News and press releases

WARSAW, 9 July 2016 Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), today welcomed the decision by the Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan to reconsider the case of human rights defender Azimjan Askarov, and again called on the Kyrgyz authorities to heed a decision of the UN Human Rights Committee calling for Askarov’s release...

VIENNA, 8 July 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović, today expressed concern about a proposed law on the German Foreign Intelligence Agency (BND, Bundesnachrichtendienst), which was debated in the Bundestag, Germany’s Federal Parliament, today...

ISSYK-KUL, Kyrgyzstan, 8 July 2016 – A five-day training course supported by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek on a risk-oriented approach in supervising activities related to anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism concluded today in Bosteri village, in the Issyk-Kul region...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared to the previous day. In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded a number of ceasefire violations, compared to none the previous day. The SMM followed up on reports of shelling in Novooleksandrivka and Verhulivka. The Mission observed nine howitzers in violation of the withdrawal line, near “LPR”-controlled Buhaivka. Civilians expressed their anger at continued shelling while other civilians expressed their frustration over water cuts. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure in government-controlled Shchastia, “LPR”-controlled Krasnyi Lyman and near government-controlled Toretsk...

VIENNA, 8 July 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today welcomed the decision of the Administrative Court in Skopje to annul a previous assertion made by a commission that the Editor-in-Chief of Fokus magazine, Jadranka Kostova, had in the past been a secret services informant...

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) issued a final report on 8 July 2016 on the postponed early parliamentary elections in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, which were scheduled for 5 June 2016. The final report assesses whether the electoral process and activities conducted before the postponement of elections were in line with OSCE commitments, other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, and with national legislation.

Supporting the process of ethical standards reform and developing a code of conduct for members of the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament, was the focus of an event, co-organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the Verkhovna Rada, the Agency for Legislative Initiatives, the USAID RADA Program and the Netherlands Institute for Multi-party Democracy.

The OSCE Office in Yerevan supported a summer school focusing on public international law from 30 June to 9 July 2016 which also included a two-day training course on international human rights law at the Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University in Yerevan (RAU)...

Fifty-two representatives of Local Crime Prevention Centres (LCPCs) in Kyrgyztsan, including members of the courts of Aksakals (local elders), women and youth councils completed a two-day workshop supported by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek on 7July 2016 in Osh, with the aim of enhancing interactions between the police, civil organizations and the public...

BISHKEK, 8 July 2016 – As part of the first phase of the two-day military Command-Staff Exercise ‘Barrier 2016’, representatives of the State Border Service (SBS), local authorities and civil society of Osh region focused on border security and management problems during a roundtable discussion and video-conference supported by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek...

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations compared to the previous reporting period. Most of the fighting was recorded in the areas around Yasynuvata, Donetsk city and Shyrokyne. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded no ceasefire violations. The Mission followed up on reports of shelling in Kuibyshevskyi district of Donetsk city and Lozove. It continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and observed the presence of weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. The SMM continued monitoring the ceasefire and facilitating repairs to essential infrastructure on both sides of the contact line in Toretsk, Shchastia, Zolote and Krasnyi Lyman. The Mission continued to monitor the situation of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line and monitored one border area not controlled by the Government. The SMM faced restrictions to its freedom of movement*. The SMM monitored two peaceful protests in Kyiv and Odessa...

VIENNA, 7 July 2016 – Addressing the Permanent Council of the OSCE today in Vienna, the President of the German Supreme Audit Institution (Bundesrechnungshof) Kay Scheller, concluded his three-year term as the OSCE External Auditor, during which the OSCE received unqualified ("clean") audit opinions...

VIENNA, 7 July March 2016 – The OSCE Permanent Council extended today the mandate of the OSCE Observer Mission at the Russian border checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk. The mandate has been extended until 31 October 2016...

Reforming political party legislation in Ukraine was the focus of an expert workshop in Kyiv on 6 and 7 July 2016, jointly organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), the Ukrainian civil society organizations Agency for Legislative Initiatives (ALI) and the Civil Network “OPORA”. The event was hosted by the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.

TBILISI, 7 July 2016 – Multi-faceted challenges to free media and the freedom of expression were the focus of a two-day discussion at the 13th OSCE South Caucasus Media Conference, organized by the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media that concluded today in Tbilisi, Georgia...

A record number of 1,150 local inspectors in Serbia have successfully completed a three-month OSCE-supported online course on implementing the new Law on Inspection Surveillance. Of this number, 280 inspectors from the capital and its municipalities were publically recognized on 7 July 2016 at the premises of the Assembly of the City of Belgrade...

VIENNA, 7 July 2016 – Against the backdrop of the continuing conflict in and around Ukraine, the United Nations’ Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Šimonović addressed the Permanent Council in Vienna today on the co-operation and assistance of the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) to Ukraine in this field...

