News and press releases

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 slightly decreased at both BCPs...

BRUSSELS, 30 August 2016- Gernot Erler, Special Representative of the Federal Government of Germany for the OSCE Chairmanship, and Lamberto Zannier, Secretary General of the OSCE, today spoke about OSCE-EU co-operation during an address to the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs in Brussels...

In Donetsk region, the SMM noted a relative decrease in the number of explosions recorded (nearly 400) compared with 28 August (nearly 1,000). In Luhansk region, the SMM neither registered ceasefire violations during the night of 28 August nor the daytime of 29 August. It followed up on reports of civilian casualties and analysed craters in Petrovskyi district, Yasynuvata, Horlivka, and Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove). The SMM observed preparations for the start of the school year. The Mission visited two border areas not controlled by the Government. It faced four restrictions to its freedom of movement, all but one in areas not controlled by the Government.* The Mission observed a calm situation along the administrative boundary line with Crimea. The SMM monitored public gatherings in Kyiv...

TBILISI, 30 August 2016 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened an election observation mission for the 8 October parliamentary elections in Georgia. The mission’s deployment follows an official invitation from the Georgian authorities...

Enhancing the professional development of journalists, training young reporters, making greater use of multimedia, establishing commercial departments as part of editorial offices, and creating an alternative system of newspaper distribution were some of the recommendations presented by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan on 27 August 2016 in their survey on the impact of the financial crisis on the country’s independent media...

VIENNA, 29 August 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today called on Ukrainian authorities to carry out a thorough investigation into the death of journalist Alexander Shchetinin...

The SMM recorded more explosions in Donetsk region on both 27 and 28 August compared with the previous reporting period.