News and press releases

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA / VIENNA, 27 January 2016 – The Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Jean-Claude Schlumberger, and the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, today expressed concern over the attack yesterday on Gazmend Morina, a journalist with the Mitrovica South-based news portal Veriu.info...

The SMM observed a number of ceasefire violations across Donetsk region. In Luhansk region, it also observed instances of ceasefire violations, including live-fire training. It continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. The Mission continued also to facilitate repairs to vital civilian infrastructure. The SMM met with a civilian wounded by a booby trap in Zaitseve. The SMM faced restrictions to its freedom of movement once in a government-controlled area and three times in “LPR”-controlled areas...

VIENNA, 27 January 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today condemned an attack against a journalist by police officers in Belarus, and called on the authorities to ensure journalists’ safety...

TBILISI, 27 January 2016 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Secretary General Roberto Montella and Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia David Usupashvili today signed an official agreement on Georgia’s hosting of the Assembly’s 2016 Annual Session, to be held in Tbilisi this summer...

WARSAW, 27 January 2016 – Holocaust remembrance and education play a fundamental role in promoting mutual understanding and tolerance, OSCE officials said today, on the occasion of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

TBILISI, 26 January 2016 – A senior delegation from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly met in Tbilisi today with Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze and parliamentary leaders for discussions on political developments in the country and the region...

The SMM observed a small number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In Luhansk region, it observed no ceasefire violations. “LPR” members restricted its freedom of movement on six ocasions. The Mission continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs of critical infrastructure. The SMM also followed up on reports of civilians injured during shelling in Zaitseve, the water shortages in Luhansk city.

LOS ANGELES, 26 January 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today said that the recent prison sentences handed down to two bloggers in Kazakhstan constitute yet another attempt to silence differing voices in the country...

VIENNA, 25 January 2016 – Good environmental governance and sustainable development- central elements of the economic and environmental dimension of the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security- are the focus of the two-day 1st Preparatory Meeting of the 24th OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum, which opened today in Vienna...

BAKU, 25 January 2016 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Vice-President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) today led a high-level parliamentary delegation to Baku for meetings with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Parliament Speaker Ogtay Asadov, Prime Minister Artur Rasizade, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and other leaders on a wide range of domestic and regional issues...

Due to adverse weather and other operational requirements, the SMM limited its patrolling in Donbas in order to conduct first aid, evacuation and medical evacuation drills. The SMM however, did observe ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. The Mission monitored the situation at crossing points at the administrative boundary line between Kherson region and Crimea. In Lviv, the Mission monitored a meeting between the Regional Council and representatives of different Russian national cultural organizations. The SMM monitored events marking the Day of Unity of Ukraine on 22 January 2016 in Chernivtsi and Lviv.

LOS ANGELES, 23 January 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today expressed concern about reports that Russian journalists are being repeatedly denied entry into Moldova.

The SMM observed a number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, mainly at and around Donetsk airport and in Marinka. In Luhansk region, the Mission observed ceasefire violations including the use of Addendum-regulated weapons and heavy weapons during live-fire exercises on both sides of the contact line. “DPR” and “LPR” members restricted the SMM’s freedom of movement.* The SMM could reach certain non-government-controlled border areas in Luhansk region for the first time.

The SMM observed ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. It faced restrictions to its freedom of movement, most of which were imposed by “DPR” members in areas north-east of Mariupol*. The Mission spoke to a “DPR” member and civilians at a checkpoint on the outskirts of Horlivka. In Lviv, some 200 coal miners held a peaceful protest over unpaid salaries. In Kyiv, it followed up on electricity supply problems affecting two centres for internally displaced persons...

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Turkish National Police Academy signed a memorandum of understanding in Ankara on 22 January 2016 to implement the Training Against Hate Crime for Law Enforcement (TAHCLE) programme.

VIENNA, 22 January 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 – welcome efforts to find a negotiated settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and are prepared to work cooperatively with those committed to a peaceful settlement.

