News and press releases

VIENNA, 20 June 2011 – Human trafficking for labour exploitation is a new form of slavery that occurs on a massive scale, the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, said today at an OSCE-hosted conference that highlights how decent work and social justice can prevent it...

CHISINAU, 20 June 2011 – Yesterday’s run-off elections in Moldova provided equitable conditions for contestants and were characterized by respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, but the second rounds also confirmed the need for further reforms to consolidate progress, observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) concluded in a statement issued today...

YEREVAN, 20 June 2011 –– Efforts to bring Armenian police detention centres in line with national legislation and international human rights standards are progressing, but further improvement of national legislative framework and practice is needed, says an OSCE-supported report released today...

VILNIUS, 19 June 2011 – The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis, expressed his sorrow over the passing of Yelena Bonner, one of Russia's most prominent human rights activists.

On Friday, June 17, 2011, the OSCE, the European Union and the Ministry for Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia jointly launched the Nikosi water project, which envisages the installation of pipes and a pump in order to supply the Nikosi and Saltvisi areas, close to Administrative Boundary Line, with irrigation water...

DVANI, 17 June 2011- On 17 June the 13th meeting under the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism took place in Dvani. The meeting was co-facilitated by the EUMM and the OSCE...

The 3 April early presidential election in Kazakhstan revealed shortcomings similar to those in previous elections, the final report published by ODIHR on 17 June concluded. While the election was technically well-administered, the absence of opposition candidates and of a vibrant political discourse resulted in a non-competitive environment...

Twelve members of Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for Religious Affairs took part in a two-day training seminar in Istanbul on 14 and 15 June 2011, organized by the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in co-operation with the OSCE Centre in Bishkek...

This week 77 Moldovan former military officers completed courses in Chisinau, Cahul and Ungheni designed to help former members of the National Army, the Carabinieri and the Border Guard Service make the transition to civilian life...

SARAJEVO, 17 June 2011 – A review of anti-trafficking legislation in Bosnia and Herzegovina was presented in Sarajevo at an event hosted by the OSCE Mission today...

ASTANA, 17 June 2011 – A round table meeting on public access to information in Kazakhstan, organized by the OSCE Centre jointly with the National Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Danish Institute for Human Rights started today in Astana...

VIENNA, 16 June 2011- The following is a press release issued by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on 16 June. The views expressed in this press release do not necessarily reflect those of the OSCE Chairmanship, nor of all OSCE participating States:

The Members of the Bureau of the OSCE Court of Conciliation and Arbitration met on 19 May 2011 in Geneva. This general assembly was followed by a presentation and consultation session with representatives of States Parties of the Convention on Conciliation and Arbitration in Geneva...

VIENNA, 16 June 2011 – An OSCE-organized conference to foster international and regional co-operation to prevent the trafficking of illegal drugs started in Vienna today...

VIENNA, 16 June 2011 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatovic, today expressed concern over the detention of Urunboi Usmonov, a BBC reporter for ten years in Central Asia...

YEREVAN, 16 June 2011 –– International standards and judicial practice with respect to freedom of expression, libel and insult, contempt of court and privacy issues are among the topics of a two-day training workshop that started in Yerevan today.

VIENNA, 16 June 2011 – Emmanuel Decaux, OSCE Moscow Mechanism rapporteur, presented to the OSCE Permanent Council today his report about the human rights situation and implementation of OSCE commitments in Belarus since the December 2010 presidential election...

TIRANA, 16 June 2011- The Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Ambassador Eugen Wollfarth, issued a statement today on the Gërdec case:

VIENNA, 15 June 2011 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatovic, today asked Kyrgyzstan’s President Roza Otunbayeva to send back to the Parliament a recently adopted law that would lead to the dismissal of the public service broadcaster’s advisory board...

OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Volodymyr Omelianchuk on 15 June 2011 signed a contract extension with a Russian consortium for the safe disposal of 9,500 tonnes of a toxic rocket fuel component stored in Ukraine...

The OSCE Mission to Skopje organized a conference on 13 and 14 June 2011 in Ohrid to encourage implementation of accountable and transparent internal oversight mechanisms in the police service. Such mechanisms can help police services to fight corruption in a transparent and democratic manner...

ODIHR’s Adviser on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Simona Santoro, spoke at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on 14 June in a panel on strengthening global dialogue to promote a culture of tolerance and peace...

BISHKEK, 15 June 2011 – The Kyrgyz Ministry of Interior, supported by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, held a public discussion with civil society organizations today on the draft Police Reform Concept for Kyrgyzstan 2011-2015...

SKOPJE, 15 June 2011 – Twenty prosecutors from across the region met with their counterparts from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) today in Skopje to exchange experiences on legal issues related to the prosecution of war crimes cases...

ASTANA, 15 June 2011 – An OSCE-organized seminar for prosecutors from across Kazakhstan on international standards and practices to combat torture started in Astana today...

