News and press releases

VIENNA, 20 November 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today called on the Bulgarian authorities to fully investigate recent threats against journalists...

COPENHAGEN, 20 November 2015 – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, the Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's Committee on Political Affairs and Security, today marked the 20th anniversary of the Dayton Agreement, which restored peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina and preserved the country’s unity and territorial integrity...

DUSHANBE, 20 November 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today deplored the decision of Russian authorities to include the media NGO Glasnost Defence Foundation (GDF) in the register of “foreign agents"...

BISHKEK, 20 November 2015- The OSCE Centre in Bishkek is organizing a three-day seminar, starting today, with a focus on parliamentary ethics and law as well as the structure and functions of the 120-sit Kyrgyzstan’s parliament (Jogorku Kenesh)...

Arabic and French versions of the booklet on The OSCE Mediterranean Partnership for Co-operation: A Compilation of Relevant Documents and Information, issued in December 2014 to mark the 20th anniversary of the Contact Group with the Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation, were presented on 19 November 2015 in Vienna...

ASHGABAT, 20 November 2015 –An OSCE-organized roundtable discussion on the development of national anti-corruption system in Turkmenistan concluded in Ashgabat today...

GLION, MONTREUX, Switzerland, 19 November 2015 – The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Madina Jarbussynova, today urged governments to include human rights standards in their procurement regulations to combat human trafficking in the construction industry, especially in projects for mega sporting events.

In her statement to the Permanent Council on 19 November 2015, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) Astrid Thors provided information on her institution’s activities since July 2015 highlighting its thematic work as well as the situation in Ukraine...

The Turkish translation of the Guidelines on the Legal Personality of Religious or Belief Communities was launched in Istanbul on 19 November 2015, at a meeting bringing together more than 50 representatives of public authorities, religious or belief communities, academia and civil society organizations.

Facilitating collaboration among civil society groups and strengthening co-operation with governments were the focus of a two-day conference organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Vienna, on 18 and 19 November 2015.

VIENNA, 19 November 2015 – Resolution of the conflict in and around Ukraine and what the OSCE can do to better mitigate the migrant crisis and counter terrorism were the topics in focus as OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) addressed the Organization’s Permanent Council in Vienna today...

TARAZ, Kazakhstan, 19 November 2015 – A two-part OSCE-supported training seminar on protecting human rights began today in Taraz, Zhambyl Region, targeting regional administration officials, law-enforcement officers, judges, prosecutors, academics and representatives of civil society...

DUSHANBE, 19 November 2015 – A ten-day Border Management Awareness (BMA) course for 24 border officers from Afghanistan and Tajikistan concluded today at the OSCE Border Management Staff College (BMSC) in Dushanbe...

KYIV, 19 November 2015 – Amendments to Ukraine’s Constitution that are essential for judicial reform are being debated today by experts, officials, diplomats and academic representatives at an event organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine...

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded a significant increase in ceasefire violations. Live-fire training continued in close proximity to the contact line, on both sides of it.

The SMM recorded in Donetsk region significantly fewer explosions than the previous day. In Luhansk, monitors registered a small number of training-related firing incidents.

The third and last in a series of student debate tournaments organized by the OSCE Mission to Moldova was held on 14 November 2015 in Ceadîr-Lunga, during which 40 students and six teachers from Bender, Cahul, Ceadîr-Lunga, Comrat, Taraclia, Tiraspol and Vulcănești honed their debating skills while deliberating on whether political dictatorships can ever be justified...

ST. PETERSBURG, Russian Federation, 18 November 2015 – Following the announcement by Russia’s Council of Mediacongress that the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović is to receive the “Dialogue of Cultures” award, the Representative said she was honoured to receive the prize and repeated her call to Russia’s authorities to fulfil OSCE media freedom commitments and to ensure journalists’ safety and the media’s independence...

JAHORINA, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 18 November 2015 – The 8th Annual Review Conference on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s compliance with OSCE and UN Security Commitments concluded today in Jahorina, having brought together more than 70 participants from the government, civil society and the expert community...

Challenges faced in promoting the integration of migrants in Moldova were the focus of a roundtable meeting organized in Chisinau by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on 18 November 2015...

DUSHANBE, 18 November 2015 – An OSCE- supported conference on Tajikistan’s World Trade Organisation (WTO) commitments in the field of telecommunication and broadcasting services concluded today in Dushanbe...

BISHKEK, 18 November 2015 – The results of the first stage of an OSCE-supported legislative reform project aimed at stimulating growth and reducing corruption were the focus of the third meeting of the Regulatory Reform Council held today in Bishkek...

COPENHAGEN, 18 November 2015 – The Chairperson of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions, Isabel Santos (MP, Portugal), today completed a visit to Brussels and Geneva for meetings with leading European officials on the crisis of migrants and refugees. She advocated a multifaceted approach as the only way to achieve a durable solution...

BISHKEK, 18 November 2015- The Aarhus Centre in Bishkek in co-operation with the Kyrgyz State agency for environmental protection and forestry today trained 30 representatives of human rights organizations, environmental NGOs, legal consultants, lawyers and university lecturers on the principles of the Aarhus Convention, with a particular focus on justice on environmental matters...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”, including the Addendum. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*.The security situation remained volatile in parts of Donbas, in particular around Donetsk airport where the SMM recorded 145 explosions. In Luhansk region a number of training-related ceasefire violations were recorded.

