News and press releases

COPENHAGEN, 20 November 2020 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the French Delegation to the OSCE PA held a web-based roundtable today to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Charter of Paris for a New Europe, which was adopted during the second Summit of Heads of State or Government of the Conference for Security and Co-operation in Europe, held in Paris from 19 to 21 November 1990...

Summary The SMM recorded 23 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded seven ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and one in Luhansk region. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska,

WARSAW, 20 November 2020 – The ruling by the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court of Poland on 18 November 2020, stripping Judge Igor Tuleya of his immunity, raises concerns about judicial independence in the country...

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the work of prosecutors’ offices was the focus of the fifth meeting of the Executive Board of the Permanent Conference of Organized Crime Prosecutors (PCOCP) on 12 November 2020. The meeting was held online with the support of the OSCE Mission to Serbia...

The sixth Media Development Forum – a platform for professional dialogue on media issues among state institutions, media and civil society – concluded on 20 November in Tirana. The OSCE Presence in Albania organized the two-day annual event...

An OSCE-supported training webinar on anti-corruption expertise took place on 19 November 2020. The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan organized the event in partnership with the NGO Legal Media Center...

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) organized a webinar on “Exploitation of Children through Child Marriage” on 20 November, World Children's Day. The event brought together representatives of key local institutions in combatting trafficking in human beings and protecting victims. Members of the judiciary, representatives of executive and legislative bodies, civil rights organizations and human rights defenders from BiH and neighbouring countries also participated.

Enhancing digital learning at university was the topic of an OSCE-organized online course that took place on 19 and 20 November 2020...

An OSCE-supported seminar on introduction to gender perspectives and women’s human rights, organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan, concluded on 20 November 2020...

The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan supported a contest on promoting “green” organizations that took place on 20 November 2020 in Nur-Sultan...

Summary The SMM recorded seven ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and one in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded two ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska,

VIENNA, 19 November 2020 – The promotion of freedom of information during health crises and the state of media freedom in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia were the focus of the two-day 17th OSCE South Caucasus Media Conference, which concluded today...

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 19 November 2020 – The OSCE Mission concluded today the first phase of its project "Mental Health of Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic." The project, implemented in co-operation with Education and Management in Kosovo (EDUMEN-K), a non-governmental organization specialized in providing support to the education sector, included training for teachers on how to alleviate mental health issues among students as a consequence of school closures and isolation due to public health measures....

An OSCE-organized webinar on the use of modern instruments in the digital information environment took place on 19 November 2020 in Ashgabat. The event brought together representatives of Turkmenistan’s key ministries and state institutions as well as journalists from the country’s leading print, broadcast and online media.

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro delivered a set of desktop computers with additional equipment to the media outlet Portal Analitika on 19 November 2020 in Podgorica. This is only a part of the donation planned, with a second part to be delivered when the epidemiological situation in the country will allow. The activity is part of the Mission’s efforts to strengthen private media in Montenegro and contribute to their further professionalization and adaption to the challenges of digitalization...

The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized an event to mark the 25th anniversary of permanent neutrality status gained by Turkmenistan back in 1995. The first in a series of OSCE-organized online lectures for university students in Turkmenistan took place from 18 to 20 November 2020.

Summary The SMM recorded two ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded two ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska,

Political parties, coalitions, and independent candidates participating in the 2020 local elections in the City of Mostar scheduled on 20 December 2020 signed an election pledge on 18 November 2020, promising to ensure a peaceful and fair electoral process. The election pledge was developed by representatives of the Mostar City Election Commissions, civil society organizations and political subjects registered for 2020 local elections in Mostar, with the support of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)...

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) digitally launched the report “Responses to COVID 19 pandemic- Human Rights and Gender Analysis” today, 18 November 2020...

The importance of the inclusion of persons with disabilities within society was focus of an online event held on 17 November 2020. The OSCE in Uzbekistan, in co-operation with the Association of Disabled People of Uzbekistan, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and several international experts on the field of rights of persons with disabilities organized the seminar...

COPENHAGEN, 17 November 2020 – Amidst demands by the opposition for repeat parliamentary elections in Georgia and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit to the South Caucasus country today, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s political and security Chair and the leaders of the OSCE’s recent election observation mission reiterated that political deadlock must be overcome in order to ensure that the voters’ will is respected...

Summary The SMM recorded two ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and again none in Luhansk region. In the previous 24 hours, it recorded 86 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote

SARAJEVO, 17 November 2020- While the country waits for the official election results, Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, thanked voters in BiH for taking the time to cast their ballots and investing in a democratic future. She also conveyed her gratitude to poll workers who made voting possible, observers who helped ensure the integrity of the election, and to the media for professional delivery of timely and adequate information to the public...

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 decreased at both BCPs compared to the previous week...

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina welcomes the launch of the registries of public employees and appointees in the Bosnian-Podrinje Canton Goražde (BPC). The Mission has supported the BPC Government in the development of the registries, as part of its efforts to continue assisting in establishing similar registries in the Canton Sarajevo and the Brčko District. The Mission would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the role of the BPC Anti-corruption team and commend its commitment to the accomplishment of this complex task...

