News and press releases

PODGORICA, 8 May 2019 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Slovakia’s Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák, today in Podgorica, called Montenegro a success story for democratic transformation and Euro-Atlantic integration, and a role model for the region. “In the last two decades, Montenegro has made huge progress in consolidating peace and stability,” Lajčák said...

A three-day capacity-building course on preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization leading to terrorism (VERLT) took place in the town of Guliston from 2 to 4 May 2019. The training course served as the final phase of equipping public council members with relevant knowledge and skills to address and integrate aspects of preventing and countering VERLT into community policing efforts.

NUR-SULTAN, 8 May 2019 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened an election observation mission (EOM) for the 9 June early presidential election in Kazakhstan. The mission’s deployment follows an invitation from the country’s authorities.

• Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. • A man died after a metal object exploded in Velyka Novosilka. • The SMM saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. • It continued to monitor the situation of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints. • The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to civilian infrastructure and damaged houses. It also continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station and monitor the security situation around the pumping station near Vasylivka. • Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere. The SMM was also restricted at a checkpoint of the armed formations near Kozatske.*

VIENNA, 7 May 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, called on the authorities to reinstate access to numerous web resources, including online media, social platforms and Google services, in Tajikistan...

VIENNA, 7 May 2019 – Participants in a two-day Vienna-based conference entitled Commitment – Data – Action! underlined the importance of comparable data for improving policies and measures to prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG).

Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia and Luxembourg in their capacity as States parties to the Convention on Conciliation and Arbitration within the OSCE (Stockholm Convention), have appointed conciliators, arbitrators and alternates for new mandates of six years to the OSCE Court of Conciliation and Arbitration...

The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons increased at both BCPs compared to the previous week...

• Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 3 and 4 May, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. • Compared with the previous 24 hours, between the evenings of 4 and 5 May, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. • The SMM saw fresh damage from shelling to houses in Dokuchaievsk and Zolote-5/Mykhailivka. • Small-arms fire was directed at an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle near Zaitseve. • The SMM saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. • The Mission recorded small-arms fire and explosions inside the Zolote disengagement area. • The SMM saw

VIENNA, 6 May 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today called for an effective investigation into the attempted murder of journalist Vadim Komarov in Cherkasy, Ukraine...

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) presented a spot report on the implementation of the National War Crimes Processing Strategy and its 2018 draft revisions on 6 May 2019 at the Cantonal Court in Bihac...

SKOPJE, 6 May 2019 – The second round of North Macedonia’s presidential election was calm and well run. However, shortfalls in the legal framework continued to be a concern, international observers concluded in a preliminary statement published today...

LEINSWEILER, 6 May 2019 – Bringing together parliamentarians, scholars, OSCE officials, business leaders, and representatives of other regional organizations, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s fifth Leinsweiler seminar this weekend explored lessons learned from European history on the power of economics as an instrument of conflict prevention and rehabilitation – or as a source of conflict...

NUR-SULTAN, 6 May 2019 – On the occasion of the formal opening of the election observation mission deployed by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to observe the 9 June early presidential election in Kazakhstan, the mission will hold a press conference in Nur-Sultan on Wednesday...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM saw fresh small-arms fire damage to a residential house in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka. The SMM recorded an explosion inside the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to civilian infrastructure and damaged houses, as well as to enable demining activities at cemeteries in government-controlled areas of Luhansk region. It also continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station and monitor the security situation around the pumping station near Vasylivka. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to civilian infrastructure and damaged houses, as well as to enable demining activities at cemeteries in government-controlled areas of Luhansk region. It also continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station and monitor the security situation around the pumping station near Vasylivka. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also denied access at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka, a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region near the border with the Russian Federation.* In Odessa, the SMM monitored three gatherings to commemorate those who lost their lives during the events of 2 May 2014...

PODGORICA, 3 May 2019 – Celebrating World Press Freedom Day, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and its media programme partners gathered today in Podgorica to discuss the special role that quality journalism and fact checking can play when facing disinformation...

