News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
ODIHR visits Ukraine to discuss electoral recommendations
Publishing date: 24 January 2020
Experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) presented the final reports and recommendations of the observation missions to the 2019 presidential and early parliamentary elections in Ukraine during a visit to Kyiv from 21 to 24 January 2020.
Full engagement of women, national minorities and persons with disabilities crucial to ensure democratic elections, say participants of OSCE conference in Tirana
Publishing date: 21 January 2020
Increasing the participation of women, national minorities and persons with disabilities at all stages of the electoral process is the focus of a conference taking place in Tirana on 21 and 22 January 2020. Key topics addressed are challenges and obstacles to the inclusion of these groups in
Disregard for human rights makes poor counter-terrorism policy, OSCE human rights head says
Publishing date: 11 January 2020
WARSAW, 11 January 2020 – Eighteen years after the opening of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) once more repeats its call for the closure of the camp and full compliance with international human rights standards, which are essential in order to counter terrorism effectively and sustainably.
Political wrangling compromises the independence of appointments to Georgia’s highest court, ODIHR report finds
Publishing date: 9 January 2020
WARSAW, 9 January 2020 – While legal reforms regulating the appointment of Supreme Court judges in Georgia are an important step toward improving the independence of the judiciary, they fail to ensure an impartial process based on clearly defined and objective criteria without the influence of partisan politics, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in its second monitoring report, published today.
ODIHR opens election observation mission in Azerbaijan
Publishing date: 7 January 2020
BAKU, 7 January 2020 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened its election observation mission (EOM) for the 9 February early parliamentary elections in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The mission’s deployment follows an official invitation from the Azerbaijani authorities...
Important progress in election legislation could not offset lack of real contest in Uzbekistan’s parliamentary elections, international observers say
Publishing date: 23 December 2019
TASHKENT, 23 December 2019 – Improvements to Uzbekistan’s election law and greater acceptance of freedom of expression are to be welcomed, but did not offset the absence of opposition parties, a continuing lack of respect for fundamental rights, and some serious irregularities on election day, international observers to the parliamentary elections said in a preliminary statement published today...
OSCE/ODIHR experts present final report on Moldova’s 2019 parliamentary elections in Chisinau
Publishing date: 20 December 2019
Elections experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) met with electoral stakeholders in Chisinau on 19 and 20 December 2019 to present the ODIHR final report on 2019 parliamentary elections in Moldova. The report’s findings and recommendations were presented