News and press releases

VIENNA, 27 June 2014 – Representatives of Ukrainian and Russian journalists’ unions agreed to co-operate on steps to increase journalists’ safety and professionalism as they met again today in Vienna. The meeting was hosted by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media with the purpose to forge a plan to improve the situation for media working in and around Ukraine...

Kyiv, June 27, 2014- The four members of the Donetsk-based monitoring team of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMMU) that went missing since late May were released late yesterday after 32 days in captivity.

The situation across the country was calm. Four SMM monitors from the Donetsk team have been missing for 30 days and four SMM monitors from the Luhansk team for 27 days.

30- this is the number of days civilian, international monitors of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine have been held captive in eastern Ukraine. Although four members of the Donetsk-based team were freed on 26 June, four members of the Luhansk-based monitoring team are still being held. 30- this is the number of days their families, friends and colleagues are waiting for them. We call for their immediate and unconditional release. For updates follow us on Facebook- facebook.com/oscesmmu and Twitter- twitter.com/OSCE_SMM

VIENNA, 24 June 2014 – Strengthening the OSCE’s role in existing conflicts – particularly Ukraine – tops the agenda at the Organization’s annual security review conference starting in Vienna today, with discussions also covering military stability and transparency, transnational threats and Afghanistan...

The situation across the country was calm, except parts of Donbas where tensions remained. Donetsk city remains outwardly calm, with no substantive change to the security situation. In a significant and positive development, the SMM has made contact with both the Donetsk team and the Luhansk team, which have been missing since 26 May and 29 May respectively.

VIENNA, 19 June 2014 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today told participating States that events in Ukraine pose a great threat to media freedom and free expression across the OSCE region...