Portugal on 24 January 2021 was organized efficiently despite challenges and new provisions introduced amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but areas such as campaign financing and media regulations would benefit from further revision. These are some of the main conclusions
Televised “confessions” further example of widespread rights violations in Belarus, OSCE human rights head says
Publishing date: 4 June 2021
WARSAW, 4 June 2021 — The televised “confessions” of independent journalist Raman Pratasevich and Sofia Sapega, his partner, raise further concerns regarding the Belarus authorities’ failure to meet obligations to respect the right to a fair trial and the absolute prohibition of torture in the wave of arrests since last August’s presidential election, says the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).