COPENHAGEN, 22 January 2016 – The Chairperson of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions Committee, Isabel Santos (MP, Portugal), today expressed concern about legislation proposed by the Danish government that would allow the authorities to seize the valuables of asylum-seekers to help cover the cost of their stay in the country. She called on Denmark's parliamentarians to reject the proposed amendments...

The SMM observed an increase in the number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region as compared to the previous three days, mainly at and around Donetsk airport and Debaltseve. In Luhansk region, recorded ceasefire violations were training related. The SMM’s freedom of movement was restricted on four occasions in areas not controlled by the Government.* The Mission followed up on media reports about damage to a World War II monument in Kharkiv and an alleged seizure of a church in Rivne. In Kyiv, the Mission observed a public gathering by groups commemorating the beginning of the confrontations on Maidan in 2014 and its victims...

The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings Madina Jarbussynova on 21 January 2016 commended the Czech Republic for a number of moves to intensify anti-trafficking efforts...

VIENNA, 21 January 2016 – Remembering the Holocaust reminds us of our duty to speak out against the denial of these grave crimes and to work for tolerance and non-discrimination in our societies, said keynote speakers addressing the meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council today, which was dedicated to commemorating the International Holocaust Remembrance Day on 27 January...

VIENNA, 21 January 2016 – The OSCE’s 57 participating States today took a consensus decision to extend the mandate of the OSCE Observer Mission at the Russian checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk by three months to 30 April 2016...

To strengthen their response to hate crime, 46 trainers and law enforcement officers from Ukraine took part in a training-of-trainers event, organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on 19-21 January 2016 in Odesa.

BERLIN, 20 January 2016 – How to continue enhancing confidence between OSCE participating States and prevent possible cyber-related tensions was the focus of a conference organized today by Germany’s 2016 OSCE Chairmanship at the German Federal Foreign Office in Berlin...

ERGNETI, 20 January 2016- The 62nd meeting under the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) took place today in Ergneti, co-facilitated by Kęstutis Jankauskas, the Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), and Guenther Baechler, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus...

The SMM observed relative calm with only a small number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk region. “LPR” members prevented the SMM from travelling to Chervonyi Zhovten, near the border area. The Mission continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs of critical infrastructure in Donetsk region. It observed an 82mm mortar set-up on the outskirts of “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city...

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

Whilst areas at and around Donetsk airport remained largely calm with one ceasefire violation recorded, the SMM continued to note violations elsewhere, in particular around Horlivka and Kominternove. The situation in Luhansk region remained relatively calm, with no ceasefire violations observed. The Mission experienced a freedom-of-movement restriction in Kominternove, where “DPR” members prevented it from observing alleged damage caused by shelling at a civilian house and conducting crater analysis...

VIENNA, 19 January 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today condemned the violent beating of Bulgarian journalist Stoyan Tonchev...

VIENNA, 19 January 2016 – Commemorating the ninth anniversary of the assassination of the Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović reiterated her call for a swift and transparent judicial procedure to identify the masterminds behind the murder...

Whilst areas at and around Donetsk airport remained largely calm, the SMM continued to note ceasefire violations elsewhere, in particular in areas north-east of Mariupol, and around Horlivka. An SMM patrol came under small-arms fire in Marinka. The Mission experienced multiple freedom-of-movement restrictions, mainly in areas not controlled by the Government...

OSLO, 18 January 2016 – Participating in the launch of the Norwegian Foreign Ministry’s new strategy for freedom of expression, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today lauded Norway’s initiative...

On 16 January at 10:44hrs, an SMM patrol comprised of three monitors, one paramedic and one language assistant in two armoured vehicles arrived at a field in the vicinity of government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk) – some 1.5km from the contact line – to conduct a general assessment of the damages to a gas pipeline...

KYIV, 17 January 2016 – The Chief Monitor of the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) Ertugrul Apakan condemned yesterday’s incident in which small-arms fire disrupted the work of the Mission’s monitors near Marinka in eastern Ukraine, and issued the following statement...

