News and press releases

VIENNA, 30 September 2018 – On the second anniversary of the detention of Ukrainian National News Agency Ukrinform’s journalist Roman Sushchenko, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir repeated his call to the Russian authorities to release the journalist from prison.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. In Pikuzy, the Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties and observed fresh damage caused by shelling. In Pervomaisk, the SMM observed fresh damage caused by shelling. The Mission recorded a ceasefire violation inside the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as near Zaichenko, Novolaspa, Siedove and Novoazovsk near the border with the Russian Federation.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of agreed withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission again observed anti-tank mines near Travneve and Holmivskyi. The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. The Mission also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs and maintenance to the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne, to the Krasnohorivka gas distribution station and to water infrastructure in Stanytsia Luhanska and near Artema. In Lviv, the SMM followed up on reports of an attack against civil activists. The Mission monitored public gatherings in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Lviv in relation to attacks against activists in recent months.

The SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission observed ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas; it was also restricted near Hranitne, Novolaspa and Novoazovsk, near the border with the Russian Federation.* The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. It also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs and maintenance to the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne, to the Krasnohorivka gas distribution station and to water infrastructure in Stanytsia Luhanska and near Artema.

The third annual edition of the Extracurricular Workshop on International Criminal Law and Transitional Justice, organized by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, for law students was held between 23 and 28 September 2018 in Sarajevo...

Enhancing the capacities of law enforcement officers to counter religiously motivated terrorist organizations in line with international best practices was the aim of a five-day training course for some 20 counter-terrorism officers from the Interior Ministry, which concluded on 28 September 2018. The course was organized by the OSCE Mission to Skopje, in co-operation with the Turkish National Police...

ROME, 28 September 2018- Innovative measures to lower the risks of conflict between states in cyberspace such as emerging technological features, policy engagement, public-private partnerships are the focus of the 2018 OSCE-wide Conference on Cyber/ICT Security taking place in Rome today...

VIENNA, 28 September 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, welcomed today the arrest of eight persons in Slovakia in connection with the murders of journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée, Martina Kušnírová in February 2018...