News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
ODIHR Director Link and OSCE Chair Special Representative Erler express concern over listing of Russian organisation Memorial as a “foreign agent”
Publishing date: 7 October 2016
WARSAW/BERLIN, 7 October 2016 –Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and Gernot Erler, Special Representative of the German OSCE Chairmanship expressed their concern that the human rights group International Historical, Educational, Charitable and Human Rights Society “Memorial” was named a “foreign agent” by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation earlier this week...
Newly-appointed OSCE/ODIHR panel of experts on freedom of religion or belief meets in Warsaw
Publishing date: 5 October 2016
The newly-appointed Panel of Experts of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on Freedom of Religion or Belief met for the first time in Warsaw on 4 and 5 October 2016 to discuss the challenges and opportunities for advancing the right to freedom of religion or belief for all in the OSCE region.
OSCE promotes international standards to help torture victims in Kazakhstan
Publishing date: 3 October 2016
An OSCE-supported training seminar on the UN Istanbul Protocol on Torture and related technical standards began on 3 October 2016 in Astana, Kazakhstan...
OSCE-supported panel explores challenges in war crimes processing in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Publishing date: 30 September 2016
NEUM, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 30 September 2016 – More than 30 prosecutors from across BiH gathered for a war crimes panel within the Ninth Symposium of Prosecutors in BiH, which was supported by the OSCE Mission to BiH and concluded today in Neum...
Open exchange of views vital to protecting human rights, strengthening democratic institutions, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Special Representative, OSCE Secretary General and ODIHR Director say at close of Warsaw Conference
Publishing date: 30 September 2016
WARSAW, 30 September 2016 – The free and open exchange of views and information is vital to helping governments protect and promote human rights, fundamental freedoms and tolerance and non-discrimination, as well as to improve and strengthen democratic practices and institutions, Gernot Erler, Germany’s Special Representative for the 2016 OSCE Chairmanship, Lamberto Zannier, OSCE Secretary General, and Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), said today on the occasion of the closing of a two-week OSCE conference in Warsaw...
Law students raise awareness about free legal aid during OSCE Mission to Moldova-supported public lecture in Comrat
Publishing date: 26 September 2016
On 20 September 2016, the OSCE Mission to Moldova supported a lecture for 28 first-year vocational students in the autonomous region of Gagauzia about the benefits of state guaranteed legal assistance. The lecture was given by two law students from Comrat State University who previously participated in the Mission’s project to train future lawyers to deliver free legal aid...
OSCE participating States need to increase efforts to promote political and social participation of persons with disabilities
Publishing date: 20 September 2016
The challenges in promoting and securing the rights of persons with disabilities, ensuring their inclusion in the political and public life and in decision-making processes, as well as in promoting their unhindered participation in sport events, were discussed at a side event that took place on 20 September 2016 during the Human Dimension Implementation Meeting in Warsaw...