Newsroom
News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
OSCE PA human rights leaders urge U.S. government to reconsider decision to resume federal executions
Publishing date: 9 July 2020
COPENHAGEN, 9 July 2020 – Responding to reports that executions are set to resume on the federal level in the United States for the first time since 2003, the leaders of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s human rights committee renewed calls for universal abolition of the death penalty. Kyriakos Hadjiyianni (Cyprus), Michael Link (Germany), and Kari Henriksen (Norway), the Chair, Vice-Chair and Rapporteur, respectively, of the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions, regretted the decision and urged the U.S. government to reconsider.
PA Secretary General and Albanian Acting Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs discuss issues facing OSCE Chairmanship
Publishing date: 9 July 2020
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
COPENHAGEN, 8 July 2020 – OSCE matters ranging from the valuable work of the field operations and conflict resolution efforts to budgetary issues and political deadlock were in focus today during a bilateral meeting between OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Secretary General Roberto Montella and Albania’s Acting Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Gent Cakaj...
Heads of OSCE parliamentary delegations meet online for discussions on activities during COVID-19, organizational reform and geopolitical challenges
Publishing date: 7 July 2020
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
What we do: Conflict prevention and resolution
COPENHAGEN, 7 July 2020 – Some 40 members of parliament participated in a virtual meeting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Standing Committee today, hearing reports from the PA President, Treasurer, Secretary General, and holding debates on international issues in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Comprised of heads of national delegations and the elected members of the Bureau, the Standing Committee meets three times a year to guide the work of the Assembly and would have met in Vancouver this week had the 2020 Annual Session not been cancelled due to the pandemic...
In discussions with EU officials, OSCE parliamentarians focus on enhancing migration co-operation during pandemic
Publishing date: 7 July 2020
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
COPENHAGEN, 6 July 2020 – Meeting virtually with officials of the European Union, members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Ad Hoc Committee on Migration have focused in recent days on the situation of vulnerable migrants, new asylum procedures in Europe, and providing assistance to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 amongst migrant and refugee populations.
Taking stock of latest terrorism trends, joint OSCE PA-PAM-UNOCT event builds regional and international co-operation against violent extremism
Publishing date: 1 July 2020
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
What we do: Countering terrorism
COPENHAGEN/NAPLES/NEW YORK, 30 June 2020 – On the occasion of the International Day of Parliamentarism the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) co-organized an online event on the role of parliamentarians in countering terrorism in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of the event was to deepen co-operation in response to the ongoing threat posed by terrorism and violent extremism in the midst of the unprecedented crisis all nations face...
OSCE PA leadership meeting with Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and Liechtenstein provides forum to share common challenges related to COVID-19
Publishing date: 23 June 2020
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
COPENHAGEN, 23 June 2020 – In the latest of a series of informal web dialogues between OSCE PA leadership and national delegations, Assembly President George Tsereteli and Secretary General Roberto Montella met today with leaders from Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and Liechtenstein.
OSCE PA webinar explores challenges faced by minorities and vulnerable populations during COVID-19 pandemic
Publishing date: 23 June 2020
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
What we do: National minority issues
COPENHAGEN, 22 June 2020 – Noting that racism and discrimination against ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities have been on the rise during the COVID-19 crisis, participants at an OSCE Parliamentary Assembly webinar said today that public officials have a duty to speak out against intolerance and to work in favour of social cohesion. The pandemic and related measures, if not carefully managed, have the potential to fuel discrimination, threaten stability and undermine security, they emphasized...