News and press releases

VIENNA, 27 October 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today condemned the shutdown of yet another media outlet in Kazakhstan, a move that can further limit free expression and free media in the country...

The Local Youth Councils of Kichevo, Bitola and Centar municipalities participated in the second OSCE Mission to Skopje-supported capacity building seminar that took place from 25- 27 October 2015 in Ohrid...

The OSCE Mission to Moldova organized the second in a series of three debate tournaments for 24 students and six teachers from Bender, Ceadîr-Lunga, Comrat, Tiraspol and Vulcănești. During the event, which took place on 24 October 2015 in Ceadîr-Lunga, the young participants deliberated on how to achieve professional development goals...

COPENHAGEN, 27 October 2015 – The Azerbaijani government’s crackdown on independent and critical voices has a particularly damaging effect ahead of the country’s 1 November parliamentary elections, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s democracy and human rights Chairperson, Isabel Santos (MP, Portugal), said today...

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*. Donetsk and Luhansk regions remained largely calm, despite some explosions. The SMM observed no security incidents in relation to Election Day. The SMM visited Debaltseve and observed few civilians and the presence of armed groups...

KYIV, 26 October 2015 – Ukraine’s local elections were competitive and well organized overall, and the campaign generally showed respect for the democratic process, international observers concluded in a statement issued today. Nevertheless, the complexity of the legal framework, the dominance of powerful economic groups, threats and physical attacks against candidates, and the fact that virtually all campaign coverage in the media was paid for all underscore the need for further reform. Additional efforts are needed to further enhance the integrity of and public confidence in the electoral process, the observers said...

A two-day training seminar on the use of density metres for inspecting vehicles entering Kazakhstan began on 26 October 2015 in Kazygurt, near the city of Shymkent and close to the Uzbekistan border...

Some 100 attorneys from across the country attended an OSCE-supported training course in Skopje on 26 October 2015 focusing on the rules of evidence as presented in the Law on Criminal Procedure...

The OSCE Mission to Skopje is supporting a five-day train-the-trainers course for the country’s Interior Ministry officials on crisis management in hostage situations and hostage negotiations from 26 to 30 October 2015 at the International Training Centre in Budapest, Hungary...

PODGORICA, 25 October 2015 – The OSCE Mission to Montenegro condemns the acts of violence that took place last night in Podgorica, which resulted in damage to property, including the Albanian Embassy, and injuries to police officers, journalists and civilians. Violence in the pursuit of political aims has no place in modern democratic societies.

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 situation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions was relatively calm although a number of explosions were recorded...

VIENNA, 24 October 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today expressed concern about a recent attack against a journalist with Buzzfeed and an attempt to storm the offices of Agence France Presse (AFP) during a public protest in Paris.

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 situation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions was relatively calm.

ASTANA, 23 October 2015 – New risks and challenges to the security architecture in the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian space and implications for regional security were the focus of an OSCE-supported high-level international conference held today in Astana marking forty years of the Helsinki Final Act and the fifth anniversary of the Astana Commemorative Declaration...

DUSHANBE, 23 October 2015 – Ways to increase the recruitment, retention and advancement of female border officers to address women’s under-representation in border security management were highlighted at a roundtable discussion held today in Dushanbe at the OSCE Border Management Staff College...

JAHORINA, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 23 October 2015- The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), in co-operation with the Ministry of Security of BiH, held a two-day workshop in Jahorina, on engaging civil society in countering violent extremism which concluded today...

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine is organizing an autumn school in Kyiv from 22 to 24 October 2015, bringing together law professors from 15 universities across Ukraine to learn about the current trends in criminal law and teaching methodologies...

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana launched a series of four one-day training seminars on 23 October 2015 in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, on providing social services to victims of human trafficking...

The OSCE Office in Yerevan supported a workshop in Yerevan on 23 October 2015 to promote discussions, analysis and reflections on human rights-related articles contained within the draft package of amendments to Armenia’s Constitution...

The training of trainers remains an effective way to disseminate knowledge among legal professionals in handling cases of human trafficking, domestic violence and the sexual exploitation of children through the internet, concludes an evaluation report presented by the OSCE Mission to Moldova on 22 October 2015 in Chisinau...

CHORNOBYL, Ukraine, 22 October 2015- A software programme for estimating radiation doses in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone for Ukrainian firefighters engaged in suppressing local wildfires was today handed over to the State Enterprise “Chornobyl Spetskombinat” by the OSCE...

On 22 October 2015 at 06:58hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 46 vehicles were checked by the Russian border guard and customs services. All the vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 14:47hrs on 22 October...

VIENNA, 22 October 2015 – In their annual report to the OSCE Permanent Council, the Co-Chairs of the Geneva International Discussions: OSCE Special Representative Angelo Gnädinger, United Nations (UN) Representative Antti Turunen and European Union (EU) Special Representative Herbert Salber, stressed the importance of political will to continue negotiations and consolidate dialogue within the Discussions’ format and assessed the current security situation on the ground as stable and relatively calm...

