News and press releases

BISHKEK, 30 July 2016 – To mark today’s World Day against Trafficking in Persons, the OSCE Centre in Bishkek supported a public awareness-raising campaign and held a public discussion with academic representatives in Bishkek and Osh.

VIENNA / WARSAW, 30 July 2016 – A comprehensive, co-ordinated and victim-centred approach to combat human trafficking that includes creating opportunities for regular and safe migration, as well as protecting the human rights of migrants, is urgently needed by all state actors, civil society and multilateral organizations, said senior OSCE officials today ahead of World Anti-Trafficking Day on 30 July.

The SMM saw fresh tracks assessed as caused by an infantry fighting vehicle leading south from “DPR”-controlled Lukove (72km south of Donetsk). At 13:47, while following the tracks, it was stopped by two armed “DPR” members who blocked the road with a camouflaged-style jeep (vehicle #1) and pointed their guns at the SMM. They ordered the SMM to leave the area, which they did.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous day. The largest concentration of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region was recorded during night hours in the area of Horlivka and Svitlodarsk, while during the day the Donetsk city area was most kinetic. The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Novoazovsk, shelling in Troitske, and conducted crater analysis in Novotoshkivske.

VIENNA, 29 July 2016 – Continuing intimidation and violence against journalists is unacceptable and could further weaken media freedom and freedom of expression in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Dunja Mijatović, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, said today...

TASHKENT, 29 July 2016- A central area of Tashkent is to be lit by 20 autonomous street light systems fully powered by solar energy as part of a pilot project officially launched today by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan...

Italy is to chair the OSCE in 2018, following a consensus decision of the OSCE’s 57 participating States on 27 July 2016. “This decision fully represents the recognition of our country’s commitment and desire to actively contribute to peace and stability in Europe,” said Italy’s Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni in Rome, welcoming the decision...

The final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on Serbia’s 24 April October 2016 early parliamentary elections recommends a comprehensive review of legislation to further improve election process.

BISHKEK, 29 July 2016 – Some 30 police officers of different ranks from seven regions of Kyrgyzstan are taking part in a summer school training programme, which closes tomorrow in Issyk-Kul, on the topical issues of police reform, conducted by the Kyrgyz Association of Women Police and the Interior Ministry, with the support of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek...

DUSHANBE, 29 July 2016 – The OSCE Office in Tajikistan today donated audio-visual equipment to the Police Academy of Tajikistan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs with the aim of supporting the Academy’s lecturers to use interactive teaching techniques on the investigation of crimes related to the trafficking of human beings...

The fourth in a series of five OSCE-supported training seminars for women entrepreneurs working in the field of green technology started on 29 July 2016 in Arnasai village, Central Kazakhstan...

The SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous day. The largest concentration of ceasefire violations was recorded in the area north of Donetsk city centre and Svitlodarsk. The SMM conducted crater analysis in Dokuchaievsk and Novotoshkivske. Concerning the 25 July incidents with the SMM mini UAV, the Russian Federation Armed Forces representative to the JCCC told the SMM that those responsible had been identified and disciplinary measures had been taken. The Mission continued to observe heavy weapons in violation of respective withdrawal lines. The SMM could not access proposed areas for disengagement in Petrivske, and continued to note the presence of unexploded ordnance. The Mission’s freedom of movement was restricted on four occasions, all in areas outside government control...

GENEVA / VIENNA, 28 July 2016 – Two top holders of media freedom mandates of the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) today condemned the ongoing crackdown on journalists and the media launched by Turkish Government in the wake of the attempted coup...

VIENNA, 28 July 2016 – Urgent steps are needed by the sides in eastern Ukraine to ensure full respect for the ceasefire and reduce the impact of the violence on civilians, said the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group Martin Sajdik and the Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) Ertugrul Apakan in their addresses to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna today...

VIENNA, 28 July 2016 – Artists from France, Armenia and the United Kingdom won the #LetsDoodle drawing competition organized under the OSCE’s United in Countering Violent Extremism campaign...

GARM, Tajikistan, 28 July 2016 – Some 20 representatives of civil society and state agencies working to provide direct assistance to domestic violence victims learned about good practices on local referral mechanisms in other regions of Tajikistan at a workshop held today in Garm by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan...

The OSCE-supported eleventh meeting of the Chu-Talas Water Basin Council took place on 28 July in Taraz, southern Kazakhstan...

BISHKEK, 28 July 2016 – A two-day training conducted by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek for 14 defence lawyers and 12 officers from the Prosecutor’s office on the right to liberty and freedom from arbitrary arrest or detention, ended today in the Kyrgyz capital...

An SMM long-range UAV crashed near Avdiivka; Ukrainian Armed Forces recovered debris and handed them over to the SMM. The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, with less explosions noted in the Avdiivka-Yasynuvata area and none in the Shyrokyne area.

