News and press releases

COPENHAGEN, 18 December 2016 – Members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Ad Hoc Committee on Migration today marked International Migrants Day with a call for European and global leaders to adopt a coherent, co-ordinated response to migration based on the principles of human rights and international co-operation that are at the heart of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s comprehensive approach to security...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more ceasefire violations in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Marinka, and observed damage to a civilian house in Dokuchaievsk. The SMM was restricted in its movement in the three disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and recorded ceasefire violations in or around two of them.* The SMM monitored repairs to essential infrastructure in Artema and Zolote. The Mission monitored three border crossing points currently not under government control.

The Mediation Support Team of the Conflict Prevention Centre’s Operations Service and the German Chairmanship launched a study on the OSCE’s support to insider mediation on Friday 16 December in Vienna. Conducted by the German Berghof Foundation, the study examines past, present and possible activities with insider mediators for the OSCE, in particular looking at cases from Ukraine, Kosovo and Kyrgyzstan. It provides recommendations for the OSCE and its field operations on how to make use of insider capacities in conflict prevention and resolution.

The SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer ceasefire violations in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM continued to follow up on reports of civilian casualties near Maiorsk. The Mission continued to monitor the three disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske but its access was still restricted.* The Mission verified withdrawal of some weapons and observed others in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission monitored developments at one border crossing point currently not under government control and observed the arrival of a new Russian Federation contingent to the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination at a border crossing point controlled by the Government. A protest in Kyiv took place peacefully...

OSCE participating States should protect and facilitate peaceful assemblies, therefore they are responsible to put in place mechanisms and procedures that ensure that this freedom is enjoyed in practice and is not subject to undue restrictions, says a report  released by the OSCE Office for

WARSAW, 16 December 2016- Protection of the rights of migrants and their integration remains a challenge that OSCE participating States must face with co-ordination and commitment to humane treatment, Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), said today, ahead of International Migrants Day on Sunday...

Elections experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) met with electoral stakeholders in Ulaanbaatar on 13 and 14 December 2016 to present recommendations from the final report  on the 29 June parliamentary elections in Mongolia. The report’s findings and