VIENNA, 14 June 2011- The following is a press release issued by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on 13 June. The views expressed in this press release do not necessarily reflect those of the OSCE Chairmanship, nor of all OSCE participating States...

KYIV, 14 June 2011 – Models for co-regulating broadcasting in view of the transition from analogue to digital were discussed at a conference held by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine (PCU) and the country’s National Council on TV and Radio Broadcasting in Kyiv today...

VIENNA, 10 June 2011- The following is a media advisory issued by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on 10 June. The views expressed in this press release do not necessarily reflect those of the OSCE Chairmanship, nor of all OSCE participating States:

VIENNA, 10 June 2011 – Working with the OSCE on civil security and combating human trafficking, and potential co-operation in building transport links and sustainable energy are ways to contribute to stability and cohesion in Europe, said Jan Lundin, Director General of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) Secretariat in his address to the OSCE Permanent Council today...

YEREVAN, 9 June 2011- The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Ambassadors Bernard Fassier of France, Robert Bradtke of the United States, and Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, released the following statement today...

BAKU, 9 June 2011 – A two-day community policing conference, organized by the OSCE Office in Baku, began today with senior Azerbaijani police management, government agencies, civil society and international experts...

VIENNA, 9 June 2011 – Kyrgyzstan’s President Roza Otunbayeva, speaking on the eve of the anniversary of deadly strife in the south of her country, today called on the OSCE to support Interior Ministry reform...

ATYRAU, Kazakhstan, 9 June 2011 – An OSCE-supported training course on environmental matters for 25 journalists from Western Kazakhstan started today in Atyrau...

ODIHR's Panel of Experts on Freedom of Assembly, an advisory body made up of 10 members from throughout the OSCE region, held its sixth annual meeting in Warsaw on 6-7 June...

Mongolian Foreign Minister Gombojav Zandanshatar addressed a special session of the OSCE Permanent Council on 9 June 2011, outlining Mongolia’s co-operation with the Organization as well as developments in the country...

A two-day OSCE workshop that began 9 June 2011 at the Turkish National Police Academy in Ankara looks at how e-learning can be used to train police officers...

GENEVA, 7 June 2011 –The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for Protracted Conflicts, Giedrius Čekuolis, today called on all parties to urgently improve conditions for people affected by the August 2008 conflict...

NAKHCHIVAN, Azerbaijan, 8 June 2011 – A three-day OSCE-supported court presentation skills course for law students at the Nakhchivan State University (NSU) started in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan (NAR) today...

ASTANA, 7 June 2011- A three-day regional training seminar for military officers on the practical implementation of the Vienna Document 1999 on confidence- and security-building measures (CSBMs) began in Astana today...

BISHKEK, 7 June 2011 – The Ombudsman’s Office, the OSCE Centre in Bishkek and the public foundation Kylym Shamy on behalf of civil society organizations signed an agreement to co-operate today in Bishkek...

VILNIUS, 7 June 2011 – All OSCE participating States must act to fulfill their commitments to ensure the safety and security of journalists, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis said today as he opened a two-day meeting devoted to finding ways to better protect journalists...

VIENNA, 6 June 2011 – The OSCE and its Lithuanian Chairmanship today launched a photo competition to raise awareness of the importance of sustainable transport and energy...

CHISINAU, 6 June 2011 – Moldova’s local elections largely met OSCE and Council of Europe election-related commitments, in conditions conducive to a competitive campaign and offering voters a genuine choice, international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Council of Europe's Congress of Local and Regional Authorities concluded in a statement issued today...

VIENNA, 6 June 2011 – Fighting new threats such as terrorism, proliferation, cybercrime and piracy requires closer co-operation among countries, institutions and organizations such as NATO and the OSCE, NATO Deputy Secretary General Claudio Bisogniero said today...

SKOPJE, 6 June 2011 – Yesterday’s early parliamentary elections were competitive, transparent and well-administered throughout the country, but certain aspects such as the blurring of the line between state and party require further attention, the international observers concluded in Skopje today...

TIRANA, 5 June 2011- The Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania Ambassador Eugen Wollfarth, the Ambassador of the United States of America Alexander Arvizu, and the Head of the European Union Delegation Ambassador Ettore Sequi jointly stated today:

SKOPJE, 3 June 2011 – The international observers monitoring the early parliamentary elections will present their preliminary statement at a news conference on Monday, 6 June, in Skopje...

SARAJEVO, 3 June 2011 – The role of non-governmental organizations in the fight against hate crimes was the focus of a two-day workshop in Jahorina organized by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, in co-operation with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), that concluded in Jahorina today...

A special panel discussion on access to justice and compensation for victims of trafficking was held in Geneva on 31 May...

BISHKEK, 2 June 2011 – Kyrgyzstan’s draft law on peaceful assembly was the focus of an OSCE-supported public discussion among Kyrgyzstan’s authorities, international and national experts and representatives of civil society and international organizations today. Participants discussed how both policy and practice in the area of peaceful assembly can be improved.