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe conducted a roundtable discussion on the issue of judicial independence for 30 lawyers, legal scholars, and former judges and prosecutors. The event was held on 30 April 2019 and organized in partnership with the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ).

BRATISLAVA, 3 May 2019 – On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, visited Bratislava to pay tribute to the investigative journalist, Ján Kuciak, and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová, who were killed in February 2018...

On 3 May 2019, journalists and media experts from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia and Afghanistan gathered to celebrate World Press Freedom Day in Dushanbe at the international conference Promoting Mass Media to the Sustainable Development of Peace and Democracy...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM saw a fresh crater on the side of a road near the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near government-controlled Bobrove and at the former Luhansk international airport about 10km south of non-government-controlled Luhansk city. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable demining activities near Zolote-4/Rodina, Zolote-3/Stakhanovets and Katerynivka, as well as continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station and monitor the security situation around the pumping station near Vasylivka. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also denied access at a checkpoint near non-government-controlled Pikuzy...

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe supported the Government of Tajikistan in launching Tajikistan’s Trade Portal on 26 April 2019 in Dushanbe, which helps to intensify and increase access to trade information and comply with the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement.

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. The SMM saw for the first time anti-tank mines near Prychepylivka, unexploded ordnance near Debaltseve and a mine hazard sign near Novoselivka. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure and facilitated the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also denied access at checkpoints near Novolaspa, Oleksandrivske and Novoazovsk in southern Donetsk region.

The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons increased at both BCPs compared to the previous week. Three vehicles of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations crossed into Ukraine on 26 April and returned to the Russian Federation the next day...

Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region. The SMM saw unexploded ordnance in Kadiivka and new mine hazard signs near Novoluhanske and Debaltseve. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure and facilitated the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted at a checkpoint of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Zolote-3/Stakhanovets and at checkpoints of the armed formations near Yasynuvata and Verkhnoshyrokivske...

An OSCE-supported workshop on human rights education and awareness-raising among students concluded in Nur-Sultan on 30 April 2019.

Strengthening co-operation between police and border guards in the identification and suppression of channels of illegal export, import and transit of victims of human trafficking was the focus of a two-day training seminar, which concluded on 30 April 2019 in Shymkent, Kazakhstan...

A series of training courses focused on best practices in responding to cases of domestic violence, organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, for deputy heads of the Interior Ministry of Tajikistan concluded on 26 April 2019 in Kulyab city of Khatlon region...

MINSK, 29 April 2019 – OSCE PA President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) met today with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko to emphasize the importance of close co-operation between Belarus and the PA, discuss efforts to put an end to the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine through the Minsk negotiating process, and address the status of democratic reforms.

Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 26 and 27 April, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. Compared with the previous 24 hours, between the evenings of 27 and 28 April, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. A 26-year-old man was injured by gunfire in Chermalyk. Small-arms fire was directed at SMM unmanned aerial vehicles on two occasions near Azov. The SMM saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations and saw fresh craters inside the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM saw fresh craters, mines and unexploded ordnance between Talakivka and Pikuzy. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted at a checkpoint of the armed formations near Bezimenne, at two heavy weapons holding areas in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region, as well as at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka, a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region close to the border with the Russian Federation.

The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek supported a training course entitled “Women, peace and security: trends and development perspectives”. The event was organized by the Kyrgyz Association of Women in the Security Sector (KAWSS).

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission continued to observe hardship faced by civilians at checkpoints along the contact line near the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure and damaged houses in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere. The SMM was also restricted in Shevchenko, at a checkpoint of the armed formations in Bezimenne and near Dovzhanske, a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region close to the border with the Russian Federation.

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. An SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle was lost in Donetsk region. The Mission observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas. The SMM again saw mines near Novoluhanske and a mine hazard sign for the first time near Petrivske. The Mission continued to observe hardships faced by civilians at checkpoints along the contact line. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted at a checkpoint of the armed formations in Zaichenko, as well as on roadways in Pervomaisk and near Korsun.

