News and press releases

WARSAW, 16 November 2016 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on today’s International Day for Tolerance released its hate crime data for 2015 on its dedicated website.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, most of which were concentrated in the Avdiivka-Yasynuvata Donetsk airport area and areas north-east and east of Mariupol. In Luhansk region, the SMM did not record any ceasefire violations. The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote, and Petrivske and faced restrictions of its freedom of movement in all three areas.*. The Mission observed long queues at the entry-exit checkpoints near Stanytsia Luhanska during the morning hours. In Kyiv, the Mission observed peaceful public gatherings around the National Bank of Ukraine and the Parliament with a total of some 5,000 people attending, overseen by some 2,000 law enforcement officers...

SARAJEVO, 16 November 2016 – The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina today supported the municipalities of Jajce and Jezero in organizing a roundtable discussion and opening of the hiking trail “Otomalj” in Jajce, as part of its activities to mark the International Day of Tolerance. The Mission also hailed the intention of the dedicated citizens in Jajce to form an additional Coalition against Hate, building on the success of other coalitions throughout BiH...

ASTANA, 16 November 2016 – A three-day OSCE regional workshop for 40 military and civilian experts focusing on challenges related to reducing and responding to explosive hazards, and developing the capacities of personnel working in this area, started today in Astana...

PARIS, 16 November 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today urged members of the parliament in the Czech Republic to abolish an amendment making defamation of the country’s president a criminal offence...

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...

The First Regional Forum of South-Eastern European Equality Bodies’ was organized in Belgrade on 16 November 2016 to mark the International Tolerance Day...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with 13 November. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations compared with 13 November. The Mission followed up on reports of shelling and civilian casualties on both sides of the contact line. The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote, and Petrivske and faced restrictions of its freedom of movement in all three areas. The SMM’s freedom of movement was further restricted on two occasions in “DPR”-controlled areas north-east of Mariupol and once at a Ukrainian Armed Forces compound.* The SMM observed weapons regulated by the Memorandum in violation of the withdrawal lines in Serednoteple and Trokhizbenka. The Mission observed long queues at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line near Stanytsia Luhanska and Horlivka. In Luhansk region the SMM visited two border areas currently not under government control. In Kyiv, the Mission observed a public gathering outside the National Bank of Ukraine...

The last in a series of three OSCE-supported regional roundtable discussions on promoting green technologies with a focus on organic agriculture concluded on 15 November 2016 in Kokshetau, Kazakhstan...

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro, in co-operation with the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro, supported a three-day workshop aimed at enhancing the capacities of the Network of Municipal Project Co-ordinators, from 9 to 11 November 2016, in Herceg Novi...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations on both 12 and 13 November in Donetsk region compared with 11 November. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations on 12 November and fewer violations on 13 November, as compared with 11 November. The Mission followed up on reports of shelling as well as civilian and non-civilian casualties on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to monitor the disengagement process in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote, and Petrivske, and faced restriction of its freedom of movement in all three areas.* The SMM observed long queues at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line and shelling in the vicinity of civilian crossing areas. The SMM observed the presence of mines in populated areas. In Luhansk region the Mission visited two border areas currently not under government control...

ASTANA, 14 November 2016- An OSCE-supported four-day training seminar, which aims at improving the interaction between law-enforcement agencies and the media, began today in Astana...

BELGRADE, 14 November 2016 – The OSCE Mission to Serbia supported an international conference today in Belgrade to promote the Regional Serious and Organized Crime Threat Assessment (SOCTA), which was developed jointly by the Interior Ministries of Serbia, Montenegro and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia...

CHISINAU, 14 November 2016 – The second round of the presidential election in Moldova was competitive, with respect for fundamental freedoms. The campaign, featuring televised debates, allowed the two candidates to address voters directly. However, increasingly polarized media coverage, harsh and intolerant rhetoric and continued instances of abuse of administrative resources detracted from the process. Complaints, mostly related to campaign finance, were not resolved in a timely and consistent manner, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today...

VICENZA, Italy, 14 November 2016 – Over 50 professionals from law enforcement, labour inspectorates, financial investigative units, prosecutorial offices, NGOs and social services from 31 states and Partners for Co-operation are participating in the first OSCE live simulation to combat trafficking along migration routes, which kicks off today at the Centre of Excellence for Stability Police Units (CoESPU) in Vicenza, Italy.

