News and press releases

ALMATY, Kazakhstan, 21 October 2011 – The first of three OSCE-supported training seminars for local judges to promote human rights protection at the pre-trial stage of criminal proceedings through better judicial review was launched in Almaty today...

Ukraine’s draft law on parliamentary elections could go further to ensure fully democratic elections, says a joint opinion by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission...

SOUTHAMPTON, United Kingdom, 21 October 2011 – Kazakhstani government officials and oil industry executives concluded a two-day study tour today in the British port city of Southampton to learn about contemporary approaches to oil spill preparedness and response...

BISHKEK, 20 October 2011 – An OSCE-supported discussion on the contemporary role of female police officers took place today in Bishkek to mark the first anniversary of the Association of Women Police in Kyrgyzstan...

Some 20 judges, prosecutors and representatives of the Journalists’ Association of Serbia and the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia gathered on 19 October 2011 in Belgrade to discuss the decriminalization of libel...

TBILISI, 20 October 2011 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, today opened the eighth annual South Caucasus Media Conference, focusing this year on media pluralism and Internet governance...

BISHKEK, 20 October 2011 – A two-week training course on the use of information analysis methods organized by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek started today in Bishkek...

LVIV, Ukraine, 20 October 2011 – Reform of Ukraine’s legal education system is a focus of a four-day OSCE-supported conference that started in Lviv today...

VILNIUS, 20 October 2011 – The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis, today sent condolences to the families of those killed in last night's deadly attacks near Cukurca and Yuksekova, and to the government and people of Turkey...

PRISHTINЁ/PRIŠTINA, 19 October 2011 – An advocacy-skills training for 20 defence lawyers appearing in war crimes cases was held today in Prishtinë/Priština, as part of the War Crimes Justice Project...

SKOPJE, 19 October 2011 – Improving the drafting of legislation is the aim of an OSCE-supported conference on regulation policy that started in Skopje today...

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 18 October 2011 – The OSCE Mission in Kosovo and the Interior Ministry launched today an anti-trafficking and domestic violence helpline...

BRUSSELS, 18 October 2011 – The OSCE’s engagement with Afghanistan has been a priority of the Lithuanian Chairmanship of the Organization this year, and further practical steps should be taken in co-ordination with international and regional actors to promote security in the country, said the Head of the OSCE Chairmanship Task Force Ambassador Rytis Paulauskas at the NATO Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) meeting in Brussels today...

KYIV, 18 October 2011 – A national roundtable discussion on the implementation of a state-led mechanism of the identification and rehabilitation of victims of human trafficking started in Kyiv today...

KYZYLORDA, Kazakhstan, 18 October 2011- An OSCE-supported conference on biodiversity conservation, climate change response, sustainable development and comprehensive integrated water resources management (IWRM) in Kazakhstan’s Aral Sea Basin Area started today in Kyzylorda, Southern Kazakhstan...

YEREVAN, 18 October 2011 – International standards for the protection of witnesses, procedural measures during investigation and adjudication processes, and practical recommendations for improvement of witness protection are in the subject of an OSCE-supported report presented today in Yerevan...

VIENNA, 18 October 2011 – The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, called on governments to intensify the fight against modern-day slavery and prioritize victims’ rights on the occasion of the European Union Anti-Trafficking Day on 18 October...

Assessment of the implementation of economic and environmental commitments by the OSCE participating States and identification of priorities for future work is the focus of the Economic and Environmental Dimension Implementation Meeting, which started at the Hofburg in Vienna on 17 October 2011...

A 5-day workshop for border officials on counter-terrorism and human rights organized by the OSCE Border Management Staff College (BMSC) started in Vilnius on 17 October 2011...

VIENNA, 17 October 2011 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, welcomed today the release from custody of two Tajik journalists convicted on charges resulting from their professional activities, and called for their acquittal.

SARAJEVO, 14 October 2011 – Dunja Mijatović, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, today strongly condemned the bomb attack targeted at Bulgarian television journalist Sasho Dikov and urged the authorities to carry out a swift and transparent investigation...

VIENNA, 14 October 2011 – The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Republic of Albania, Edmond Haxhinasto, addressing the Special Session of the OSCE Permanent Council praised today the OSCE’s engagement in the Western Balkans, stressed the need for closer regional integration, and spoke about Albania’s intention to promote tolerance and non-discrimination and assist the democratic transition in the Mediterranean...

SARAJEVO, 14 October 2011 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, today called upon governments and businesses in South Eastern Europe to refrain from politicizing the media and urged journalists to enhance their co-operation and professional standards...

