News and press releases

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission confirmed reports of civilian casualties in Avdiivka and Staromykhailivka. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement areas, and an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle spotted tracks of an armoured combat vehicle and a crater in the Petrivske disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including in Popasna and Novoazovsk.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Shchastia, Bakhmut and Nikishyne. It facilitated and monitored mine and unexploded ordnance clearance, co-ordinated by the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination, along the M03 road between Svitlodarsk and Debaltseve, and observed clearance activities in Pryshyb, Nikishyne, and Pyshchevyk. The Mission continued to observe mines and unexploded ordnance, as well as mine hazard signs, on both sides of the contact line. The SMM facilitated repairs to four pieces of critical infrastructure in Luhansk region. It visited two border areas not under government control...

MINSK, 20 July 2017 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG and its working groups in Minsk on 19 July 2017:..

VIENNA, 20 July 2017 – The mandate of the OSCE Observer Mission at the Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk was extended by three months to 31 October 2017 following a consensus decision today by participating States at the OSCE Permanent Council...

VIENNA, 20 July 2017 – Recognizing that shared challenges require common solutions, Italy’s Chairmanship of the OSCE in 2018 will work to capture the ‘authentic spirit of Helsinki’ and encourage a sense of responsibility and solidarity on the part of each of the OSCE’s 57 participating States to address the multitude of security threats facing the region, Italy’s Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said today as he addressed the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on the upcoming Chairmanship’s priorities.

COPENHAGEN, 20 July 2017 – The three officers of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions – Chair Ignacio Sanchez Amor (Spain), Vice-Chair Ivana Dobesova (Czech Republic) and Rapporteur Kyriakos Kyriakou-Hadjiyianni (Cyprus) – today issued the following statement regarding the one-year anniversary of Turkey’s state of emergency...

Journalists from Turkmenistan’s media, judges from the supreme, city and district courts, lawyers from the bar association and participated in an OSCE-supported training course on the journalists’ rights and duties on 19-20 July 2017 in Ashgabat...

VIENNA, 20 July 2017 – On the first anniversary of the murder of journalist Pavel Sheremet in Ukraine, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today called on the national authorities in all OSCE participating States to do their utmost to end impunity for attacks and murders of journalists...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, however more explosions in Donetsk region, compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission confirmed a report of a civilian fatality from Staromykhailivka. It observed multiple impact sites in Zolote-4/Rodina. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement areas. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including in Shchastia where the SMM was again denied access and its unmanned aerial vehicle spotted anti-tank mines.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Berkhivka. The Mission continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Mykhailivka-Shchastia Thermal Power Plant high-voltage power lines near Berdianka. It also facilitated and monitored repair works to water pumps in Yashchykove and Krasnyi Lyman. The SMM visited two border areas not under government control in Uspenka and Marynivka. The Mission monitored an ongoing protest in Kherson...

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) co-organized an event on the development of globally applicable principles and recommendations for civil registration and identity management in Manila from 17 to 19 July 2017. At the technical seminar, organized in partnership

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine (PCU) handed over around 200 ICT items, including notebooks, desktop computers, monitors, printers, network switches and routers, to the cyber police department on 19 July 2017 in Kyiv, as part of its project to support the Ukrainian police in improving its response to emerging cyber threats as part of the country-wide police reform...

The importance of combating anti-Semitism through education in Moldova was the focus of a roundtable discussion organized by the OSCE Mission to Moldova and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Chisinau on 18 July 2017. The event brought together some 20 Moldovan

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...

"I am concerned about the provocative rhetoric we heard from Donetsk", said OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz in reaction to today’s “declaration” of the so-called "Donetsk People's Republic" calling for the creation of a new entity ("Malorossiya") on the sovereign territory of Ukraine.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Hnutove and Marinka. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including in Novoazovsk, Bakhmut, Sentianivka and Debaltseve.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. An SMM unmanned aerial vehicle spotted, for the first time, the presence of 43 anti-tank mines near Shchastia, about 30 anti-tank mines near Nyzhnie Lozove and about ten anti-tank mines near Svitlodarsk. The Mission continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Mykhailivka-Shchastia Thermal Power Plant high-voltage power lines near Berdianka. It also facilitated and monitored repair works to the power line between Zolote-4 and Zolote-5. The SMM visited one border area under government control in Luhansk region. The Mission monitored a strike at a coal mine in Pryvillia. In Odessa city the SMM followed up on reports of an explosion at an apartment building...

VIENNA, 18 July 2017 – Following the expiration of a five-day silence procedure and in accordance with the proposal submitted by the Permanent Council, the OSCE Ministerial Council adopted today by consensus the decisions to appoint the following senior-level officials:

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 14 and 15 July compared with the previous 24 hours. Between the evenings of 15 and 16 July it recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, but fewer in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission monitored and facilitated the retrieval of civilian remains near Raivka, and followed up on a report of a death in Pokrovske. The SMM observed damage to residences from shelling in Zolote-4 and Donetsk city. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas; its access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The SMM continued to observe the presence of mine hazard signs and unexploded ordnance on both sides of the contact line. It visited three border areas not under government control. In Lviv, the SMM followed up on reports of an incident at a monastery. The Mission monitored a peaceful gathering in Dnipro...