Some 40 representatives of the Kyrgyz Interior Ministry’s Juvenile Delinquency Inspectorate and the 10th Main Directorate of the Ministry on countering violent extremism participated in an OSCE-supported seminar on preventing violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (VERLT) among youth, on 10-12 November 2016 in Bulan-Sogottu village, Issyk-Kul province.

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana supported a training seminar on addressing domestic violence for 35 chairpersons of regional courts in Astana, Kazakhstan on 14 November 2016...

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana and the European Union’s Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA) organized a study tour to Riga, Latvia from 8 to 11 November 2016 for four officials from the Internal Affairs Ministry and National Security Committee on irregular migration management and readmission procedures...

NEW YORK, 14 November 2016 – In a visit to United Nations headquarters in New York on Thursday and Friday, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Christine Muttonen (MP, Austria) highlighted the Assembly’s activities in a range of areas, including election observation, migration, gender, parliamentary diplomacy, mediation, and conflict prevention and resolution.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and an increase in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports of shelling in Marinka and of a civilian casualty in Verkhnotoretske. The Mission continued to monitor the disengagement process in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote, and Petrivske, and faced restriction of its freedom of movement in all three areas.* The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. In Donetsk region, the Mission visited three border areas currently not under government control. The SMM monitored a public gathering in Kyiv...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period; however, the overall level of explosions remained high with over 800 and 200 in both regions, respectively. The Mission followed up on reports of damage from shelling in a residential area of government-controlled Troitske and an industrial area of “LPR”-controlled Almazna. The Mission continued to monitor the disengagement process in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote, and Petrivske, and faced restriction of its freedom of movement in all three areas.* At the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the SMM followed up on reports of gunfire forcing civilians to take cover. A soldier handled a grenade without the safety pin in the presence of the SMM in Stanytsia Luhanska. The SMM monitored the withdrawal of heavy weapons. In Luhansk region, the Mission visited one border area currently not under government control...

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo launched an information campaign on 11 November 2016 to promote the package of laws on human rights...

BERLIN, 11 November 2016- As the final event in a series of outreach activities to young people across the OSCE region in 2016, Germany’s OSCE Chairmanship, in co-operation with the Schwarzkopf Foundation Young Europe, held a two-day youth conference in Berlin on 10 and 11 November. Thirty participants between the ages of 16 and 25 years from OSCE participating States gathered in the Federal Foreign Office to debate different notions of security in the OSCE region from a youth perspective...

Experts on political party regulation from the OSCE region, including the Core Group of Experts on Political Parties of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), met in Warsaw on 10 and 11 November 2016 to examine how new technologies affect the functioning of political

ASTANA, 11 November 2016- An OSCE-supported roundtable discussion on addressing sexual harassment in the workplace took place today for some 40 members of Parliament, high-level government officials and civil society representatives in Astana, Kazakhstan. It was aimed at supporting the host country in implementing the OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality...

WARSAW, 11 November 2016 – Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), today called on the European Union and Greek authorities to act urgently to provide adequate shelter and living conditions for the estimated 50,000 migrants, asylum seekers and refugees now staying in Greece...

KYIV, 10 November 2016- Following a recent sharp increase in fighting in eastern Ukraine, Ertugrul Apakan, Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), called on the sides to exercise maximum restraint and establish a full and sustainable ceasefire...

At 10:10 on 9 November, having crossed into non-government controlled areas, an SMM patrol (of six members in two vehicles) at the entry-exit checkpoint south-east of “DPR”-controlled Verkhnioshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, 85km south of Donetsk), heard five outgoing explosions followed by five impacts; two-three impacts were seen about 100 metres south-south-east. Then, the SMM heard and saw a further three to five impacts, some about 50 metres south-east of its position. The SMM could not determine the weapons used...

VIENNA, 10 November 2016 – Addressing the 57 OSCE participating States and the OSCE Partners for Co-operation in the Permanent Council in Vienna today, Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Cooperation of Afghanistan Adela Raz underlined the importance to her country of its partnership with the OSCE...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Toretsk, Marinka and Zoria. It observed damage caused by shelling in Marinka, Irmino, and Novotoshkivske. In Verkhnoshyrokivske shelling occurred near the SMM. The Mission continued to monitor the disengagement process in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and faced restriction of its freedom of movement in all three areas.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure co-ordinated by the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination. In Luhansk region, the Mission visited two border areas currently not under government control and one border area under government control...

VIENNA, 10 November 2016 – Promoting greater attention to the positive potential of national minorities for societies and states was a core theme of speakers at the opening of a two-day OSCE Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting (SHDM) held in Vienna today, entitled “National Minorities, Bridge Building and Integration"...

