News and press releases

VIENNA, 20 February 2019 – Following the court decision in Kyiv ordering the disclosure of documents of the news portal Novoe Vremya, including the correspondence of one of its journalists, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today reiterated his call on the Ukrainian authorities to respect the right of journalists to protect the confidentiality of their sources.

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. The SMM followed up on reports of a man who died while at a checkpoint in Kreminets. The SMM followed up on reports of damage to a truck transporting coal on behalf of an international organization. It recorded ceasefire violations inside and near the Zolote disengagement area and a ceasefire violation inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. The Mission saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas in Donetsk region. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works and demining activities to essential civilian infrastructure in Luhansk and Donetsk regions. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and in non-government-controlled Verkhnoshyrokivske, Staromykhailivka and Horlivka.* The Mission monitored a public gathering in front of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Kharkiv. It followed up on reports of graffiti on a church in Zaporizhzhia.

VIENNA, 8 February 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today expressed his concern regarding the recent decision of the Supervisory Board of the public service company UA:PBC in Ukraine to dismiss Zurab Alasania from the chairmanship post at the organization...

Warsaw, 7 February 2019 – Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), today expressed her regret over the decision by the Ukrainian authorities to block Russian citizens from taking part in the ODIHR election observation mission for the 31 March presidential election in Ukraine.

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Mission followed up on reports of a van hit by small-arms fire in Chermalyk. The SMM observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable possible demining activities in Luhansk region and repair works to essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM monitored a public gathering in Kyiv related to funding for housing for internally displaced persons. The Mission followed up on reports of an attack against a civil activist in Kropyvnytskyi, Kirovohrad region. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas as well as near Zaichenko, Yasynuvata and Verkhnoshyrokivske.*

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Mission again observed military and military-type presence inside the Zolote disengagement area. It recorded ceasefire violations inside the area. The SMM observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to observe long queues of civilians travelling across the contact line near Stanytsia Luhanska. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk region. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas as well as in Staromykhailivka and near Verkhnoshyrokivske. The Mission was prevented from continuing an unmanned aerial vehicle flight near the Zolote disengagement area*

Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Mission heard and saw explosions assessed as impacts 70-100m east-south-east of its position near the Zolote disengagement area. It also recorded other ceasefire violations inside and near the disengagement area. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to essential civilian infrastructure in Luhansk region. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas as well as in Staromykhailivka and near Verkhnoshyrokivske.*