News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 13 September 2016
Publishing date: 14 September 2016
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...
Ukraine’s Constitutional Court abolishes regulations limiting religious assemblies following OSCE advice and assistance
Publishing date: 14 September 2016
KYIV, 14 September 2016- Legal provisions requiring prior permission from authorities for religious gatherings are not compliant with the country’s basic law, reads a decision of Ukraine’s Constitutional Court announced on Tuesday, 13 September 2016 in Kyiv...
Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30, 12 September 2016
Publishing date: 13 September 2016
The SMM recorded a decrease in ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with 11 September...
OSCE parliamentarians to observe Russian parliamentary elections
Publishing date: 13 September 2016
COPENHAGEN, 13 September 2016 – Former President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Ilkka Kanerva will lead the OSCE’s short-term observer mission to the 18 September vote in the Russian Federation. Kanerva, a member of parliament from Finland, was appointed Special Co-ordinator to lead the mission by OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in July...
Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30, 11 September 2016
Publishing date: 12 September 2016
The SMM recorded a sharp increase of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region on both 10 and 11 September, including 515 and 116 explosions respectively, compared with 36 explosions recorded in the previous period...
Belarus elections efficiently organized, long-standing systemic shortcomings remain, international observers say
Publishing date: 12 September 2016
MINSK, 12 September 2016 – The 11 September parliamentary elections were efficiently organized and there were visible efforts to address some long-standing issues, but a number of systemic shortcomings remain, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today. The legal framework restricts political rights and fundamental freedoms and was interpreted in an overly restrictive manner. Media coverage did not enable voters to make an informed choice and, despite an overall increase in the number of candidates, including a significant number from the opposition, the campaign lacked visibility, the statement says...
