News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
Assistance to refugees in danger is an obligation, not a crime, OSCE human rights head says
Publishing date: 20 June 2019
WARSAW, 20 June 2019- On World Refugee Day and amid ever more restrictive interpretations of international legal standards to protect people in search of international protection, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) calls on governments to do more to ensure the primacy of human rights for all those seeking safety in our countries, so far away from home...
OSCE/ODIHR opens election observation mission in Ukraine
Publishing date: 11 June 2019
KYIV, 11 June 2019 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened an election observation mission (EOM) for the 21 July early parliamentary elections in Ukraine. The mission’s deployment follows an invitation from the country’s authorities...
Potential for political reform left untapped in Kazakhstan’s early presidential election through lack of respect for fundamental freedoms and widespread voting irregularities, international observers say
Publishing date: 10 June 2019
NUR-SULTAN, 10 June 2019 – While there was potential for Kazakhstan’s early presidential election to become a force for political change, a lack of regard for fundamental rights, including detentions of peaceful protestors, and widespread voting irregularities on election day, showed scant respect for democratic standards, international observers concluded in a preliminary statement published today.
National human rights institutions vital to better promotion and protection of economic and social rights, say NHRI Academy participants
Publishing date: 7 June 2019
National human rights institutions (NHRIs) are uniquely placed to monitor the economic and social rights policies of their states and evaluate the allocation of resources to ensure effective protection of these rights, said participants in the annual NHRI Academy, which took place in Venice from 3 to 7 June 2019.
Fair trial rights in criminal justice topic of ODIHR event in Belarus
Publishing date: 6 June 2019
International rule of law standards related to the right to a fair trial in criminal proceedings was the topic of a training seminar organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) together with Belarusian judicial institutions on 6 June 2019 in Minsk.
Effective multilateralism crucial to fight torture and impunity, say participants at OSCE event in Vienna
Publishing date: 5 June 2019
Taking stock and identifying ways to make multilateral cooperation in the fight against torture more effective were the focus of the conference ‘Effective multilateralism in the fight against torture: Trends in the OSCE region and the way forward’ that took place on 5 June 2019 in Vienna.
Gender and right to freedom of movement focus of ODIHR expert meeting
Publishing date: 30 May 2019
Practitioners and experts from OSCE field operations, civil society and international organizations discussed gender-specific challenges to the enjoyment of the right to freedom of movement in the OSCE area during an expert meeting in Warsaw on 30 May 2019. The meeting was organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).