On 13 and 14 July 2017, the OSCE Mission to Moldova organized a training event for 15 law students from Balti, Cahul and Chisinau to improve their skills in providing free legal aid in Moldova. The training focused on honing students’ ability to conduct public presentations that convey easily understood messages on what the legal aid system is and how individuals can use it to seek solutions to various existing legal problems...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas. The SMM camera recorded explosions inside Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including again in Siedove (twice) and at a permanent storage site.* The SMM observed a weapon in violation of withdrawal lines near Vrubivka. The Mission facilitated and monitored repairs to the Mykhailivka-Shchastia Thermal Power Plant high-voltage power lines near Berdianka. The SMM followed up on reports of a lack of electricity in non-government-controlled parts of Zolote. The Mission visited three border areas not under government control...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and a similar number of ceasefire violations, although more explosions, in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. In Holmivskyi the SMM heard small-arms fire near the area where it was flying an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas where its access remained restricted.* The SMM camera recorded explosions inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. An SMM UAV spotted a mortar within the respective withdrawal lines inside a residential area in Pikuzy. The SMM facilitated the recovery of the body of a dead civilian in the Trudovskyi area of Petrovskyi district in Donetsk city. It monitored repairs of a bridge near Yenakiieve and followed up on reports of a lack of electricity in parts of Zolote. The Mission visited a border area not under government control in Luhansk region. The SMM monitored protests in Kyiv, Kherson and Kharkiv...

ASTANA, 14 July 2017 – A three-day needs assessment mission to explore how the OSCE can support Kazakhstan in facilitating regional trade concluded today in Astana...

State officials from Turkmenistan gained expertise on protecting freedom of religion or belief while promoting security at a train-the-trainer course organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights(ODIHR) in Warsaw from 11 to 14 July 2017.  The main focuses of the training

The third Inter-University School on Human Rights welcomed 25 students from 13 universities and 10 countries of the OSCE region from 10 to 14 July 2017 in Chernihiv, Ukraine. The annual event serves as a platform for strengthening the capacity of future legal professionals in human rights protection...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, including a similar number of explosions, compared with the previous reporting period. It continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including in Siedove, and at a checkpoint in Novoazovsk near the border with the Russian Federation, where armed men stopped the SMM and asked all SMM members to step out of their vehicles.* The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians travelling across the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. It facilitated and monitored the completion of repair works to the Mykhailivka-Almazna high-voltage power lines near Pervomaisk, which supplies electricity to approximately 150,000 people. The SMM monitored three peaceful protests in Kyiv.

More international co-operation and a transparent and comprehensive approach are required to build on results achieved so far in managing stockpiles of conventional ammunition in a safe and secure way, said speakers at the meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation held under Russia’s Chairmanship on 12 July. The event focused on practices of managing stockpiles and destroying surpluses in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Russia and Switzerland...

Some 50 experts, including representatives of governments and international organizations, met to discuss effective practices and educational approaches to addressing anti-Semitism at an event organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and UNESCO on 13 July

The OSCE Gender Section organized two two-day training workshops for representatives of civil society groups in Armenia and Moldova on how to set up mentor networks on 30 June- 1 July2017 in Yerevan and on 10- 11 July 2017 in Chisinau. The mentor networks are a powerful tool for empowering women and removing socio-economic barriers to their full participation in public life...

DUSHANBE, 13 July 2017 – Twenty-two border and customs officers from Afghanistan and Tajikistan graduated from the Afghan Border Police Border Management Awareness Course today at the OSCE Border Management Staff College (BMSC) in Dushanbe...

A team of election experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) visited Washington D.C. from 10 to 12 July 2017 to present the final report of the ODIHR election observation mission for the 8 November 2016 United States general elections.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. At a government checkpoint near Novotoshkivske, the Mission observed a bullet hole in a Ukrainian Armed Forces vehicle that may have been caused by gunfire shortly beforehand. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Donetsk and Luhansk cities and observed damage from shelling in Zolote-4. It continued monitoring the disengagement areas; the Mission’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including Mineralne.* The SMM recorded ceasefire violations in the Zolote disengagement area. It continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Mykhailivka-Almazna high-voltage power lines near Pervomaisk. The SMM visited two border areas not under government control in Donetsk region. In Kyiv the Mission followed up on reports of an incident at a café and monitored four protests...

VIENNA, 12 July 2017 – The OSCE Permanent Council, in a special meeting today in Vienna, formally submitted the names of officials to fill four senior-level positions in the Organization to the foreign ministers of the 57 participating States for their confirmation...

