News and press releases

In Donetsk region, the SMM observed more ceasefire violations on 18 June compared to the previous day, but fewer on 19 June compared to each 17 and 18 June. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations on each day compared to 17 June. The Mission assessed damage to houses in Kominternove, Sakhanka and Trudivskyi district of Donetsk city, and continued to monitor the build-up of armed positions at Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. The SMM monitored the withdrawal of weapons and the presence of unexploded ordnance. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs in Vesela Hora, Holubivske and Berezivske. The SMM visited three border areas not controlled by the Government*. The Mission’s freedom of movement was restricted on two occasions, in areas not controlled by the Government, and once by Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel.*

LAMPEDUSA, 20 June 2016 – On the occasion of World Refugee Day, OSCE parliamentarians called on countries across the OSCE region to more equitably share responsibilities towards refugees and migrants, as well as to improve integration measures to ensure that they can contribute to society...

VIENNA, 20 June 2016 – The detention of two journalists and a human rights activist for expressing solidarity with their colleagues is the latest, and a most severe, blow to freedom of expression and media freedom in Turkey, Dunja Mijatović, the OSCE media freedom representative said today...

VIENNA / WARSAW, 20 June 2016 – On the occasion of World Refugee Day, Lamberto Zannier, Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), emphasized that any solutions to the refugee crisis in Europe must ensure the dignified treatment and protection of the human rights of all refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons and migrants...

BERLIN, 20 June 2016- Government experts of the 57 OSCE participating States met in Berlin today to discuss efforts to continue the important fight against anti-Semitism. The meeting that took place in the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs was opened by Gernot Erler, Special Representative of the German government for the OSCE Chairmanship, and focused on exchanges of strategies, methods and good practice in combating anti-Semitism...

VIENNA, 20 June 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today welcomed the arrests of three people for the murder of radio journalist Luka Popov in Serbia...

ASTANA, 20 June 2016 – An OSCE-supported training seminar for some 30 prosecutors and defence lawyers from different regions of Kazakhstan on plea bargaining and the role of procedural prosecutors in criminal procedure began today in Astana...

In Donetsk region, the SMM observed more ceasefire violations compared to the previous day. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more explosions but less small-arms fire compared to the previous day. The Mission observed damage to houses in Dokuchaievsk and Novooleskandrivka, and continued to monitor the build-up of armed positions at Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. The SMM monitored the withdrawal of weapons and the presence of unexploded ordnance. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire in Vesela Horivka and Shchastia and visited two border areas not controlled by the Government. The SMM observed demonstrations in Odessa and Ivano-Frankivsk. An SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle crashed near government-controlled Stepanivka. The Mission’s freedom of movement was denied on two occasions, in areas not controlled by the Government...

ISSYK-KUL, Kyrgyzstan, 18 June 2016 – An-OSCE supported conference attended by some 100 participants from 20 countries on international co-operation in countering terrorist and extremist organizations through the use of modern communication technologies concluded today in Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan...

CHOLPON-ATA, Kyrgyzstan, 18 June 2016 – The OSCE Centre in Bishkek today handed over a Mobile Police Reception vehicle, the 19th donation of this kind, to the Issyk-Kul Police. This vehicle aims to contribute to efforts to ensure public security in this tourist region and to promote social partnerships between the police and local communities...

GENEVA, Switzerland, 17 June 2016 – Addressing the main security risks in the inland transport sector, such as terrorism, theft, illegal border crossings, the trafficking of dangerous substances and waste, was the focus of a joint OSCE-UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Inland Transport Security Discussion Forum on Securing the Global Supply Chain that ended in Geneva today...

VIENNA, 17 June 2016 – Making migration a resource for public institutions, the private sector, local communities and migrants themselves was the main topic of today’s expert meeting on the long-term approach to migration governance, organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA)...

SARAJEVO, 16 June 2016 – The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina today published the report of Judge Joanna Korner CMG QC on war crimes processing at the state level in Bosnia and Herzegovina...

WARSAW, 17 June 2016 – Today, ahead of Sunday’s International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), reminded states that addressing sexual violence has to be at the centre of conflict-resolution efforts...

TALAS, Kyrgyzstan, 17 June 2016- Addressing local environmental issues through public participation and implementing the Aarhus Convention were the focus of a two-day roundtable discussion in Talas, organized by the Bishkek Aarhus Centre with the support of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek today, and bringing together 30 representatives of civil society, State environmental agencies and the local authorities...

