Central Europe

COPENHAGEN, 13 June 2019 – Following mass arrests of peaceful demonstrators in recent days in Moscow, Russia, and several cities in Kazakhstan, the leaders of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s human rights committee call for full respect of fundamental freedoms of assembly and expression.

According to media reports, more than 500 protesters were detained in Russia’s capital on Wednesday during a demonstration calling for accountability of officials who had wrongfully arrested investigative reporter Ivan Golunov.

Some 500 protesters, as well as journalists, in Nur-Sultan and Almaty, Kazakhstan, were also reportedly taken to police stations following participation in protests of Sunday’s presidential election.

With the violation of the rights of over a thousand people in just a few days, the Chair, Vice-Chair and Rapporteur of the OSCE PA’s General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions call on authorities of all OSCE participating states to fully respect the fundamental freedoms to which they have committed themselves.

“I was disappointed at the mass arrests in Kazakhstan of peaceful demonstrators who were exercising their constitutionally guaranteed rights to freedom of assembly and expression,” said Margareta Kiener Nellen (MP, Switzerland), Chair of the committee. Kiener Nellen served as Head of the OSCE PA’s observer delegation to the election held on Sunday [LINK].

Vice-Chair Michael Georg Link (MP, Germany) said “The disruption of a peaceful protest and arrest of hundreds of citizens for calling for good governance by Russian authorities is simply unacceptable. I deeply regret that fundamental freedoms agreed by all OSCE countries decades ago continue to be violated in this way on a regular basis.”

In the OSCE’s 1990 Copenhagen Document, all OSCE participating States agreed that “everyone will have the right of peaceful assembly and demonstration.” They further reaffirmed that the right to freedom of expression includes the freedom to impart information and ideas without interference by public authority.

On 12 June the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, called on the Russian authorities to respect the rights of journalists to cover public events and release all detained media workers, following the peaceful demonstration in Moscow.

“These recent events remind us of the importance of renewing our commitments to the principles we have all agreed to. I call on my fellow parliamentarians in Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation and across the OSCE region to strengthen oversight of government responses to protests and ensure they are in keeping with agreed principles,” said Committee Rapporteur Kyriakos Hadjiyianni (MP, Cyprus).

Kiener Nellen, Link and Hadjiyianni call on parliamentarians in the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan and all OSCE participating States to ensure that their domestic legislation is fully in line with international principles, including the fundamental freedoms of assembly and expression.

A draft resolution proposed by Hadjiyianni for the OSCE PA’s upcoming Annual Session in Luxembourg, 4-8 July, particularly calls for attention to fundamental principles during times of emergency.

422993 Senad Šabović Edita Buçaj

On 11 June, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo started a series of employment fairs for members of Kosovo Roma, Kosovo Ashkali, and Kosovo Egyptian communities in Pejë/Peć. The employment fairs aim to create a bridge between potential employers and employees, and to provide community members with a network for career exploration.

During the fairs, visitors learn about career prospects, job opportunities, paid internships, grants, and vocational training possibilities directly from organizations and companies operating in the area. Some of these interactions at the fairs have already yielded results.  

“I am a student of law, and today at the employment fair I found a part-time job as a receptionist in the company Fresh. Furthermore, I am professional boxer, and today I learnt that I can apply next year for financial grant from Help - Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe to get boxing equipment that I need,” said Arlinda Muqa from Pejë/Peć.

By the end of June two more employment fairs will be held in Berivojcë/Berivojce village (Kamenicë/Kamenica municipality) and Plemetinë/Plemetina village (Obiliq/Obilić municipality). The Mission organized the first annual employment fairs for members of communities in 2018 in different localities with around 330 visitors. 

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is mandated with the protection and promotion of human and community rights, democratization and public safety sector development. The Mission is committed to tackling unemployment within Kosovo Roma, Kosovo Ashkali, and Kosovo Egyptian communities and supporting the improvement of their socio-economic condition.