A number of ceasefire violations were recorded in Donetsk and Luhansk. The Mission facilitated the delivery of urgently needed haemodialysis equipment for patients in Horlivka hospital no.2. The SMM observed damage to houses in Kominternove and was prevented from entering a building and adjacent yard in the village by “DPR” members. An SMM unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was damaged by small-arms fire in Luhansk region...

Kyiv, 16 January 2016- The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) today opened a new Forward Patrol Base in the Luhansk region, becoming the Mission’s eighth such Base in the Donbas...

There’s no alternative to the Minsk agreement and implementing this document is needed, desirable and easy, said Alexander Hug, the Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, as he visited Kominternove and Shyrokyne in the Donetsk region on 15 January 2016...

BERLIN / VIENNA, 15 January 2016 — OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier today welcomed the presentation by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of the UN Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism...

The SMM observed a number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. In particular, the Mission noted continued shelling in Horlivka, and a significant number of ceasefire violations in the outskirts of Kominternove. In Luhansk region, the SMM observed fresh craters assessed to have been caused by mortar fire. The Mission continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair of critical infrastructure...

COPENHAGEN, 15 January 2016 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) has appointed Austrian parliamentarian and OSCE PA Vice-President Christine Muttonen to serve as the Assembly’s Special Representative for Central and Eastern Asia...

VIENNA, 14 January 2016 – Germany, as this year’s Chair of the OSCE, aims to steer the Organization as a platform for real and honest dialogue, said Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in his first address as OSCE Chairperson-in-Office to the Permanent Council in Vienna today...

VIENNA, 14 January 2016 – OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier and ODIHR Director Michael Georg Link called today on political party leaders in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to act in the interest of all of the country’s citizens and take all necessary steps to ensure the full and timely realization of all elements of the Przino Agreement...

The SMM observed a number of ceasefire violations in the Donbas, including at and around Donetsk airport, and close to Horlivka. The Mission received from the Ukrainian authorities additional baseline information related to the withdrawal of heavy weapons, including withdrawal locations. The SMM did not experience any concrete freedom-of-movement restrictions in the Donbas. The Mission visited Kominternove, and a border area not controlled by the Government...

KYIV, 14 January 2016- The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine today opens two new Forward Patrol Bases in the Donetsk region – in Krasnoarmiisk and Svitlodarsk, enabling monitors to be based and accommodated closer to the contact line in these areas...

The SMM observed a calm situation in most parts of Donbas, including at and around Donetsk airport, but recorded numerous ceasefire violations close to Horlivka. The Mission found a number of previously-observed weapons missing from a Ukrainian Armed Forces heavy weapons holding area. It experienced numerous freedom-of-movement restrictions* in areas not controlled by the Government, in particular in areas in and around Kominternove...

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

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

In the face of growing transnational and global threats, regional organizations must step up their efforts to co-operate more effectively to maintain peace and security, said OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier at the Vienna UN Conference on 13 January 2016...

BERLIN, 13 January 2016- The OSCE Chairperson in Office, Federal Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier, today condemned yesterday’s terrorist attack in Istanbul in the strongest possible terms, and offered his deepest sympathy and condolences to the families and friends of the victims. “This is a difficult time for all of us – a time of grief, rage and shock,” he said...

VIENNA, 12 January 2016 – OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier today condemned in the strongest terms the act of terror perpetrated on a tourist site in Istanbul that killed at least 10 people and left another 15 wounded.

The SMM observed over 20 ceasefire violations involving the use of mortar, all in the wider area of Kominternove, but no ceasefire violations in the area of Donetsk airport. All ceasefire violations in Luhansk region were assessed as live-fire exercises. The Mission saw armed men in Kominternove and spoke to residents. The SMM followed up on casualties from alleged exchange of fire in Zaitseve on 9 January. The SMM followed up on tensions between religious communities in western Ukraine and monitored a peaceful commemoration in Odessa...