News and press releases

Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continued to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). Due to the short reporting period, the overall number of border crossings by persons and vehicles significantly decreased at both BCPs compared to the previous week. This report represents the last Weekly Update issued by the Observer Mission, whose mandate expired on 30 September 2021. As of 00:00 on 1 October 2021, the Observer Mission is no longer present at the Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk. The Mission is continuing to carry out activities related to its discontinuation.

On 1 October 2021, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro donated technical equipment to the Department for Gender Equality within the Ministry of Justice, Human and Minority Rights. The equipment will help to enhance the Department’s capacity to produce quality reports and presentations on the implementation of gender responsive policies.

A five-day OSCE online training course on handling digital evidence by first responders for criminal justice practitioners from the five Central Asian OSCE participating States concluded on 1 October 2021. The course provided practitioners with an in-depth understanding on how to secure digital evidence and conduct basic online investigations.

More than 50 young community leaders from across the country gathered for two in-person training courses, which took place from 14 to 18 June in Bishkek and from 27 September to 1 October in Osh.

An OSCE-supported two-day online seminar on countering crimes related to clandestine drug laboratories concluded on 30 September 2021. The event was attended by some 100 representatives of law enforcement agencies from different regions of Kazakhstan responsible for countering crimes related to illicit drugs.

VICENZA, Italy, 1 October 2021 – The OSCE simulation-based exercise for anti-trafficking practitioners across the OSCE region concluded today in Vicenza, Italy...

Summary In Donetsk region, the Mission recorded 15 ceasefire violations, including three explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 257 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded 28 ceasefire violations, including 12 explosions. In the previous reporting

A new cyber hygiene project for employees of state institutions in Ukraine was presented on 30 September 2021 by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine with the National Agency of Ukraine for Civil Service and the Ukrainian School of Governance (USG). The project comprises an online and in-person programme for basic cybersecurity skills, an equipped mobile training centre and a pool of trainers prepared to teach public servants.

From 7 to 28 September 2021, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro organized in Bijelo Polje, Berane, Plav, Bar and Ulcinj a series of workshops focusing on multi-sectoral approaches supporting women who have experienced domestic violence...

Alexey Rogov, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, met with Talant Mamytov, Speaker of the Parliament of Kyrgyz Republic in Bishkek on 16 September 2021.

KYIV, 29 September 2021 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Mikko Kinnunen, made the following statement to the press after the regular meetings of the TCG and its Working Groups held through video conferencing:

Summary In Donetsk region, the Mission recorded 257 ceasefire violations, including 15 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 143 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded 159 ceasefire violations, including 38 explosions. In the previous reporting

VIENNA, 29 September 2021 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro urges the Turkish authorities to acquit journalists Erol Önderoğlu and Ahmet Nesin, and human rights defender and physician Şebnem Korur Fincancı, ahead of their retrial hearing on 30 September. They face a lengthy jail sentence on terrorism-related charges for their participation in a 2016 press freedom campaign.

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and the Austrian Embassy in Sarajevo, supported the association of citizens “Fojničani” in establishing an outdoor ‘Classroom of Peace’ which was opened on 29 September 2021 in Bradići/Fojnica settlement, in the Maglaj municipality...

An OSCE-supported three-day seminar on water governance and climate security in Central Asia concluded on 29 September 2021 in Almaty. The event was attended by some 30 young civil servants, students and representatives of government organizations responsible for climate change policy and water resources management in Central Asia and Afghanistan.

Two online seminars concluded on 24 September 2021 in Nur-Sultan. One seminar was on the characteristics of cyberattacks and the other on investigating criminal cases related to Internet fraud.

Summary In Donetsk region, the Mission recorded 143 ceasefire violations, including 42 explosions. In the previous 24 hours, it recorded 65 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded 139 ceasefire violations, including 31 explosions. In the previous 24 hours, it

Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons significantly decreased at both BCPs compared to the previous week.

On 25 September 2021, the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan concluded a six-day training course on traditional felt making for rural women in the Aral Sea region of Kazakhstan, in Aralsk city, Kyzylorda province.

Summary In Donetsk region, from the evenings of 24 to 26 September, the Mission recorded 393 ceasefire violations, including 118 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 113 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, from the evenings of 24 to 26 September, the SMM

ERGNETI, 27 September 2021 — The 102nd meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) took place today in Ergneti, under the co-facilitation of Ambassador Marek Szczygieł, Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), and Ambassador Annika Söder, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus.

A three-day training course aimed at further strengthening the capacity of North Macedonia to counter terrorist financing concluded on 23 September 2021.

Summary In Donetsk region, the Mission recorded 113 ceasefire violations, including 24 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 285 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded 37 ceasefire violations, including six explosions. In the previous reporting

NEW YORK, 24 September 2021 – The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Stephane Visconti of France, Andrew Schofer of the United States of America, and Igor Khovaev of the Russian Federation) made the following statement:

Summary In Donetsk region, the Mission recorded 285 ceasefire violations, including 17 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 745 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded 126 ceasefire violations, including 15 explosions. In the previous reporting

A five-day OSCE regional train-the-trainers course on cybercrime for criminal justice practitioners from the five Central Asian OSCE participating States concluded on 24 September 2021. The course aimed to provide the practitioners with the knowledge and skills necessary for developing and delivering professional training courses in this topic area.

