News and press releases

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region between the evenings of 28 and 29 September, compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 29 and 30 September, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM followed up on reports of children killed and injured by an explosion in Horlivka, as well as a person injured and damage caused by an explosion in Donetsk city. The Mission recorded a ceasefire violation inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as near Zaichenko, Novoazovsk, Tavrycheske, Bezimenne, Yuzhna-Lomuvatka and Izvaryne.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of agreed withdrawal lines in the Petrivske disengagement area and near Dokuchaievsk. The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station and also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs and maintenance to the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne. The Mission monitored public gatherings in Mariupol, and followed up on reports of water contamination in Makiivka.

The situation of human rights defenders in Mongolia was the topic of discussion during a roundtable event organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on 28 September 2018 in Ulaanbaatar. The event brought together 43 participants (25 women and 18 men) from

VIENNA, 1 October 2018- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today welcomed the entry into force of a new law in the Netherlands which provides enhanced protection for the confidentiality of journalists’ sources...

Thirty-five legal professionals and civil society activists from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River participated in an OSCE-supported training workshop in Ribnita on 28 September 2018 on the legal aspects of providing assistance to survivors of domestic violence...

SKOPJE, 1 October 2018 – Although the legal framework did not sufficiently cover all aspects of the process, the 30 September referendum in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was administered impartially and fundamental freedoms were respected, the international observers concluded in a statement today. The absence of an organized “Against” or boycott campaign meant the media struggled to provide balanced coverage, although they did convey extensive information and a diverse range of views to voters...

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) handed over to the Gender Centre of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) software for an electronic database on domestic violence cases, at a ceremony held on 1 October 2018 in Sarajevo...

WASHINGTON D.C., 1 October 2018 – The limited election observation mission from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to observe the 6 November mid-term congressional elections in the United States will hold a press conference in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, 3 October, at 12:00...