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations compared to the previous reporting period. Most of the fighting was recorded in the areas around Yasynuvata, Shyrokyne and Donetsk city. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded a number of ceasefire violations, most of which were assessed as live-fire exercises. The Mission confirmed reports of three children killed by a grenade explosion in Yenakiieve. The SMM followed up on reports of shelling and conducted crater analysis in Kominternove, Horlivka and Myronivka. It continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles in the security zone. The Mission continued to monitor the situation of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. The SMM observed the situation at the administrative boundary line between Kherson and Crimea...

BERLIN, 6 July 2016- The German OSCE Chairmanship, in co-operation with the Network ‘Initiative Mediation Support Germany’ (IMSD), holds a conference today in Berlin which puts the role of the OSCE as a mediator at the center of its attention, focusing on the Organization’s capabilities, instruments and potentials in this area...

Thirty experts were trained to deliver specialized training courses for judges on how to review corruption–related disputes and prevent corruption in the judiciary during a two-day session, organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine and the National School of Judges on 5-6 July 2016 outside Kyiv...

BERLIN / VIENNA, 5 July 2016 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier today congratulated Christine Muttonen, an Austrian parliamentarian, on her election as President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. They also thanked outgoing President Illka Kanerva from Finland for his work since July 2014...

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations compared to those recorded during the day on 3 July. Most of the fighting was recorded in the areas around Yasynuvata, Horlivka and Shyrokyne. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded no ceasefire violations during the reporting period. The SMM followed up on reports of shelling and conducted crater analysis on both sides of the contact line, in Klynove and Kominternove. It continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and the situation of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. The Mission monitored a border area not controlled by the Government and encountered a restriction there. The Mission’s freedom of movement was restricted on six occasions, five of which were in areas not controlled by the Government.* In Odessa, the SMM monitored the 49th consecutive day of an around-the-clock protest by internally displaced persons. In Kharkiv the SMM followed up on reports of weapons discovered in Mala Rohan...

ALMATY, 5 July 2016 – The annual OSCE Central Asian Youth Network (CAYN) forum and seminar began today in Almaty...

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, 5 July 2016 – OSCE Media Freedom Representative Dunja Mijatović today welcomed the latest UN resolution on “the promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet”- a resolution adopted by the United Nations Human Rights Council by consensus, supporting human rights online...

TBILISI, 5 July 2016 – At the close of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 25th Annual Session in Tbilisi today, members of the Assembly elected Austrian parliamentarian Christine Muttonen as President. Muttonen has previously served as OSCE PA Vice-President and Special Representative for Central and Eastern Asia, and is Deputy Head of the Austrian Delegation to the PA...

TBILISI, 5 July 2016 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly adopted the 2016 Tbilisi Declaration today, addressing key issues in the fields of political affairs and security, economics, the environment, human rights, and humanitarian concerns...

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations on 2 July compared to the previous day, followed by a decrease in recorded ceasefire violations on 3 July. In Luhansk region, the SMM observed fewer ceasefire violations over the weekend compared to the previous day. The SMM followed up on reports of shelling and conducted crater analysis on both sides of the contact line, in Myronivskyi and Dokuchaievsk. It continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and the situation at Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. The SMM facilitated repairs to a power plant and the transfer of the body of a deceased person near Shchastia. The Mission monitored a border area not controlled by the Government. The Mission’s freedom of movement was restricted on five occasions, four times in areas not controlled by the Government.* In Kyiv, the SMM observed a demonstration against the pre-trial detention measure of a member of the Ukrainian Armed Forces...

VIENNA, 4 July 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today welcomed the signing into law of the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) Improvement Act, which would improve current transparency legislation in the United States of America and access to information in the country...

The OSCE Mission to Moldova held a training event on essential debate techniques for 37 high-school students and 7 teachers from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River on 1 to 3 July 2016 in Vadul-lui-Vodă, a town by the river...

ASTANA, 4 July 2016 – A two-day OSCE-supported training seminar on the practical aspects of implementing the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) for preventing torture began today in Astana, Kazakhstan...

A campaign highlighting the benefits of composting household waste, supported by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, was launched on 1 July 2016 in Pljevlja, by the Montenegrin Sustainable Development and Tourism Ministry, the Municipality of Pljevlja and the Eco-Centre Dolphin NGO...

The transition to a low-carbon economy and Kazakhstan’s corresponding obligations under the Paris Climate Agreement were the topics of an OSCE-supported meeting of the Green Economy Council under the President of Kazakhstan on 4 July 2016 in Astana...

Berlin/Vienna, 3 July 2016 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Secretary General Lamberto Zannier today expressed deep sadness upon the passing of Holocaust survivor, peace activist and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel.