423047 Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan

An OSCE-supported on-site training and evaluation workshop under an UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) project on improving mining and tailings safety, with special attention to transboundary implications on the territories of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, concluded on 13 June 2019 in Kokshetau, Kazakhstan.

The event was co-organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan in partnership with the UNECE and Kazakhstan’s Water Initiatives Centre. It brought together 30 government officials from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

The training workshop provided a dialogue platform for national authorities to improve institutional co-ordination on tailings management facilities (TMF) safety in the transboundary context. The participants focused on the UNECE safety guidelines and good practices for TMFs. They also reviewed the implementation of the UNECE Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents and the UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes. The meeting concluded with the evaluation of ongoing UNECE tailings management projects in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, in view of the upcoming sub-regional workshop expected to take place in autumn, 2019.

The training seminar is part of the Office’s long-standing efforts to promote the implementation of international conventions in Kazakhstan, as well as to support the OSCE environmental security concept and disaster risk reduction management in the country.

422855 Kunduz Rysbek

On 11 June 2019 the OSCE Academy in Bishkek and the Moscow State Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia (MGIMO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which will allow for closer academic exchange between the two institutions, research internship opportunities for OSCE Academy students, and the implementation of joint projects.

The Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek Ambassador Pierre von Arx, in his capacity as Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the OSCE Academy, signed the MoU with the MGIMO Rector Professor Anatoly Torkunov.The Memorandum foresees an exchange of students for short-term internship as a mandatory part of master programmes as well as of lecturers in the fields of economics, law, security policy and international relations. Other key areas of co-operation will include joint research projects, exchange of information and scientific publications.

Ambassador Pierre von Arx welcomed the signing of the MoU and thanked Rector Professor Torkunov for his support. “This MoU establishes co-operation between the OSCE Academy and the MGIMO, and expands opportunities for academics and students on both sides, opening new channels for the exchange of knowledge and experiences,” von Arx noted.

VIENNA, 12 June 2019 - The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, called on the Russian authorities to respect the rights of journalists to cover public events and release all detained media workers, following the peaceful demonstration in Moscow today. 

"I call on the authorities to release all detained journalists and take swift steps to ensure restraint of force on the part of law enforcement representatives toward members of the media," Désir said. "Media must be able to provide coverage of public events without hindrance, in a free and safe manner." 

According to reports, more than 30 members of the media were detained, some mistreated, at today's demonstration in Moscow, which was held in solidarity with the investigative journalist, Ivan Golunov, including at least 11 journalists covering the event upon editorial assignment. In particular, the mistreated journalists represented Novaya Gazeta, Kommersant, Meduza, Vedomosti, Echo Moskvy, Dozhd, Der Spiegel, Grani and The Insider.  

Earlier, the Representative expressed his concern regarding the detention of Golunov (see https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/422465). On 11 June, the criminal charges against him were dropped. 

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. He provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• A girl was injured due to an explosion near Vesele and a woman was injured due to shelling in Zaitseve.
• The SMM saw fresh damage and craters caused by shelling near residential houses in Pikuzy.
• It saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line.
• Anti-tank mines were spotted near Krasnohorivka and Olenivka, some for the first time, and unexploded ordnance was seen near Donetsk city.
• Civilians faced hardship and long queues at checkpoints in Luhansk and Donetsk regions.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure on both sides of the contact line.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere. The SMM’s freedom of movement was also restricted at a heavy weapons holding area in a government-controlled area of Donetsk region and at a border crossing point near non-government-controlled Dovzhanske.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including, however, more explosions (about 150), compared with the previous reporting period (about 100 explosions). Over half of the ceasefire violations, including the majority of explosions, were recorded at easterly and southerly directions of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including, however, about the same number of explosions (about 150), compared with the previous reporting period. Over half of the ceasefire violations, including almost all of the explosions, were recorded at easterly and southerly directions of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk), including 12 undetermined explosions assessed as caused by mortars near the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) (see below).