On 26 April at 06:45 (Moscow time), the observer team (OT) at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP) observed three vehicles with the inscription “Russian Emergency Situations Ministry” crossing the border from the Russian Federation to Ukraine.

Forty-eight officers of Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service and State Fiscal Service were trained to identify toxic chemicals and respond to emergency situations at border crossings in a series of two intensive four-day sessions in the Orshanets Training Center, the Cherkasy Region.

VIENNA, 26 April 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today called for the release of the former journalists of the newspaper Cumhuriyet, after they were returned to prison yesterday.

A five-day OSCE-supported train-the-trainer course on the detection of forged travel documents and identification techniques for 21 border service officers concluded in Almaty, Kazakhstan on 26 April 2019.

An OSCE-supported two-day roundtable discussion on the development of renewable energy sector in Turkmenistan took place in Ashgabat from 25 to 26 April 2019.

The first in a series of four OSCE-supported training seminars for representatives of the government, civil society and judiciary on human rights protection mechanisms concluded in Kazakhstan’s Zhambyl Region on 26 April 2019.

BRATISLAVA, 25 April 2018- It was with deep concern that the Slovak OSCE Chairmanship received the news about the decree signed by the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, on simplifying the procedure of granting Russian citizenship to Ukrainians residing in certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations and saw fresh craters near the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas. The Mission saw mines near Vesela Hora and Novoselivka, unexploded ordnance near Debaltseve and mine hazard signs near Novohryhorivka, Horlivka and Chermalyk, some for the first time. The Mission saw the body of a deceased man at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk and continued to observe hardships faced by civilians at checkpoints along the contact line. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted at checkpoints of the armed formations in Kreminets, as well as in southern Donetsk region near Verkhnoshyrokivske, Oleksandrivske, Novoazovsk and Zaichenko.

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe donated 25 computers and a printer to the Judicial Training Centre of Tajikistan’s Supreme Court to enhance the quality of training conducted for judges and prosecutors. The handover ceremony took place on 19 April 2019 in Dushanbe.

A study visit to Armenia for Tajik state officials was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe from 15 to 19 April 2019. The aim of the study visit was to provide the officials with the opportunity to learn about innovative strategies for economic growth.

MINSK, 24 April 2019 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG and its Working Groups in Minsk on 24 April 2019

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. The SMM saw fresh damage to a house in non-government-controlled Zolote-5/Mykhailivka and to two sheds in government-controlled Chermalyk. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM saw fresh craters and pieces of unexploded ordnance near Molodizhne. The Mission continued efforts to locate its long-range UAV that crashed near the contact line in Donetsk region on 19 April. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted near Zaichenko and near Verkhnoshyrokivske.

An OSCE-supported training seminar on the fundamentals of anti-corruption practices and international organizations’ rankings of Kazakhstan concluded on 22 April 2019 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro organized a training course to accredit Roma and Egyptian women activists as “confidential persons” who will serve as advocates for victims of domestic violence and early marriages. The three-day event was organized together with the Centre for Roma Initiative and concluded on 20 April 2019 in Podgorica.

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM saw fresh damage from shelling to residential houses in Donetsk city. The Mission observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Mission monitored the transfer of detainees not related to the conflict in Luhansk region. The SMM monitored the distribution of coal by an international humanitarian organization in Donetsk region. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted near Zaichenko, Bezimenne and Ozerianivka, as well as Izvaryne, near the border with the Russian Federation.

Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons increased at both BCPs compared to the previous week.

KYIV, 23 April 2019 – Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine Ertugrul Apakan today paid tribute to SMM medic Joseph Stone, who was tragically killed two years ago when an SMM armoured vehicle was struck by an explosion, most likely caused by an anti-tank mine in a non-government controlled area near Pryshyb in Luhansk region. “We will not forget our dear colleague Joseph Stone who lost his life in helping to bring about peace in eastern Ukraine,” he said.