CHISINAU, 17 November 2015 – The Special Representative of Serbia’s OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniestrian settlement process, Radojko Bogojević, today concluded a visit to the region, which included meetings with political representatives in Chisinau and Tiraspol...

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...

VIENNA, 17 November 2015 – In a special meeting of the Permanent Council to discuss the recent attacks in Paris, the OSCE’S 57 participating States today said they stand united in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism that leads to terrorism, "underlining that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality or civilization"...

A group of five high-level officials from Kazakhstan’s Committee of Emergency Situations of Interior Ministry concluded an OSCE-supported study visit to the European Commission’s Emergency Response Co-ordination Centre (ERCC) in Brussels on 17 November 2015...

ASTANA, 17 November 2015 – A seminar organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana and National Economy Ministry on best practices in local self-governance took place today in Astana, Kazakhstan...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”, including the Addendum. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. On 15 November, the SMM observed a significant increase in the number of explosions and gunfire from its position at Donetsk railway station. The SMM received a number of reports about fatalities in shelling and mine incidents elsewhere in Donetsk region. It followed up on reports about three incidents involving explosives in Uzhhorod. The SMM observed no security incidents in relation to the second round of local elections which took place on 15 November.

More than 30 activists, experts and representatives of civil society organizations from the Western Balkans came together to discuss challenges faced by human rights defenders working in the region at a meeting in Belgrade on 16 November 2015...

WARSAW, 16 November 2015 – Marking the International Day for Tolerance, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today released its 2014 data on its Hate Crime Reporting website...

SARAJEVO, 16 November 2015 – The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina supported 19 coalitions against hate from all over the country in their endeavors to promote positive narratives of tolerance and coexistence during the Month of Tolerance, a campaign that concluded today with the International Day of Tolerance...

KYIV, 16 November 2015 – The second round of Ukraine’s mayoral elections saw business interests influencing the process in most contests, and many candidates focusing their efforts on local coalition building more than on reaching out to voters, observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Elections and Human Rights (ODIHR) concluded in a statement issued today. There was little active campaigning. In a positive development, debates were organized between candidates in a number of regions, the observers said...

KOKSHETAU, Kazakhstan, 16 November 2015 – Some 20 regional and city administration officials, civil society activists and trade union representatives will learn about the provisions and application in Kazakhstan of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) during a two-day OSCE-supported training seminar that began today in Kokshetau...

BELGRADE, 16 November 2015 – The OSCE Mission to Serbia and the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality today marked the International Day of Tolerance with a prize ceremony awarding journalists for their reports on tolerance and non-discrimination...

VIENNA, 16 November 2015 – Peace and security in societies cannot be achieved unless women are fully involved and meaningfully engaged in peace-building processes, said participants of the Security Days event in Vienna on 13 November 2015...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”, including the Addendum. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. The SMM observed a relatively tense general situation in Donetsk region. It also recorded an increased number of incidents involving mines and UXOs...

COPENHAGEN, 14 November 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) today issued the following statement on the 13 November terror attacks in Paris:

Belgrade/Vienna, 14 November 2015 – The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić, and OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier today condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks targeting several locations in the French capital, Paris, that seem to have resulted in killing and injuring dozens. They expressed their deep condolences to the victims, their families and the French government and people, and wished a rapid recovery to the injured, as well as a speedy and safe release of all the hostages.

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”, including the Addendum. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. The SMM heard explosions and small-arms fire in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. “DPR” members stopped the SMM and confiscated a map...

WARSAW, 13 November 2015 – Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), welcomed yesterday’s decision by the Baku Court of Appeals to release Azerbaijani human rights activist Arif Yunus from prison. The court ordered the release on the basis of Yunus’ rapidly deteriorating health...

KYIV, 13 November 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) met today with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin in Kyiv at the conclusion of his three-day visit to the country...

DONETSK OBLAST, Ukraine, 12 November 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) today visited a range of sites in government-controlled Donetsk oblast, Ukraine, including near the line of contact with separatist-held areas, to survey the security situation and highlight the humanitarian tragedy resulting from the conflict.

The Policy Advisers Course for Eastern Partners, co-organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the School of Public Policy (SPP) at Central European University, and the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) in Budapest, Hungary, from 11 to 13 November 2015, provided 20 participants an opportunity to discuss promoting youth political participation in the OSCE region...

The emergency situation of refugees in Europe was the focus of an expert panel meeting, organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on 12 and 13 November 2015 in Warsaw...

ASTANA, 13 November 2015 – An OSCE-supported international conference on the Green Bridge Partnership Programme (GBPP) as platform for promoting best practices and innovations in a green economy took place today in Astana, Kazakhstan...

DUSHANBE, 13 November 2015 – Some 24 senior and mid-level staff of K-9 Centre of Tajikistan’s Interior Ministry from Dushanbe and the country’s regions today completed a two-week training course, facilitated by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan, on the effective use of service dogs in the fight against terrorism and organized crime...

DUSHANBE, 13 November 2015 – Twenty-two officers from the Main Directorate of Tajik Border Troops today completed a four-week training course on patrolling and leadership organized by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan at the Gissar Training Centre...