In Donetsk region, the SMM observed fewer ceasefire violations during the night of 15 June, as compared to the previous night, while it recorded more ceasefire violations during the daytime of 16 June compared to the previous day. In particular, it noted a sharp increase in the number of ceasefire violations in the Avdiivka-Yasynuvata area, with more than 300 explosions. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded a single case of ceasefire violations in Veselohorivka. The Mission conducted crater analysis and observed damage to residential houses caused by shelling, in Staromykhailivka, Dokuchaievsk, and Holmivskyi. The Mission’s freedom of movement was restricted on one occasion in a government-controlled area. In Chernivtsi and Kyiv the SMM monitored peaceful protests...

BISHKEK, 17 June 2016 – To mark the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the OSCE Centre in Bishkek in co-operation with the Centre for the Support of International Protection today concluded training courses in Osh and Bishkek on the human rights of persons subjected to involuntary medical treatment in psychiatric institutions...

VIENNA, 17 June 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today condemned the murder of radio journalist Luka Popov in Srpski Krstur, Serbia...

An OSCE-supported summer school session on methods and tools for the assessment and monitoring of Central Asian water and land resources concluded on 17 June 2016 in Almaty, Kazakhstan...

VIENNA, 17 June 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today said she was deeply saddened upon learning of the murder of Jacinto Torres Hernandez, a freelance reporter for La Estrella, a Spanish-language publication in Fort Worth, Texas, USA...

VICENZA, Italy, 17 June 2016 – The OSCE on Friday launched a ground-breaking capacity-building initiative to combat trafficking along migration routes through a series of simulation exercises for 200 regional experts that will take place over the next two years.

Around 50 representatives, including 25 women, from 26 non-governmental organizations and seven OSCE field operations exchanged experiences in trial monitoring at a meeting co-organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Presence in Albania from 15 to 17 June 2016 in Tirana.

The role of civil society coalitions in addressing anti-Semitism was the focus of an event organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), in co-operation with the European Parliament’s Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup (ARDI), on 16 and 17 June 2016 in Brussels.

COPENHAGEN, 17 June 2016 – In response to yesterday's murder of Jo Cox, a member of the British House of Commons, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland), issued the following statement...

ASHGABAT, 17 June 2016 – Religious literacy, society and security were discussed at an OSCE-organized seminar for some 20 legislators, law-enforcement officials and researchers that concluded today in Ashgabat...

In Donetsk region, the SMM observed fewer ceasefire violations compared to the previous day. In Luhansk region, the SMM observed more ceasefire violations compared to the previous day. In Stanytsia Luhanska, the Mission encouraged and actively worked with the sides to reduce tensions at the bridge. The SMM noted long queues at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. The Mission’s freedom of movement was restricted on two occasions in government-controlled areas.* In Kyiv the SMM monitored several peaceful protests...

VIENNA, 16 June 2016- OSCE Heads of Delegations will visit the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) from 19 to 22 June 2016, where they will learn more about the Mission’s work and see first-hand how post-conflict rehabilitation and reform is progressing in the country...

SARAJEVO, 16 June 2016 – An-OSCE supported course on security policy in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) for some 30 participants from government institutions, parliament, police, armed forces, civil society, academia, media and industry concluded today in Sarajevo...

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Tirana on 14 June 2016, where he expressed the OSCE’s commitment to a long-term partnership and support for Albania’s institutions and its citizens...

KYIV, 16 June 2016 – Expressing solidarity with Ukraine in meetings today with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Foreign Miniter Pavlo Klimkin, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) urged the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements to end the conflict in the Donbas region and reiterated the Parliamentary Assembly’s readiness to do its part to de-escalate and resolve the crisis...

ASHGABAT, 16 June 2016 – Officials from the Traffic Control Inspectorate of Turkmenistan’s Interior Ministry and representatives of a local public organization dealing with road safety discussed good practices for promoting road safety awareness at an OSCE-organized three-day seminar that concluded today in Ashgabat...

VIENNA, 16 June 2016 – Accountability is crucial to preventing future crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide, said President of the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC), Judge Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendi as she addressed the 823d meeting of the Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) on Wednesday in Vienna...

COPENHAGEN, 16 June 2016 – Stressing that a revitalization of the OSCE’s commitment to the human dimension of security is needed at a time when a “crisis of leadership and ideas” is coinciding with a humanitarian emergency related to Europe’s refugee and migrant crisis, a report and draft resolution authored by Serbian parliamentarian Gordana Comic offer fresh approaches to ensuring human rights commitments are upheld by OSCE participating States...

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

CHISINAU, 15 June 2016 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Team on Moldova concluded today a three-day visit to Chisinau and Tiraspol, urging that legislative bodies on both sides give greater support to the Transdniestrian settlement process. The delegation was led by Arta Dade (MP, Albania) and included Marietta Tidei (MP, Italy) and Thierry Mariani (MP, France)...

GENEVA, Switzerland, 15 June 2016- The thirty-sixth round of the Geneva International Discussions has just concluded its work...