Girl injured due to an explosion near Vesele, woman injured due to shelling in Zaitseve

On 10 June, at 47 Vilnyi Lane near Vesele (non-government-controlled, 9km north-west of Donetsk), the SMM saw a girl (aged 7) with a scab on her left forearm. The mother (aged 30) and grandmother of the girl (aged 60-70) told the SMM that she had been in the yard of their house when an explosion occurred 10m away in the yard of the neighbouring house on the evening of 30 May. On 31 May, the SMM saw damage to a garage at the neighbouring house, assessed as caused by a round of an anti-tank guided missile system (9M113 Konkurs) (for further details, see SMM Daily Report 1 June 2019).

On 10 June, at Hospital No. 2 in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), medical staff told the SMM that a woman had arrived at the hospital on 9 June with a shrapnel wound on her left shoulder and that she had been treated and returned home on the same day. On 11 June, the SMM spoke by phone with a woman (in her eighties) who told the Mission that she had been outside of her house in Zaitseve (50km north-east of Donetsk) on the evening of 8 June when she felt a pain in her left shoulder and saw that she was bleeding. She told the SMM that, due to ongoing shelling, she could not leave her house for medical care and had treated the wound herself until her grandson had arrived on 9 June and taken her to a hospital in Horlivka. The SMM was unable to access the house in Zaitseve due to security concerns.

Fresh damage and craters caused by shelling near residential houses in Pikuzy

At 47 Akhmatovoi Street in the centre of Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM saw three fresh craters in the garden of an inhabited residential house. Two craters were located 30m and 22m north of the house, and the SMM saw fuse tunnels from 82mm mortal shells embedded in both, as well as pieces of shrapnel in the soil, which it assessed as caused by 82mm mortars fired from a west-north-west direction. A third crater, located 25m north-east of the house, contained a fuse tunnel, the remnants of a tailfin, as well as pieces of shrapnel, and was assessed as coming from an 82mm mortar that had been attached to an RPG-7 propellant charge and fired from a westerly direction. About 15m west of the third crater, the SMM saw about 20 holes in the south-facing outer wall of a wooden shed, as well as a tree with broken branches, all assessed as caused by shrapnel.

At a crossroads about 35m south of the house at 47 Akhmatovoi Street, the SMM saw a fourth fresh crater about 4m south of the road with metal fragments of a fuse embedded inside of it as well as shrapnel in the soil, assessed as caused by an 82mm mortar fired from a west-north-west direction (for previous observations in the area, see SMM Daily Report 3 June 2019). The SMM also saw a hole in a glass window of a barn located about 30m north of the crater, assessed as caused by shrapnel. Three residents of the area separately told the SMM that they had heard shelling on the morning of 9 June.

Disengagement areas[2]

On 9 June, aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed that a previously reported trench, assessed as belonging to the armed formations, that protruded through the northern edge of the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk) to about 400m west of the area’s eastern edge had been extended by about 9m inside the area.[3]

On the evening and night of 10 and 11 June, positioned on the northern edge of Popasna, the SMM heard about 130 explosions, including 12 assessed as mortar rounds, and at least 50 bursts and shots (of small-arms, heavy-machine-gun and automatic grenade launcher fire), all assessed as within 5km of the Zolote disengagement area’s periphery.

On 10 June, inside the disengagement area near Zolote, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) mounted on a truck, about 600m south of its northern edge and about 1km east of its western edge, assessed as belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

On 11 June, positioned in the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed a calm situation.

Withdrawal of weapons

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

In violation of withdrawal lines

Government-controlled areas

10 June

An SMM long-range UAV spotted a surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) parked between residential houses in Mykolaivka (57km north of Donetsk).

The SMM saw an anti-tank gun (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) near Novoaidar (49km north-west of Luhansk.

11 June

Non-government-controlled areas

The SMM saw two self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and four towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) near Bile (22km west of Luhansk).

