News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism invoked to look into alleged human rights violations in Russian Federation’s Chechen Republic
Publishing date: 2 November 2018
Sixteen OSCE participating States invoked the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism on 1 November 2018 to look into alleged human rights violations in the Chechen Republic, Russian Federation...
Special session of OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation marks 18th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, peace and security
Publishing date: 31 October 2018
VIENNA, 31 October 2018 – A special session of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation, held under the Forum’s Swedish Chair, today marked the 18th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security – a landmark document, speakers said, which stresses the importance of full and equal participation of women and men in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security...
Guidelines on legal personality of religious or belief communities focus of Madrid event co-organized by ODIHR
Publishing date: 31 October 2018
International standards in the area of legal recognition of religious or belief communities and progress towards their implementation in Spain were the focus of an event co-organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Madrid on 30 October 2018.
ODIHR seminar in Vienna focuses on election observation and election campaigns
Publishing date: 30 October 2018
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) hosted the fourth annual Electoral Seminar, with a focus on election observation, fundamental freedoms and election campaigns, on 30 October 2018 in Vienna. The event brought together more than 100 representatives of OSCE delegations, election management bodies, international organizations and citizen observer groups.
Polish torture prevention monitors trained by ODIHR and partners in monitoring and documenting use of weapons and restraints
Publishing date: 30 October 2018
Enhancing the independent monitoring and documenting of the use of weapons and restraints in law enforcement activities was the focus of a capacity-building event for Polish torture prevention monitors on 30 October 2018 in Warsaw. The event was organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic
Voters in Georgia’s presidential election had a genuine choice and candidates campaigned freely, but on an unlevel playing field, international observers say
Publishing date: 29 October 2018
TBILISI, 29 October 2018 – Georgia’s 28 October presidential election was competitive and professionally administered. Candidates were able to campaign freely and voters had a genuine choice, although there were instances of the misuse of state resources, and the involvement of senior state officials from the ruling party in campaigning was not always in line with the law, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today. A substantial imbalance in donations and excessively high spending limits further contributed to an unlevel playing field, the statement says...
OSCE/ODIHR Director condemns deadly attack on Pittsburgh synagogue, calls on all political leaders to speak out against anti-Semitism and all forms of intolerance and discrimination
Publishing date: 28 October 2018
WARSAW, 28 October 2018 – Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), today joined United States and international leaders in condemning Saturday’s attack on a Pittsburg synagogue and offering condolences to the families of 11 people killed in the shooting.