News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
Despite large number of candidates, Azerbaijan elections lacked genuine competition and choice, international observers say
Publishing date: 10 February 2020
BAKU, 10 February 2020 – The restrictive legislation and political environment prevented genuine competition in Azerbaijan’s early parliamentary elections, international observers said in a preliminary statement published today. Although some prospective candidates were denied the right to stand, candidate registration was otherwise inclusive. Despite the large number of candidates, voters were not provided with a meaningful choice, due to a lack of real political discussion, the statement says.
ODIHR Director expresses concern over amendments to legislation on ‘foreign agents’ in Russian Federation
Publishing date: 31 January 2020
WARSAW, 31 January 2020 – Following amendments to legislation on ‘foreign agents’ that places further restrictions on human rights organizations in the Russian Federation, Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), said...
Building tolerant and compassionate societies honours the dead and gives hope for the future, OSCE says on International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Publishing date: 27 January 2020
WARSAW, 27 January 2020 – As we mark 75 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, the OSCE calls for greater efforts to counter anti-Semitic prejudice and build tolerant societies free from hatred.
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.