KAMENSK-SHAKHTINSKIY, Russian Federation, 27 July 2016- The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall cross-border traffic increased at both BCPs...

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator on 15 July 2016 launched the first distance course in Ukraine on the application of the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR)...

Ways to increase the sustainability of social businesses by using social media marketing tools were discussed at a training session organized in Kyiv on 26 July 2016 by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine...

CHISINAU / TIRASPOL, 26 July 2016 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in Moldova today had talks with high-level Moldovan officials as well as with representatives from the Transdniestrian leadership. Steinmeier also visited the offices of the OSCE Mission in Moldova on both sides of the Dniester/Nistru River, in Chisinau and Tiraspol, and acknowledged their valuable work towards the Transdniestrian conflict settlement process...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared to the previous day. The largest concentration of ceasefire violations was again recorded in the Yasynuvata-Avdiivka area. The SMM followed up on reports of casualties and conducted crater analysis in Novooleksandrivka, Kominternove, Novozvanivka and Avdiivka. The SMM observed a weapons system in violation of the respective withdrawal line, as well as armoured combat vehicles and an unmanned flying vehicle in the security zone. In Soledar, a representative from the JCCC did not facilitate the provision of security assurances for repair work on essential infrastructure. The SMM continued to note the presence of unexploded ordnance. It monitored two border areas not controlled by the Government. The Mission’s freedom of movement was restricted on five occasions, including two episodes during which shots were fired at an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle, all in areas outside government control...

At 23:51 on 25 July 2016, while flying over government-controlled Avdiivka, approximately 600m north-west of the contact line and 12.5km north of Donetsk, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) experienced a loss of signals with the Ground Control Station and the SMM lost all communication with the UAV...

OSH, Kyrgyzstan, 26 July 2016 – Some 25 athletes and sport trainers today discussed gender-based violence at an OSCE-supported roundtable discussion attended by a world amateur boxing champion (1986) and former member of parliament, Orzubek Nazarov...

DUSHANBE, 26 July 2016 – The Parents Against Terrorism training series, organized by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan, started yesterday in Kulyab in the country’s Khatlon region with the aim of enhancing the knowledge and understanding of the local population about Violent Extremism and Radicalization that lead to Terrorism (VERLT) in order to build the community’s resilience to this phenomenon...

CHISINAU, 25 July 2016 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier, is traveling to Moldova and will have talks in Chisinau and Tiraspol on 26 July 2016...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region on 23 July compared to 22 July and more on 24 July compared to the previous day. On both 23 and 24 July, ceasefire violations occurred mostly at daytime and focused in Yasynuvata. In Luhansk region, the SMM noted a sharp increase in the level of violence on 23 July compared to 22 July and a relatively low number of ceasefire violations on 24 July. The SMM recorded no ceasefire violations in Stanytsia Luhanska. The SMM followed up on reports of casualties and conducted crater analysis in Novooleksandrivka, Berdianske, Krasnohorivka, and Donetskyi. The SMM attempted to visit the proposed disengagement areas west of Petrivske, but could not do so due to the presence of mines. It observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal line and numerous armoured combat vehicles in the security zone. The SMM observed new mine hazard signs in Stanytsia Luhanska and Petrivske. Its freedom of movement was restricted on nine occasions, all in areas outside government control, including a border area...

The OSCE Office in Tajikistan on 24 July 2016 organized the first regional forum for promoting women’s political participation in Khujand, with the aim of increasing community outreach, engaging women leaders in the region and supporting women’s empowerment in political and public life...

VIENNA, 25 July 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today welcomed the revision of United States Department of Defense’s Law of War Manual, which better recognizes the status and role of journalists under the law of war...

COPENHAGEN, 25 July 2016 – In response to the measures taken by the Turkish authorities following the attempted coup, Ignacio Sanchez Amor (MP, Spain), Chairperson of the OSCE PA Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions, issued the following statement today...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, particularly in the Yasynuvata and Shyrokyne areas. In Luhansk region, the SMM noted fewer ceasefire violations, the majority of which during the night near Stanytsia Luhanska. The Mission noted a heavy weapon in violation of the withdrawal line and saw for the first time two anti-tank mines outside Molodizhne. The SMM conducted crater analysis in Semyhiria, Kodema and at the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. The Mission facilitated and monitored repair work in Pryshyb and Shchastia. Its freedom of movement was restricted on two occasions, in areas outside government control.*

The SMM noted a decrease in ceasefire violations recorded in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, particularly in the Avdiivka-Yasynuvata and Shyrokyne areas. In Luhansk region, however, the SMM noted an increase in ceasefire violations recorded, with the majority near Stanytsia Luhanska. The SMM followed up on reports of shelling and civilian injuries and conducted crater analysis on both sides of the contact line, in Avdiivka, Horlivka, Andriivka, Kominternove, Zolote, and at the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. The SMM was informed that the downed electrical power lines supplying the water filtration plant near Yasynuvata were repaired. Its freedom of movement was restricted on six occasions, five of which were in areas outside government control, including at a checkpoint in Horlivka.

VIENNA, 22 July 2016- Violence against women and girls is one of the most serious and pervasive human rights violations. More needs to be done to eliminate this problem so that women can participate without barriers in all spheres of life, said participants of a high-level OSCE conference today in Vienna...

THE HAGUE, 22 July 2016 – The Association for Historical Dialogue and Research (AHDR), a Cyprus-based non-governmental organization, has been named the winner of the 2016 Max van der Stoel Award...

TIRANA, 22 July 2016 – The OSCE Presence in Albania welcomes the Assembly’s adoption today of the set of constitutional amendments aimed at reforming the justice sector. We commend the Assembly for this fundamental achievement, which was supported tangibly by many international experts and diplomats...

ASTANA, 22 July 2016 – An OSCE-supported two-day training seminar for some 30 defence lawyers from the northern part of Kazakhstan began today in Astana, with the aim of enhancing their understanding, common interpretation and implementation of the new criminal procedure legislation...

BISHKEK, 22 July 2016 – Three public discussions on the regulatory legal acts regarding the use of natural resources and environmental protection are being organized from 19 July to 27 July 2016 by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek and the local Aarhus Centre in the districts of Toktogul, Aksy and Kadamjay in southern Kyrgyzstan...

Some 35 law-enforcement officers and social workers took part in the first in a series of five training seminars on anti-trafficking practices and procedures on 22 July 2016 in Kostanay with other workshops to be conducted in Almaty, Astana, Karaganda and Shymkent later this year...

The SMM recorded a similarly high number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, with violence focused in the Avdiivka-Yasynuvata area, northern Donetsk city and Horlivka. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded an increase in the total number of recorded ceasefire violations, all of which occurred around Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, but noted a decrease in the total number of explosions. The SMM followed up on reports of shelling and injuries to civilians in Popasna, Avdiivka and Yasynuvata, and of damage to power lines leading to a water filtration station. It monitored the withdrawal of weapons. The Mission faced a restriction while monitoring a border area not controlled by the Government; its freedom of movement was restricted on four additional occasions, three of which were in areas outside government control.* In Kyiv, the SMM followed up on an explosion in a vehicle that led to the death of a journalist and monitored a demonstration against increases in utility rates...

ASTANA, 21 July 2016 – Some 25 Supreme and Regional Court judges, lawyers, journalists, media experts as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps and civil society today in Astana participated in OSCE-supported public hearings on the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan’s Decree on the “Application of legislation on protecting the honour, dignity and business reputation in judicial practice”...

WARSAW, 21 July 2016- Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), today underlined that the principles of rule of law, democracy and respect for human rights need to be upheld in Turkey, following the attempted coup...

VIENNA, 21 July 2016 – The mass cancellation of broadcasting licenses, criminal investigations against, and dismissal of, hundreds of journalists at the state broadcaster, and blocked websites are the latest, severe challenges to freedom of expression and media freedom in Turkey, Dunja Mijatović, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, said today.

VIENNA, 20 July 2016 – Presenting the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s work concerning the refugee and migrant crisis at a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna today, Swiss parliamentarian Filippo Lombardi laid out the Assembly’s plan of action going forward, which includes monitoring the situation on the ground and developing policy recommendations for the OSCE and its participating States...

The SMM noted an increase in ceasefire violations recorded in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, including more than 600 explosions, of which approximately 400 were recorded by the SMM camera in Shyrokyne. In Luhansk region, the SMM noted an increase in ceasefire violations recorded, including more than 150 explosions, primarily near government-controlled Lobacheve and Stanytsia Luhanska. In government-controlled areas, and in violation of the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM observed four loaded MLRS near Kalynove, four MLRS and one towed howitzer in Makedonivka, and two self-propelled howitzers near Tarasivka. The SMM followed up on reports of shelling and conducted crater analysis on both sides of the contact line in Avdiivka and Sakhanka. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure in government-controlled Shchastia and non-government-controlled Slovianoserbsk and Zolote 5. Its freedom of movement was restricted on seven occasions, five of which were in areas outside government control, near the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge...

VIENNA, 20 July 2016 – Possible roles for the OSCE in the context of the migration and refugee flows across the OSCE area were discussed today at a special meeting of the Permanent Council in Vienna...

COPENHAGEN, 20 July 2016 – Ignacio Sanchez Amor, the Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions, today condemned the killing of journalist Pavel Sheremet, which took place earlier today in Kyiv, Ukraine...

KAMENSK-SHAKHTINSKIY, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall cross-border traffic decreased at both BCPs.

VIENNA, 20 July 2016 – OSCE media freedom representative Dunja Mijatović today condemned the murder of journalist Pavel Sheremet in Kyiv, Ukraine...