In Donetsk region the SMM recorded a similarly high number of ceasefire violations compared to the previous reporting period. In Luhansk region, the SMM observed fewer ceasefire violations compared to the previous day. The SMM members in Svitlodarsk were redirected to Kramatorsk for the night, due to the deterioration of the security situation in the area. The SMM followed up on reports of shelling and conducted crater analysis in Kominternove and Yasynuvata. It continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. The Mission monitored a border area not controlled by the Government and its access was denied at one border crossing point The Mission’s freedom of movement was restricted on three occasions.* In Odessa, the SMM observed a demonstration gathering about 500 people in front of the city council...

TBILISI, 2 July 2016 – Nearly 300 parliamentarians from 54 OSCE countries have begun debates on political and security affairs, economic and environmental issues and human rights and humanitarian concerns at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 25th Annual Session in Tbilisi...

THE HAGUE / TBILISI, 1 July 2016 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier today awarded a certificate of participation to eight interns from Georgia’s national minority communities in Tbilisi. The certificate recognizes the immersive and proactive involvement of the young professionals in their mid-twenties in the day-to-day life of Georgia’s political parties during an intensive one-month internship programme in May-June 2016...

TBILISI, 1 July 2016 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, today concluded his three-day visit to the South Caucasus in Georgia. In Tbilisi, Steinmeier met the Georgian political leadership, including President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze and the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament David Usupashvili...

In Donetsk region, late in the evening the SMM noted intense fighting violations that lasted well into the morning in the Svitlodarsk/Debaltseve area and involved multiple-launch rocket system, artillery, and mortars. During the day, in Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations compared to the previous day. In Luhansk region, the SMM observed fewer ceasefire violations compared to the previous day. The SMM assessed damage to houses in Dokuchaievsk and Tavrycheske and conducted crater analysis in Popasna. It continued to observe the withdrawal of weapons and noted heavy weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines. The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. The SMM monitored a border area not controlled by the Government. An SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle crashed 1km north of “DPR”-controlled Lohvynove. The Mission’s freedom of movement was restricted on two occasions in an area not controlled by the Government...

The Kyrgyz Government, in co-ordination with the Parliament and the Public Council of the Interior Ministry, on 30 June 2016 issued, as a result of the advocacy efforts of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, a decree authorizing the establishment of a working group on police reform...

TBILISI, 1 July 2016 – With nearly 300 parliamentarians in attendance from 54 countries, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 25th Annual Session opened Friday with speeches by host officials including Georgian Speaker of Parliament David Usupashvili, President Giorgi Margvelashvili, and Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, as well as OSCE PA President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) and the OSCE’s Chairperson-in-Office, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier...

National Points of Contact from 16 OSCE participating States on implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their components were familiarized with countries’ commitments stemming from this Resolution, at a training session co-organized by the OSCE from 28 June to 1 July 2016 in Kaliningrad, in the Russian Federation. A National Point of Contact from Chile – an observer State – also took part...

VIENNA, 1 July 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today welcomed the decision by a court in Turkey yesterday to release journalist Erol Önderoğlu from prison...

BAKU, 30 June 2016 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, met with Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov during his visit to Baku today as part of his official trip to the South Caucasus and had a phone conversation with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev. During the talks Steinmeier underlined the OSCE Chairmanship’s resolve to contribute to moving the settlement process forward...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared to the previous reporting period, including an escalation of armed violence in the wider area of Debaltseve. The SMM noted the use of rocket launchers in the areas of Avdiivka and multiple-launch rockets systems in Shyrokyne. It monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable recovery of the bodies of two “DPR” members in Pisky. It continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians at the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. It facilitated and monitored repairs to essential infrastructure in Horlivka, near Gagarin mine, Trokhizbenka, Shchastia and in Obozne. The SMM did not encounter any specific restrictions to its freedom of movement...

WARSAW, 30 June 2016 – Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), expressed his concern following the rise in hate incidents reported to the police in the United Kingdom following the 23 June referendum vote to leave the European Union...

SARAJEVO, 30 June 2016- The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office on Gender Issues Ambassador Melanne Verveer is to visit the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) from 1 to 4 July 2016, where she will meet with officials and activists and discuss the status of women in the country...

The OSCE Mission to Moldova held the final in a series of three training sessions for 12 psychologists and professionals working with domestic violence victims. The session took place on 27 June 2016 in Rybnitsa, a town on the left bank of the Dniester/Nistru River...

SOFIA, 30 JUNE 2016 – OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Madina Jarbussynova, concluded a three-day trip to Bulgaria on Wednesday with a visit to the Busmantzi Centre for irregular migrants, and commended the country’s ongoing action to fulfil the Organization’s anti-trafficking commitments.

AKTAU, Kazakhstan, 30 June 2016 – An OSCE-supported training seminar for some 40 participants from the central and local authorities, oil and shipbuilding companies, civil society and Aarhus Centre on implementing the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, also known as the MARPOL Convention, began today in Aktau, Kazakhstan...