News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
OSCE Chair discusses crisis in Ukraine with President Yanukovych
Publishing date: 7 February 2014
SOCHI, February 7, 2014 – Didier Burkhalter, Swiss Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, discussed with Viktor Yanukovych, President of Ukraine, the situation in the country and confirmed the readiness of the OSCE to assist Ukraine in the settlement of the crisis.
Situation in Ukraine among topics as OSCE Chair visits ODIHR in Warsaw
Publishing date: 27 January 2014
WARSAW, 27 January 2014 – The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter, today met the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), Ambassador Janez Lenarčič, to discuss the situation surrounding anti-government protests in Ukraine, the need for greater efforts to protect human rights defenders, and the Swiss Chairmanship’s priorities in the areas of human rights, democracy and the rule of law...
Swiss OSCE Chairperson-in-Office expresses “concern” over Ukraine
Publishing date: 17 January 2014
VIENNA, 17 January 2014- Didier Burkhalter, Swiss Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, has expressed concern at recent legal measures taken in Ukraine which contain provisions which recriminalize libel and could impose serious restrictions on fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and freedom of assembly...
Statement by the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Foreign Minister of Ukraine Leonid Kozhara on the occasion of Human Rights Day
Publishing date: 10 December 2013
KYIV, 10 December 2013- On the occasion of International Human Rights Day, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara underlined today the important role the OSCE can play in fostering co-operation between participating States in building a community with the highest standards of respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms, and the rule of law...
Greater efforts, co-operation needed to ensure security of Jewish communities, say participants at OSCE conference in Berlin
Publishing date: 13 June 2013
BERLIN, 13 June 2013 – Violent attacks and threats motivated by anti-Semitism affect the day-to-day lives of Jewish communities all across the OSCE region, and these communities are in need of protection from these threats and the harmful impact they have on their religious and cultural activities and on their human rights, said participants at an expert OSCE conference in Berlin today...
Participants at high-level OSCE conference in Kyiv call for stronger anti-trafficking action
Publishing date: 10 June 2013
KYIV, 10 June 2013 – Ways to strengthen the OSCE participating States’ response to human trafficking in terms of the prevention of the crime, prosecution of offenders and protection of victims are the focus of a high-level conference that started in Kyiv today...
Human rights, resolving protracted conflicts vital to regional security, OSCE Chairperson tells US Helsinki Commission
Publishing date: 9 May 2013
WASHINGTON D.C., 9 May 2013 – Protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms and making progress in resolving protracted conflicts are top priorities of his country’s OSCE Chairmanship, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara told the US Helsinki Commission at a hearing on 8 May in Washington D.C.