COPENHAGEN, 16 November 2020 – With widespread protests ongoing in Belarus for more than 100 days, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli reacted today to increasing reports of excessive and disproportionate force by law enforcement. Police have reportedly used flash grenades, rubber bullets and tear gas, the President noted, and more than 1,200 people were detained on Sunday after demonstrations commemorating the death of protester Raman Bandarenka, a 31-year old activist who died in a hospital last week after reportedly being beaten by security forces...

Summary Between the evenings of 13 and 15 November, the SMM recorded 88 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded four ceasefire violations in the region. Between the evenings of 13 and 15 November, the SMM recorded 49 ceasefire violations in Luhansk

During a hackathon co-organized by the OSCE Mission to Moldova from 6 to 8 November 2020, thirty-six young women and men from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River spent 72 hours designing innovative tech-based solutions to prevent and combat human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of children in Moldova...

CHISINAU, 16 November 2020 – Yesterday’s presidential run-off in Moldova was well managed in the challenging circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but negative and divisive rhetoric devalued the campaign amid ineffective rules on campaign financing, international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in a statement today...

WARSAW, 16 November 2020 – With the publication of its annual Hate Crime Report on today’s International Day for Tolerance, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) underscores the need for police to record hate crimes in order to ensure that victims are recognized and receive the support they so urgently need...

Summary The SMM recorded four ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and 20 in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded three ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and three in Luhansk region. Two men were injured on 10 November due to the detonation of an explosive object in

BUCHAREST, 14 November 2020 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has formally opened a special election assessment mission (SEAM) for the 6 December parliamentary elections in Romania. The deployment follows an official invitation from the Romanian authorities...

Summary The SMM recorded three ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and three in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 90 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and seven in Luhansk region. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska,

SARAJEVO, 13 November 2020 – The Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Ambassadors of Germany, Italy, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States once again strongly condemn continuous attacks and undue pressure on the media in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the most recent cases in Banja Luka and Visoko...

The OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department’s Action against Terrorism Unit, in co-operation with the OSCE Presence in Albania and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) organized an online train-the-trainer course from 11 to 13 November 2020, with the aim of further strengthening Albania’s capacities in countering the financing of terrorism...

More than 100 representatives of civil society organizations and initiative groups from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River, and development partners gathered for the annual Donors Forum organized by the OSCE Mission to Moldova on 12 November. This year the Forum took place online and had a specific focus on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic...

The OSCE’s “Debating Perspectives 2030 Roadshow” held its first event in Central Asia on 13 November 2020 bringing together 38 young women and men from Central Asia to discuss their vision for a safer future. The OSCE Academy, with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, hosted the event...

WARSAW, 13 November 2020 – As pervasive violations of OSCE commitments and international human rights obligations in Belarus continue, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) calls on the country’s authorities to end impunity of those responsible for human rights violations, up to and including deaths, and hold them to account...

The risks surrounding procuring goods and services produced by trafficked persons were the focus of the OSCE virtually held workshop on 13 November 2020...

The 11th Annual Central Asian OSCE Forum on Internet Development, organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan, in co-operation with the International Centre for Journalism MediaNet, was held online from 10 to 13 November 2020...

An OSCE-organized online course for law students on international human rights standards during criminal proceedings and investigations took place from 9 to 13 November 2020 in Ashgabat...

The potential of data, its effective monitoring and use in creating a culture of evidence-based decision-making centred on needs of citizens and the community was the focus of a virtual seminar organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) on 10 November 2020...

An OSCE-supported roundtable discussion on the rights and opportunities of people with disabilities to participate in political and public life took place on 13 November 2020 in Nur-Sultan...

COPENHAGEN, 12 November 2020 – Meeting in an online format today, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Standing Committee heard a keynote address by David Beasley, Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme, and discussed OSCE matters...

Summary The SMM recorded 90 ceasefire violations, including 89 undetermined explosions, in Donetsk region and seven ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded no ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and 14 in Luhansk region. The Mission continued

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, in co-operation with the State Committee on Ecology and Environmental Protection and the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), on 12 November 2020, held the final online workshop on introducing environmental assessment systems in the country. These systems are designed to be in accordance with the UNECE Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in a Transboundary Context and its Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)...

Best practices in developing strategies in the area of energy diplomacy were shared during an OSCE-organized online seminar that took place on 11 and 12 November 2020 in Ashgabat...

A four-day online training seminar on investigation practices of cybercrimes concluded on 12 November 2020 in Nur-Sultan. The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan, in co-operation with the Law Enforcement Academy under the Prosecutor General’s office/Hub to Counter Global Threats, organized the event...

KYIV, 11 November 2020 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Heidi Grau, made the following statement to the press after the regular meetings of the TCG and its Working Groups held through video conferencing:

Summary The SMM recorded no ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and 14 in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded eight ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and 24 in Luhansk region. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote