News and press releases

VIENNA, 27 October 2016- Addressing the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna today the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer underlined that the OSCE and the ICRC often share common concerns and follow complementary approaches, in particular in those zones of conflict and crises in which both organizations are active. The representatives of the 57 OSCE participating States acknowledged the outstanding role of the ICRC as a neutral and independent humanitarian organization and welcomed the possibility for mutual exchange...

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 SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, mostly in areas around Avdiivka-Yasynuvata and Svitlodarsk, as well as east and north-east of Mariupol...

On 27 October 2016 at 06:31hrs (Moscow time), the fifty- fifth Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP)...

SKOPJE, 27 October 2016- Some 60 representatives of national authorities, civil society and OSCE field operations from South-Eastern Europe called for an enhanced regional response to human trafficking at the start of a two-day OSCE regional conference in Skopje on promoting synergies and common approaches in addressing human trafficking along the Western Balkan migration routes...

YEREVAN, 27 October 2016- Enhancing economic connectivity perspectives and the development of Euro-Asian inland transport links were the focus of a two-day expert meeting held by the OSCE Office in Yerevan within the UNECE's Euro-Asian Transport Links (EATL) project, which ended today in Yerevan...

VIENNA, 27 October 2016 – Urging governments of the OSCE area to enhance the level of international cooperation to reverse a deteriorating security environment, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Christine Muttonen (MP, Austria) called in Vienna today for more constructive dialogue and confidence-building...

Four recipients of the Best Student Awards in this year's Model OSCE, which was organized by the OSCE Mission to Moldova, travelled to Vienna from 18 to 22 October 2016 for a study trip to the OSCE Secretariat as a part of their prize...

ERGNETI, 26 October 2016- The 71st meeting under the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) took place on Wednesday, 26 October 2016 in Ergneti...

MINSK, 26 October 2016- 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 26 October 2016...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, with many concentrated in the Avdiivka-Yasynuvata area. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations compared with 24 October. The Mission observed the aftermath of ceasefire violations at Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, and in Zaitseve and Raivka. The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it was restricted in its freedom of movement in all three areas. The Ukrainian and Russian Federation officers at the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) failed to assist in ensuring security for the SMM.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines. The Mission noted long queues of pedestrians at entry-exit checkpoints in Stanytsia Luhanska. The SMM monitored the situation of civilians living on both sides of the contact line in Zaitseve and repairs to railway lines. It monitored two border areas not under government control. The SMM monitored the situation along the administration boundary line between the mainland and Crimea...

MOSCOW / WASHINGTON D.C. / PARIS, 26 October 2016- The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, James Warlick of the United States of America, and Pierre Andrieu of France), together with the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, traveled to the region from 23 to 25 October 2016...

SKOPJE, 25 October 2016 – An OSCE project to enhance the capacity of Police and Customs Co-operation Centres in South-Eastern Europe was launched today at a conference in Skopje, which brought together heads of police, the border police, and customs services from across the Western Balkans...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region on 24 October compared with 22 and 23 October. Violations centred mainly around Avdiivka and Svitlodarsk...

The key factors and decision-making that go into choosing a career path were the issues up for discussion at the second debate tournament for high school students, organized by the OSCE Mission to Moldova from 22 to 23 October 2016 in Vadul-lui-Voda, a town by the Dniester/Nistru River...

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA / VIENNA, 25 October 2016 – The Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Jan Braathu, and the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today condemned the threats against Leonard Kërquki, chief editor of Gazeta Express and author of the weekly Zona Express show...

KURGAN-TYUBE, Tajikistan, 25 October 2016 – Promoting practical referral mechanisms for the protection of domestic violence survivors was the focus of an OSCE-supported workshop for 25 officials and members of civil society that took place today in Kurgan-Tyube, the administrative centre of Khatlon region, Tajikistan...

ASTANA, 25 October 2016 – Internet trade taxation administration is in focus of an OSCE-supported training seminar for some 30 officials from the Finance and Economy Ministries, Kazpost Postal Service and the Central Bank that began today in Astana, Kazakhstan...

VIENNA, 25 October 2016 – Some 60 anti-corruption professionals from the Western Balkan region and experts from international organizations called for stronger co-operation and an effective fight against corruption at a two-day expert meeting entitled “Lessons from South East Europe” that concluded today in Vienna...

TASHKENT, 25 October 2016 – A two-day OSCE-organized national workshop on countering the use of Internet for terrorist purposes began today in Tashkent, bringing together some 40 judges, prosecutors and investigators from across Uzbekistan...

DUSHANBE, 24 October 2016 – A roundtable discussion on the phenomenon of foreign fighters and counter-terrorism strategies that brought together experts, scholars, representatives of government agencies, civil society, diplomatic missions, international organizations and participants of the 16th Border Management Staff Course, ended today in Dushanbe...

VIENNA, 24 October 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today expressed concern about a recent decision by the authorities in Latvia to deport a member of the media from the Russian Federation...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region on 22 October and fewer ceasefire violations on 23 October as compared with 21 October...

The OSCE Mission to Moldova held the fourth in a series of Civil Society Club meetings in Tiraspol on 19 October 2016. The focus of the discussion was co-operation among civil society partners on ways to better service the community. The event brought together 13 civil society representatives providing social assistance to women, youth and the underprivileged...

The OSCE Mission to Moldova organized its third event in a year-long series of Human Rights Clubs for lawyers from both banks of Dniester/Nistru River in Tiraspol on 21 October 2016. Thirty-eight participants discussed securing civil documents for their clients as well as the rights and responsibilities of document holders...

ASTANA, 24 October 2016 – An OSCE-supported training seminar for some 40 law enforcement officials on investigating, freezing and recovering stolen assets, including those repatriated abroad, began today in Astana...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, most of which occurred in the Avdiivka-Yasynuvata-Donetsk airport area, Horlivka and Svitlodarsk, and north-east and east of Mariupol...

OSH, Kyrgyzstan, 22 October 2016 –The prevention of violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (VERLT) was the focus of the OSCE-supported intensive seminar for some 50 representatives of the Kyrgyz Interior Ministry’s Juvenile Delinquency Inspectorate, Municipal committees on youth issues and leaders of Territorial Youth Councils, that concluded today in Osh, Kyrgyzstan...

The SMM recorded almost twice as many ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, most of which occurred in the Donetsk-Avdiivka-Yasynuvata area, Horlivka, and areas north-east and east of Mariupol...

The OSCE Mission to Moldova held a two-day training course on advocacy techniques for 16 representatives of non-governmental organizations with a national minorities focus, mainly from Gagauzia, from 18 to 19 October 2016 in Comrat...

Twenty-five human rights defenders from Eastern and Central Europe, the Western Balkans and Turkey learned how to identify, monitor and report human rights violations during a five-day training workshop organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) between 17 and 21 October 2016 in Budva, Montenegro. Participants discussed the challenges they face in their day-to-day work and explored strategies to improve the safety and security of their teams and beneficiaries.

SARAJEVO, 21 October 2016 – Some 40 law, sociology and security studies students completed today in Sarajevo the second Youth and Security School, organized by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina...

OSH, Kyrgyzstan, 21 October 2016 – An OSCE-supported two-day training course for some 20 officers from Kyrgyz law enforcement agencies on countering drug crimes concluded today in Osh...

THE HAGUE, 21 October 2016 – The Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bert Koenders is to present the Association for Historical Dialogue and Research (AHDR), a Cyprus-based non-governmental organization, with the Max van der Stoel Award 2016 for its work on history teaching as a tool for reconciliation in Cyprus. The prize will be awarded at a ceremony on 24 October in the Peace Palace, in The Hague...