ASTANA, 12 July 2017 – An OSCE-supported international forum on the Green Bridge Partnership Programme (GBPP), a platform for promoting best practices and innovations for a green economy, started today in Astana...

The OSCE Mission to Moldova is supporting the production of a social theatre play that aims to raise awareness of the increasing risk of online child sexual exploitation. The opening performances of the play, produced by the Art Centre Coliseum, took place on 11 and 12 July 2017 in Chisinau. More than 120 adults and young people aged over 16 years attended...

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...

BRUSSELS, 12 July 2017- The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassador Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Ambassador Stephane Visconti of France, and Ambassador Richard Hoagland of the United States of America) met on 11 July with the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov and the Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian to discuss modalities of further work on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, also participated in the meeting...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and a significant increase in ceasefire violations in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Zaitseve and observed a fresh impact site in residential areas of Zolote-5. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas and observed a calm situation. The Mission’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including to Nova Marivka.* It continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Mykhailivka-Almazna high-voltage power lines near Pervomaisk. The SMM visited one border area not under government control in Donetsk region. In Kyiv the Mission monitored a march by 200-250 participants...

ASTANA, 11 July 2017 – A two-day anti-corruption needs assessment mission conducted by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana concludes today. The mission was held in the framework of a regional OSCE extra-budgetary project aimed at strengthening anti-corruption efforts in Central Asia...

MAUERBACH, Austria, 11 July 2017 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Christine Muttonen (MP, Austria) addressed today the OSCE Informal Ministerial Meeting being held in Mauerbach, Austria, under the theme “Building Trust through Dialogue and Co-operation.”...

MAUERBACH, Austria, 11 July 2017 – Dialogue, co-operation and compromise are crucial to addressing the security challenges facing Europe, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said today at an informal meeting of the foreign ministers of the OSCE’s participating States in Mauerbach, on the outskirts of Vienna...

Election experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) met with the election administration in Dushanbe on 11 July 2017 to present findings and recommendations from the ODIHR  final report  on the 1 March 2015 parliamentary elections in Tajikistan. Selected

On July 6, 2017 the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek handed over specialized explosive ordnance disposal equipment to staff of the Kyrgyz Republic State Committee for National Security. This special equipment consisting of bomb suits, helmets and specialized tools will enhance the technical capacities, operational flexibility and security of the State Committee explosive ordnance disposal experts...

Ergneti, 11 July 2017- The 79th meeting under the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) was held in Ergneti. The meeting took place in a productive and forthcoming atmosphere.

Six young photographers from participating members of the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), presented their work at the exhibition “View on My Neighbour” which was launched on 28 June 2017 in Podgorica...

Between the evenings of 7 and 8 July the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, and no explosions in Luhansk region. Between the evenings of 8 and 9 July the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including no explosions in Luhansk region, though more explosions in Donetsk region, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM assessed a fresh impact site in Pisky. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area and saw a white signal flare fired south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. The SMM’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including to a heavy weapons holding area. The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Novookhtyrka. It visited two border areas not controlled by the Government in Luhansk region...

KYIV, 10 July 2017 – OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Madina Jarbussynova, on 7 July concluded an official visit to Ukraine aimed at raising awareness of human trafficking and the risks encountered by vulnerable groups as a consequence of the ongoing crisis...

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) final report  on Armenia’s 2 April 2017 parliamentary elections noted that fundamental freedoms were generally respected and candidates were able to campaign without restrictions. Noting an overall lack of public trust in the

COPENHAGEN, 10 July 2017 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Christine Muttonen (Austria) made a number of appointments today to fill key roles in advancing the Assembly’s work on counter-terrorism, migration and Mediterranean issues...

VIENNA, 10 July 2017 – Some 150 representatives of OSCE participating States and OSCE Partners for Co-operation, including government authorities and experts from drug-related agencies, as well as international, regional and civil society organizations and the private sector, met today in Vienna for the start of a two-day conference to discuss the links between illicit drugs, organized crime and terrorism...

MINSK, 9 July 2017 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly adopted the 2017 Minsk Declaration today with recommendations to national governments, parliaments and the international community to help shape policies in the fields of political affairs, security, economics, environment, and human rights. More than 260 parliamentarians from 55 OSCE countries and several Partners for Co-operation participated in the five-day Annual Session in Minsk held under the theme “Enhancing mutual trust and co-operation for peace and prosperity in the OSCE region”...

MINSK, 9 July 2017 – Austrian parliamentarian Christine Muttonen was elected to a second term as President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly today at the OSCE PA’s Annual Session in Minsk. Upon her re-election, the President thanked the Assembly for its support and pledged to continue the work that she has pursued since being elected in Tbilisi last year...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including fewer explosions, in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period. In Luhansk city the SMM heard two explosions. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas. The SMM’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including in Olenivka and twice near Kreminets where, on one occasion, an armed man pointed a rifle at the SMM and demanded it to wait.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Zaichenko. The SMM visited three border areas not controlled by the Government in Donetsk region...