News and press releases

VIENNA, 4 June 2017 – The targeting of innocent civilians in indiscriminate acts of violence is unacceptable and never justified, said OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Austria’s Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz and OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier today following the terrorist attacks in London. They offered their condolences to the families of victims and wished a quick recovery to the injured...

This report is for the media and the general public. The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period, following a renewed commitment to ceasefire for 24 hours from midnight on 1 June. The Mission observed multiple impact

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period, following a renewed commitment to ceasefire for 24 hours to mark the “International Day for Protection of Children”. The Mission followed up on allegations of civilian casualties in Avdiivka. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The Mission heard three bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire near Stanytsia Luhanska. The SMM saw for the first time a mine hazard sign near Teplychne. The Mission facilitated and monitored water drilling in Stanytsia Luhanska. The SMM monitored public gatherings in Kyiv and Lviv and a small protest in Kharkiv...

Representatives of National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs) from OSCE participating States and Council of Europe member States discussed a draft compilation of European rules related to the administrative detention of migrants at a consultative meeting organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic

COPENHAGEN, 2 June 2017 – Nilza Sena, Portuguese Member of Parliament and Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s economic and environmental committee, responded with deep disappointment following the announcement of the U.S. President Thursday to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement, adopted by consensus on 12 December 2015. The formal withdrawal is expected to go into effect in November 2020...

Representatives of national human rights institutions (NHRIs) from 27 OSCE participating States attended the 2017 NHRI Academy, organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI) from 29 May to 2 June 2017 in Poznan, Poland.

Twenty Kyrgyz Border Service Officers improved their skills in map reading, pathfinding and providing first aid in the field during a course held from 8 May to 2 June 2017 at the Gissar Training Centre in Tajikistan, as part of the third phase of the OSCE’s Patrol Programming and Leadership Project...