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 14 October 2011 – Acting Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Edward Joseph, today called on Kosovo institutions to fully implement decisions of the Independent Oversight Board for Civil Service...

The OSCE Mission to Skopje donated training equipment worth some 60,000 euros to the Interior Ministry in Skopje on 13 October 2011...

Fourteen representatives from civil society and domestic non-partisan election observation organizations from Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia are participating in a four-day training event on good practices in election observation organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)...

The importance of establishing strong and independent national human rights institutions (NHRIs) in Central Asia was the focus of a workshop organized by ODIHR and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on 12 October...

KYIV, 12 October, 2011 – The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine (PCU) handed over 13 modern metal detectors to the Emergency Situations Ministry at a ceremony in Kyiv today...

BISHKEK, 12 October 2011 – An OSCE-supported National Forum on Police Reform in Kyrgyzstan took place today in Bishkek. Senior government officials, members of parliament, political party leaders, as well as police experts and representatives of the civil society and international organizations attended...

The OSCE can provide concrete support to its Mediterranean partners in the transition to democracy, Ambassador Janez Lenarčič, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) told a conference in Budva, Montenegro on 11 October...

YEREVAN, 11 October 2011 – An OSCE-supported publication comprising legal review, analysis and interpretations of selected decisions of the Armenian Cassation Court was presented today in Yerevan...

VILNIUS, 11 October 2011 – The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis, expressed concern at the conviction today of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko and urged full transparency during the appeals process...

Establishing a more systemic and sustainable protection of the rights of victims of human trafficking and labour exploitation through national referral mechanisms is the focus of an OSCE-supported three-day workshop that opened in Tashkent on 10 October, 2011...

The OSCE Presence in Albania, in co-operation with the Municipality of Elbasan organized on 11 October 2011 the first of a series of ten training seminars on child protection...

ASTANA, 11 October 2011 – Online video seminar for regional prosecutors on international standards and national practices on mediation was held in Astana today...

Participants at the Human Dimension Implementation Meeting in Warsaw on 6 October concluded that improving local and national child-protection systems can effectively curb the trafficking of children...

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, reiterated her view that free media and national security go hand-in-hand, talking to law students on 3 October at George Washington University at the Global Internet Freedom and Human Rights Distinguished Speaker Series...

BERN, 10 October 2011 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an election assessment mission for the federal elections to be held in Switzerland on 23 October...

AKTAU, Kazakhstan, 10 October 2011- A four-day OSCE-organized workshop on integrated border management for 15 Kazakhstani border service officials began today in Aktau, a city on the Caspian Sea...

Victims of trafficking must have access to justice and effective legal remedies, participants at the OSCE’s annual human rights conference said on 6 October...

Ways to support the OSCE partner countries in the Southern Mediterranean was the focus of the annual OSCE Mediterranean Conference in Budva, Montenegro on 10-11 October 2011...

THE HAGUE, 10 October 2011 – OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Knut Vollebaek issued the following statement today...

SARAJEVO, 10 October 2011 – Defence attorneys practicing before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and defence lawyers from the region met in Sarajevo today to exchange experiences and promote a new manual on international criminal defence...

VIENNA, 10 October 2011- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, condemned today the prosecution’s request for a 16-year prison term for Tajik journalist Mahmadyusuf Ismoilov and called for his immediate release.

Violations of property rights, a poor socio-economic situation, security concerns and a lack of participation in public affairs are some of the pressing issues affecting the Kosovo Croat community in Viti/Vitina municipality, concludes an OSCE Mission in Kosovo report published on 10 October 2011.

DUBROVNIK, Croatia, 9 October 2011 – Members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly today called for closer co-operation with Mediterranean countries to promote democratic transition and strengthen international engagement in the region...

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 7 October 2011 – The Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Edward Joseph, today voiced concern over the recent spate of burglaries and looting in the returns site of Bablak/Babljak village in the central municipality of Ferizaj/Uroševac...

More than 200 parliamentary representatives from 50 OSCE countries and Mediterranean Partner States are gathering in Dubrovnik for the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's Tenth Fall Meeting on 7-10 October 2011...

DUBROVNIK, Croatia, 7 October 2011 – President Petros Efthymiou and political leaders of Croatia, speaking today at the opening of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Fall Meetings, held up the progress in South East Europe as an example of successful growth that can come from international co-operation.

SARAJEVO, 7 October 2011 – An OSCE-supported two-day conference to foster regional co-operation among the judiciaries in the region in the fight against corruption, organized crime and war crimes concluded in Sarajevo today...