Weapons that the SMM could not verify as withdrawn[4]

At heavy weapons holding areas in a government-controlled area of Donetsk region

The SMM noted that:

• seven multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) were present and
• 31 towed howitzers (18 2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm and 13 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm), 24 MLRS (BM-21), 18 anti-tank guns (MT-12) and a self-propelled howitzer (2S1) remained missing.

Weapons permanent storage sites

At a permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region

The SMM noted that all previously observed weapons were present.

Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[5]

Government-controlled areas

9 June

An SMM mid-range UAV spotted an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) and an armoured combat vehicle (ACV) near Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk).

10 June

An SMM long-range UAV spotted:

• four IFVs (BMP-1) in Bila Hora (54km north of Donetsk);
• an ACV near Mykolaivka;
• two ACVs near Krymske (42km north-west of Luhansk); and
• two ACVs near Orikhove (57km north-west of Luhansk).

An SMM mid-range UAV spotted an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-80) near Sartana (15km north-east of Mariupol).

An SMM mini-UAV spotted an IFV (BMP variant) near Troitske (69km west of Luhansk).

11 June

The SMM saw:

• an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRM-1K) near Netailove (22km north-west of Donetsk);
• an IFV (BTR-4) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) near Novobakhmutivka (28km north of Donetsk);
• two IFVs (BMP-2) near Kamianka (20km north of Donetsk);
• an IFV (BMP variant) and an APC (MT-LB) in Novhorodske (35km north of Donetsk);
• three APCs (MT-LB) near Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol);
• an IFV (BTR-4) in Mariupol (102km south of Donetsk); and
• a freshly dug trench, about 50m in length, running south to a freshly dug revetment on the eastern edge of Orikhove-Donetske (44km north-west of Luhansk).

Anti-tank mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO), and mine and UXO hazard signs in Donetsk region

On 9 June, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted about 1,700 anti-tank mines (next to previously reported 336 anti-tank mines) in fields about 2.5km east of Krasnohorivka, all located near positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

On 11 June, about 1km south-west of a forward position of the armed formations on road H-2 near Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM saw for the first time eight anti-tank mines in the eastern lane of the road, where barriers already existed. About 250m west of the newly-laid mines, the SMM again saw two anti-tank mines (TM-62M) in the median between road lanes. On the same day, the SMM saw for the first time a piece of UXO embedded in the asphalt on road H-15, which is frequently used by both civilians and the SMM, in the Kirovskyi district of Donetsk city (non-government-controlled) and about 150m south-east of residential houses, assessed as not recent and coming from a 122mm MLRS (BM-21).

The SMM saw that three previously observed mine hazard signs on a road leading from Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk) to Novomykhailivka (government-controlled, 28km south-west of Donetsk) had been removed and that a new mine hazard sign with “Danger Mines” written in Ukrainian attached to a post had been placed about 18m east of the road. In Slavne (government-controlled, 26km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM saw mine awareness information posters for the first time on a bus stop on a road leading to Novomykhailivka. On a road leading to the SMM camera site in Shyrokyne, the SMM saw a rock wrapped in red and white tape in the centre of a sunburst pattern on the road, assessed as an improvised UXO warning sign and probably the site of an impact.

Civilians faced hardship and long queues at checkpoints in Luhansk and Donetsk regions

On 11 June, the SMM saw the body of a man in his eighties lying on the ground beside the road about 20m north of the wooden ramp on the bridge near Stanytsia Luhanska. The man’s widow (in her late seventies) told the SMM that she had been walking with her husband towards government-controlled areas when he collapsed near the bridge and that he had a history of heart problems. Porters carried the body to a parking lot where medical personnel later examined it.