In Donetsk region, the SMM observed fewer ceasefire violations during the night of 13 June, as compared to the previous night, while it recorded a similarly high level of explosions during the day time of 14 June – compared to the previous day. In Luhansk region, the SMM observed fewer ceasefire violations compared to the previous day. The Mission conducted crater analysis on both sides of the contact line, in Avdiivka, Horlivka and Stanytsia Luhanska. It facilitated adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to infrastructure. The SMM noted long queues at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. The Mission faced four restrictions to its freedom of movement. In Kyiv the SMM monitored two public gatherings...

VIENNA, 15 June 2016 – The twentieth anniversary of the Agreement on Sub-Regional Arms Control Agreement, which served as a framework for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia to engage with each other in order to promote peace and stability in the region, was marked today in Vienna...

PODGORICA, 15 June 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today welcomed revived initiatives by authorities in Montenegro to improve journalists’ safety, and continued efforts by the media community to improve media professionalism and self-regulation in the country...

DUSHANBE, 15 June 2016 – A three-day regional trade facilitation and border management workshop gathering senior trade and customs officials from UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) countries Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan concluded today at the Border Management Staff College in Dushanbe...

BISHKEK, 15 June 2016 – A two-day OSCE-supported regional inter-parliamentary meeting on monitoring and evaluation mechanisms that brought together 20 parliamentarians from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russian Federation, and Tajikistan concluded today in Bishkek. High-level government officials, independent experts, representatives of civil society, international organizations, academia and mass media also attended the event...

KYIV, 15 June 2016 – Yesterday in Kyiv Nadiya Savchenko, Member of the Ukrainian Parliament, recipient of the country’s highest Hero of Ukraine order, and recently released from a Russian prison, paid a surprise visit to an OSCE Parliamentary Assembly delegation under the leadership of President Ilkka Kanerva (MP Finland), who is in Kyiv for meetings with the Ukrainian President and other high level officials...

The SMM observed more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with 11 and 12 June. The Mission conducted crater analysis and observed damages to civilian houses caused by shelling. The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. It facilitated adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to infrastructure. The SMM noted long queues at entry-exit points along the contact line and monitored a border area not controlled by the Government. The SMM noted that the power supply of its repeater in Donetsk city, needed for the operation of remote monitoring equipment, had been reconnected. The Mission faced three restrictions to its freedom of movement.*...

VIENNA, 14 June 2016 – Preventing and responding to the terrorist radicalization of youth north and south of the Mediterranean was in focus of the OSCE Mediterranean Contact Group meeting held today in Vienna...

COPENHAGEN, 14 June 2016 – A report and draft resolution drawing connections between economic and environmental concerns with the broader security environment of the OSCE area will be taken up by members of parliament at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 25th Annual Session, being held in Tbilisi, Georgia, from 1 to 5 July...

BIJELJINA, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 14 June 2016 – The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), in co-operation with the German Embassy in Sarajevo, organized a conference on the role of local communities in economic development bringing together over 80 mayors, leaders of development agencies, local entrepreneurs and government officials who discussed current economic trends and their implications for the local economy...

During her visit to Kosovo from 7 to 10 June 2016, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors focused on education, implementation of the framework of language rights and access to justice. The High Commissioner continues to urge for the adoption of the Strategy for the

VIENNA, 14 June 2016 – Criminal defamation provisions protecting heads of foreign states infringe on media’s right to report on issues of public interest, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović said today as she presented a set of recommendations on the issue...

The SMM observed overall fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region both on 11 and 12 June as compared to 10 June, although the level of violence remained high, in particular in the Avdiivka-Yasynuvata area. The SMM recorded a sharp increase in the number of ceasefire violations in Svitlodarsk and Horlivka on the night of 10 June. In Luhansk region, the SMM observed a similar number of ceasefire violations on the night of 10 June – compared to the previous night and fewer during the remainder of the reporting period – compared to 10 June. On both sides of the contact line, the Mission conducted crater analysis and observed damages to civilian houses caused by shelling. The SMM noted a newly-constructed “LPR” position north of the Siverskyi Donets river at Stadnytsia Luhansk bridge and a newly-constructed Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint in Maiorsk. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire, and facilitated the transportation of a patient at the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge for medical care. In Kyiv, it monitored the “Equality march”, which passed off peacefully. Armed “DPR” members kept the power supply to SMM’s repeater in Donetsk city disconnected and the SMM faced one additional restriction on its freedom of movement, in a border area not controlled by the Government...

Human rights and fair trial standards, as reflected in recent decisions of the Armenian Cassation Court, the country’s highest judicial instance for all except constitutional matters, were the focus of an OSCE-supported training workshop held on June 11 and 12 in Dilijan, Armenia. The workshop aimed at promoting transparency and predictability of justice and a unified application of the law...