NEW YORK, 22 October 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today reiterated her concern about the ongoing ownership dispute involving the Georgian television channel Rustavi 2 and its implications for media pluralism in the country...

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 situation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions was relatively calm, although the SMM heard several explosions. The SMM continued monitoring the withdrawal of weapons stipulated in the Addendum to the Package of measures in Luhansk and Donetsk regions...

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 overall situation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions was relatively stable. The SMM heard a number of explosions at the outskirts of Donetsk city and confirmed reports of a person killed. The SMM continued monitoring the withdrawal of weapons stipulated in the Addendum to the Package of measures in Luhansk and further in Donetsk regions...

Police, prosecutors and members of the Security Service from Ukraine discussed effective responses to hate crime and international standards on freedom of religion or belief during a three-day study visit to Warsaw organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) from 19 to 21 October 2015.

SWEIMEH, Jordan, 20 October 2015 – Challenges affecting the Mediterranean region require co-operative solutions as they cannot be effectively tackled by any single country alone, assess participants at the 2015 Annual OSCE Mediterranean Conference in Jordan...

VIENNA, 20 October 2015 – Croatian law enforcement officers should facilitate the work of journalists reporting on the refugee crisis, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović said today...

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. A fortieth Russian Convoy crossed the Donetsk BCP...

ASTANA, 20 October 2015 – An OSCE-supported presentation of the annual report of the Human Rights Commission under the President published in the Kazakh, Russian and English languages with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana took place today at the Foreign Ministry 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*. The situation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions was relatively calm, although the SMM heard several explosions. Verification of withdrawal stipulated in the Addendum to the Package of measures was not scheduled for the reporting period. The SMM observed a gathering of some 300 people in front of the residence of SMM monitors in Donetsk city...

VIENNA, 20 October 2015 – Young journalists from Russia and Ukraine met in Vienna on 19 and 20 October to discuss professional ethical standards and to develop ideas for joint projects...

VIENNA, 20 October 2015 – The circumstances of the death of journalist Jacky Sutton must be swiftly investigated, Dunja Mijatović, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media said today...

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 19 October 2015 – The OSCE Mission in Kosovo today launched a two-week public information campaign, “Let’s not grow up with hate”, which focuses on preventing hate speech...

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 situation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions was relatively calm, although the SMM registered non-training related explosions in Luhansk and Donetsk regions. Armed individuals prevented the SMM from monitoring in Luhansk region an area near the border with the Russian Federation...

VIENNA, 19 October 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today called for a full investigation into the recent attack on the office of TV Pink M in Podgorica, Montenegro, in which one journalist suffered minor injuries...

VIENNA, 19 October 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today opened a seminar in Vienna on freedom of the media in the OSCE region for members of the Turkish judiciary...

An OSCE-supported five-day training seminar on countering cybercrime for representatives of the host country’s governmental institutions and law-enforcement agencies began on 19 October 2015 in Almaty, Kazakhstan...

VIENNA, 19 October 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today warned of new legislation in Kazakhstan that could limit the activities of NGOs, including media NGOs...

COPENHAGEN, 19 October 2015 – OSCE parliamentarians will observe the upcoming early parliamentary elections in Turkey and provide leadership for the OSCE's short-term observer mission...

An OSCE-supported certification programme aimed to help representatives of the banking sector to detect and to prevent money laundering and terrorism financing in compliance with international standards was launched on 19 October 2015 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

PODGORICA, 18 October 2015- The OSCE Mission to Montenegro is concerned with the recent violent events in the centre of Podgorica and calls on all sides to demonstrate restraint...

VIENNA, 18 October 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today expressed concern about the arrests of two journalists covering public protests in Podgorica, Montenegro, and urged for swift and transparent investigations of the cases...

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 received written declarations related to the withdrawal of mortars in Luhansk region by the sides...

Promoting multicultural diversity and improving co-operation between civil society and local institutions were the aims of an Open Day of Multiculturalism held in Kichevo on 17 October 2015, supported by the OSCE Mission to Skopje and the Citizens’ Group “Vredit da si od Kichevo” (It’s worth being from Kichevo)...

ASTANA, 17 October 2015 – The implementation of youth-oriented policies, the promotion of sustainable development and youth empowerment are the focus of the sixth annual two-day “Zhas (Youth) Camp” that began today in Astana, Kazakhstan...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. The situation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions was relatively calm, although the SMM continued to register dozens of explosions. The SMM monitored mortar withdrawal activities conducted under the Addendum to the Package of measures in Luhansk region. It also spotted convoys marked as Russian Federation humanitarian aid...

OSH, Kyrgyzstan, 16 October 2015- The OSCE Centre in Bishkek organized a three-day training course for 25 officers from the medical services of the Kyrgyz armed forces on the Istanbul Protocol – a UN manual on documenting torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and punishment...

Elections experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) met with electoral stakeholders in Tirana from 14 to 16 October 2015 to present recommendations from the final report on the 21 June 2015 local elections in Albania.