News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
To do justice to victims, rooting out the causes of law enforcement violence must become a priority, OSCE human rights head says
Publishing date: 26 June 2020
WARSAW, 26 June 2020 – The root causes of excessive violence by law enforcement agencies, including torture or other ill-treatment, must be addressed comprehensively in order to acknowledge the injustice done to victims and help their path to recovery, said the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), on the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture today...
Improving conditions for refugees from arrival to integration is key to overcoming COVID-19, OSCE human rights head says
Publishing date: 20 June 2020
Warsaw, 20 June 2020 – On World Refugee Day, the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic continues unabated. Governments need to make greater efforts to guarantee the right to seek asylum is respected and ensure refugees are afforded protection, a vital condition for their integration into the societies of their host countries, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said today.
OSCE PA human rights leaders call for open campaign in advance of presidential election in Belarus
Publishing date: 2 June 2020
COPENHAGEN, 2 June 2020- Following reports of the detention of numerous political activists engaged in activities related to the upcoming presidential election in Belarus, the leaders of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's human rights committee, Chair Kyriakos Hadjiyianni (Cyprus), Vice-Chair Michael Link (Germany), and Rapporteur and Kari Henriksen (Norway), released the following statement...
OSCE-supported report on civil society monitoring of children’s rights protection presented in Kyiv
Publishing date: 1 June 2020
A vast majority of Ukrainian civil and administrative court cases concerning the interests of a minor are being examined without involving the minor in question. This is one of the key findings of monitoring and research conducted by civil society on the initiative of Ukraine’s Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights. The research was supported by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine...
ODIHR Director very concerned about decision to uphold life sentence for Azimjan Askarov
Publishing date: 13 May 2020
WARSAW, 13 May 2020 – Following the decision of Kyrgyzstan’s Supreme Court today to uphold the life sentence of human rights defender Azimjan Askarov, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) expressed her deep disappointment...
Shortcomings of draft freedom of assembly law in Kazakhstan of concern, OSCE human rights head says
Publishing date: 11 May 2020
WARSAW, 11 May 2020 – Pending the final vote on a draft law to regulate the organization and holding of peaceful assemblies in Kazakhstan, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) expressed her concern about undue limitations to the freedom of assembly...
States of emergency stress-testing democracy, OSCE parliamentarians hear in COVID-focused webinar
Publishing date: 8 May 2020
COPENHAGEN, 8 May 2020 – More than 50 members of parliament from across the OSCE region participated in an online discussion today focused on the human rights consequences and democratic challenges posed by responses to the COVID-19 pandemic...