Combating different types of organized crimes, including property crimes and illegal migration with cross-border dimension, was the focus of the OSCE-supported regional exercise that concluded on 21 October 2016 in Skopje...

BERLIN, 20 October 2016 – Over 350 representatives of OSCE participating States, Asian and Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation, and civil society from the entire OSCE region, as well as international and regional actors, met in Berlin today at the invitation of the German OSCE Chairmanship 2016 to discuss ways to promote diversity, non-discrimination and tolerance against the backdrop of growing intolerance in our societies...

Fifteen high school students from Durlesti performed a social theatre play about human trafficking and exploitation in connection with migration, supported by the OSCE Mission to Moldova, on 18 October 2016 in Chisinau...

The SMM recorded relatively fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, most of which were concentrated in the Avdiivka/Yasynuvata area and areas north-east of Mariupol...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, most of which were concentrated in the Avdiivka/Yasynuvata area and areas north-east of Mariupol...

The sixth and concluding OSCE-supported seminar in a series for judges on protecting the rights of child victims of human trafficking took place on 19 October 2016 in Astana, Kazakhstan...

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...

DUSHANBE, 19 October 2016 – Nineteen Afghan border police officers graduated today from the OSCE-supported patrolling and leadership course, which was held from 22 September to 19 October 2016 at the Gissar Training Centre, Tajikistan...

The SMM recorded more explosions in Donetsk region compared with the day before, the vast majority of which occurred in areas north-east of Mariupol. In Luhansk region fewer explosions were recorded compared with the day before. The Mission continued to monitor the disengagement process in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; the SMM was restricted in its freedom of movement in all three areas.* The SMM observed the presence of weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. It monitored four border areas not under government control. The Mission monitored long queues of pedestrians at entry-exit checkpoints at Stanytsia Luhanska. It monitored the situation of internally displaced persons in Odessa...

Challenges and good practices in preventing sexual and gender-based violence in criminal justice facilities were the focus of a two-day meeting of practitioners in the OSCE region on 17 and 18 October 2016 in Warsaw. The event was organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human

Respecting human rights when conducting counter-terrorism investigations was the focus of an OSCE training session for law enforcement officers held in Tirana, Albania, on 17 and 18 October 2016. Organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Strategic

ALMATY, Kazakhstan, 18 October 2016 – A nine-day OSCE regional demilitarization manager’s training course for 30 military and civilian experts focusing on Advanced Explosive Ordnance Disposal Level 3+ began today in Almaty, Kazakhstan...

The SMM recorded 199 and 236 explosions on 15 and 16 October, respectively in Donetsk region. The SMM noted the security situation in areas of north-east and east of Mariupol remained volatile, which represented more than 50 per cent of all ceasefire violations recorded in the region on 16 October. In Luhansk region the SMM noted a higher level of violence both on 15 and 16 October (100 and 72 explosions, respectively, including explosions caused by artillery or mortar), compared with 14 October. The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it was restricted in its freedom of movement in all three areas.* Shots impacting close to a patrol near Zolote forced the SMM to leave an observations post. The Mission followed up on reports of casualties and shelling. The Mission monitored the withdrawal of weapons and saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. The SMM continued to observe long queues at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line...

PODGORICA, 17 October 2016 – Montenegro’s 16 October parliamentary elections were held in a competitive environment and fundamental freedoms were generally respected in a campaign characterized by a lack of distinct domestic policy alternatives and permeated by personal attacks, international observers said in a statement issued today. While pluralistic, the media lacked editorial independence...

PODGORICA, 17 October 2016 – Montenegro’s 16 October parliamentary elections were held in a competitive environment and fundamental freedoms were generally respected in a campaign characterized by a lack of distinct domestic policy alternatives and permeated by personal attacks, international observers said in a statement issued today. While pluralistic, the media lacked editorial independence...

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana held its second training seminar in 2016 on anti-torture standards for some 30 judges from regional courts on 17 October 2016...