The 2021 Aarhus Centres Annual Meeting was held in Vienna and online on 23 and 24 September 2021. The meeting focused on good environmental governance, the role of Aarhus Centres in times of disaster, green recovery, women empowerment, and promotion of the 2030 sustainable development agenda...

An OSCE-supported online seminar on water treatment and sanitation in Kazakhstan took place on 22 September 2021. Some 40 representatives of local administrations, project engineers, non-governmental organizations and the private sector from the Aktobe, Karaganda and Turkestan regions participated in the event...

VIENNA/SARAJEVO, 24 September 2021- OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro and Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Kathleen Kavalec condemned today a targeted online hate campaign against several media professionals in BiH, urging the authorities to take effective measures to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators in accordance with the law...

Twenty young women and men from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River developed negotiation skills and participated in a conflict resolution simulation exercise as part of the 8th edition of the Model OSCE for Youth event organized online by the OSCE Mission to Moldova from 21 to 24 September 2021.

Summary In Donetsk region, the Mission recorded 745 ceasefire violations, including 160 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 117 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded 144 ceasefire violations, including 14 explosions. In the previous reporting

On 23 September 2021, the South-East Europe Police Chiefs Association (SEPCA), chaired by Montenegro, opened a two day conference in Budva hosted by the Ministry of Interior’s Police Directorate with the support of the OSCE Mission in Montenegro...

Two OSCE-supported video courses on anti-money laundering and combating human trafficking were launched on 20 September 2021. The curricula, developed in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan, is aimed at building training capacity of the Law Enforcement Agencies Academy under the Prosecutor’s General Office.

Current transnational threats and challenges for border agencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and innovative responses were the focus of the 15th Annual Meeting of the OSCE Border Security and Management National Focal Points Network held on 21 and 22 September 2021.

On 18 September 2021, the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan handed over a specialized unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to Altyn-Emel national park. The handover took place at the park administration’s headquarters in Baschi village, the Almaty region and included the official signing of a donation agreement.

On 23 September 2021, the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan concluded a two-day training course on countering the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

Summary In Donetsk region, the Mission recorded 117 ceasefire violations, including eight explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 117 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded 79 ceasefire violations, including 76 explosions. In the previous reporting

Bosanski Petrovac, 22 September 2021- The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), together with the Embassy of Sweden in BiH as the 2021 Chair of the OSCE, the United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator’s Office in BiH, and the Municipality of Bosanski Petrovac, organized today a high-level visit to Bosanski Petrovac for the unveiling of a Monument to Peace. The visit was organized on the occasion of World Peace Day, celebrated on 21 September.

At the invitation of the Vijesti media outlet to support their efforts in strengthening journalistic skills, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro organized a three-day in-house training course on “Live and Emergency Situation Reporting”, from 20 to 23 September 2021 in Podgorica...

Summary In Donetsk region, the Mission recorded 117 ceasefire violations, including seven explosions. In the previous 24 hours, it recorded 29 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded five ceasefire violations, all explosions. In the previous 24 hours, it recorded 62

Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons significantly increased at both BCPs compared to the previous week.

The OSCE-supported annual Central Asian Leadership Programme (CALP) for some 40 young environmental leaders and decision-makers from the state, non-government, academic and business sectors of Central Asia and Afghanistan began on 20 September 2021 in Almaty. Participants from five Central Asian countries and Afghanistan took part in the event held in a blended format.

SARAJEVO, 21 September 2021 – The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) supported today the country's Ministry of Defence in holding the 18th Session of the BiH Strategic Committee for Weapons, Ammunition and Explosive Ordnance...

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro organized a final peer-to-peer workshop on time and stress management for 17 parliamentary staff on 16 and 17 September 2021. This concludes a series of workshops to develop a pool of in-house trainers from parliamentary staff. The first two modules on communication and presentation skills were organized in July...

Twenty-five representatives of the ombudspersons’ institutions from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River participated in two joint human rights monitoring webinars organized by the OSCE Mission to Moldova on 14 and 15 September 2021.

Summary In Donetsk region, from the evenings of 17 to 19 September, the Mission recorded 246 ceasefire violations, including 22 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 113 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, from the evenings of 17 to 19 September, the SMM

VIENNA, 20 September 2021 – The 2021 OSCE Asian Conference participants call for common responses to emerging security challenges, with the comprehensive security concept at the centre, free of dividing lines and zones. A two-day conference is held in Vienna and online, co-hosted by Thailand, an OSCE Asian Partner, and Albania, the 2021 OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation Group Chair, with the support of the OSCE Secretariat...

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe concluded a four-day training course for lawyers working in the field of domestic violence on 17 September 2021 in Dushanbe. Twenty-one lawyers from the OSCE-supported Women’s Resource Centres (WRCs) and local authorities from the Sughd, Khatlon, Rasht Valley regions, and Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of Tajikistan attended.

VIENNA, 20 September 2021 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, concluded her official visit to Kazakhstan on 17 September.

On 13 September 2021, the OSCE convened the first meeting of the Multi-Agency Committee in Albania established as part of the OSCE project, Enhancing Criminal Justice Capacities for Combating Gender-based Violence — GBV — in South-Eastern Europe.