The OSCE Mission to Moldova on 8 November 2016 organized its first forum for non-governmental organizations from Gagauz Autonomy and the district of Taraclia, and international donors, providing a platform for 52 participants to foster partnerships between NGOs outside the capital and international agencies and embassies based in Chisinau...

MINSK, 9 November – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) Martin Sajdik made the following press statement after the meeting of the TCG and its four Working Groups in Minsk on 9 November 2016: “Last time we met in Minsk was on 26 October 2016. On 29 October, the TCG convened via video conferencing and this was also attended by representatives from certain areas of Luhansk and Donetsk regions and representatives of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (SMM) and the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC).

The OSCE Presence in Albania concluded a series of training seminars for administrative justice stakeholders on 9 November 2016. These activities were organized in co-operation with the School of Magistrates and Albanian School of Public Administration (ASPA), with the capacity building aim to strengthen the administrative justice sector...

The SMM recorded a higher number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period...

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is organizing a series of training courses for graduate lawyers from northern Kosovo to help them prepare for the bar exam given by the Ministry of Justice...

VIENNA, 9 November 2016 –The Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Lamberto Zannier today congratulated Donald Trump on winning the Presidency of the United States of America...

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 decreased at both BCPs...

Civil society activists and officials from Ukraine discussed how to improve the functioning of the National Preventive Mechanisms, a tool to ensure monitoring of places of detention and to prevent the abuse of human rights there, at the 6th East European National Prevention Mechanisms Conference from 8 to 9 November 2016 in Lviv...

ASTANA, 9 November 2016 – An OSCE-supported two-day workshop on fighting illicit small arms and light weapons (SALW) began today in Astana, Kazakhstan...

An OSCE-supported training seminar on energy efficiency and energy saving for some 70 secondary school teachers took place on 4 November 2016 in Uralsk, Kazakhstan...

WASHINGTON, 8 November, 2016 – The 8 November general elections in the United States were highly competitive and demonstrated commitment to fundamental freedoms of expression, assembly and association. The presidential campaign was characterized by harsh personal attacks, as well as intolerant rhetoric, particularly by one candidate, international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly concluded in a preliminary statement released today.

Haifa, 8 November 2016- Speaking via video address, OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Madina Jarbussynova, recommended judges at an international seminar in Haifa, Israel, to keep in mind the crucial role they play in ensuring that the rights of trafficked victims are respected and restored.

ULAANBAATAR, 8 November 2016 – A four-day workshop for Mongolian law enforcement personnel focusing on ways to strengthen professional integrity and tackle corruption started today in Ulaanbaatar...

In Donetsk region the SMM recorded an increase of ceasefire violations compared with 6 November, including the use of multiple-launch-rocket systems. The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations compared with 6 November in Luhansk region. The Mission observed damage caused by shelling on both sides of the contact line and followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Krasnohorivka. It continued to monitor the disengagement process in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and was restricted in its movement in all three areas.* The SMM monitored the withdrawal of weapons and observed the presence of weapons in violation on both sides of the contact line. It monitored a border area currently not under government control...

SARAJEVO, 8 November 2016 – Eleven authors from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia presented their research papers on hate crimes in South-East Europe to over 70 regional participants that gathered at a conference which concluded today in Sarajevo...

A senior elections expert began a three-day visit to Albania on 7 November 2016 as part of the OSCE Presence’s assistance to the electoral reform in the county, ahead of the June 2017 general elections...

In Donetsk region the SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations on 5 November compared to the previous day and fewer during the reporting period covering 6 November. In Luhansk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations on 5 November than the previous day and more during the reporting period covering 6 November than on either of the previous two days. The Mission observed damage caused by shelling on both sides of the contact line and followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Donetsk city and Avdiivka. It continued to monitor the disengagement process in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and was restricted in its movement in all three areas.* The SMM monitored the withdrawal of weapons and observed the presence of unexploded ordnance on both sides of the contact line. It monitored a border area currently not under government control.

How to resolve media-related disputes without referring to the courts was the focus of a working seminar organized by the OSCE Office in Yerevan on 5 November 2016 for journalists and media lawyers in Tsaghkadzor, Armenia...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission observed damage caused by shelling in government-controlled Vynohradne. It continued to monitor the disengagement process in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and was restricted in its movement in the three areas.* The SMM monitored the withdrawal of weapons. The Mission observed military presence in areas frequented by civilians. The SMM monitored gatherings outside courts in Kyiv and Odessa.