Near the forward position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces north of the same bridge, the SMM saw elderly people who told the SMM that the porters they had hired to transport them from non-government-controlled-to government-controlled areas had refused to proceed past the forward position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

At a checkpoint near Olenivka, the SMM observed about 200 vehicles queuing to travel to government-controlled areas, as well as about 100 vehicles queuing in the opposite direction (for previous observations in the area, see SMM Daily Report 11 June 2019). At a checkpoint of the armed formations on road H-15 near Kreminets (non-government-controlled, 16km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed at least 200 vehicles queuing to travel to government-controlled areas.

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), to water pipelines near Pervomaisk (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), to high voltage power lines in Kruta Balka (non-government-controlled, 16km north of Donetsk) and to power lines near Yuzhna-Lomuvatka (non-government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and Holmivskyi (non-government-controlled, 49km north-east of Donetsk).

The SMM facilitated the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) and continued to monitor the security situation in the area of the pumping station near Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk).

The Mission also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to support a funeral in a cemetery bordered by the contact line on the eastern edge of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol). On 10 June, two men who introduced themselves as undertakers in the cemetery told the SMM that they often heard small-arms fire in the area. The SMM saw two bullet holes, assessed as caused by small-arms fire, in the side of their van.

People apply for Russian Federation passports in Slovianoserbsk

In Slovianoserbsk (non-government-controlled, 28km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM saw about 50 people (mixed ages and genders) queuing to apply for passports of the Russian Federation, as well as for “LPR passports.”

Border areas outside government control

While at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (84km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw two covered cargo trucks (one with Ukrainian licence plates and one with “LPR” plates) entering Ukraine. After five minutes, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*

While at a border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk) for about an hour, the SMM saw 24 cars (six with Ukrainian, 11 with Russian Federation and one with Lithuanian licence plates, as well as six with “DPR” plates), seven trucks (two with covered cargo, two carrying timber, one dump truck, one carrying a shipping container and one transporting cars) (six with Ukrainian and one with Lithuanian licence plates), two buses (one with Ukrainian licence plates and one with “DPR” plates) and 42 pedestrians (mixed ages and genders) entering Ukraine. The SMM also saw 30 cars (15 with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates, as well as 14 with “DPR” plates) and 20 pedestrians (mixed ages and genders) exiting Ukraine.

On 1 June, while at a pedestrian border crossing point near Ulianivske (61km east of Donetsk) for about an hour, the SMM saw no traffic.

SMM monitored the security situation in south-east Kherson region

On 9 and 10 June, the SMM observed calm situations at the crossing point between Kalanchak (67km south-east of Kherson), Chaplynka (77km south-east of Kherson) and Chonhar (163km south-east of Kherson) and Crimea. At the Chaplynka crossing point, the SMM noticed a strong smell in the area. A State Border Guard Service member told the SMM that emissions from the Titan Plant had a specific, stifling smell recently. The man added that the air pollution level was measured by their unit two to three times per day. On 10 June, the SMM observed a calm situation in coastal areas near Henichesk (176km east of Kherson).

The SMM continued monitoring in Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, UXO and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that the Joint Centre on Control and Co-ordination should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (for example, see below). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

• On two occasions at a heavy weapons holding area in a government-controlled area of Donetsk region, Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel denied the SMM access to the area, citing lack of permission from superiors.
• At a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (non-government-controlled, 84km south-east of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.

Other impediments:

• An SMM mini-UAV experienced GPS signal interference, assessed as due to probable jamming, while flying near Sartana (government-controlled, 15km north-east of Mariupol).[6]
• On the evening and night of 10-11 June, an SMM long-range UAV experienced signal interference, assessed as caused by jamming, while flying over government-controlled areas of northern Donetsk region.

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate”.

[2]Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] Due to the presence of mines, including on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM cannot access its camera in Petrivske, and thus the SMM has not been able to access observations from the camera since 22 June 2018.

[4] The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage did not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification from the SMM to the signatories of the Package of Measures on effective monitoring and verification of the withdrawal of heavy weapons. The Mission noted that five sites continue to be abandoned.

[5] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

[6] The interference could have originated from anywhere within a radius of kilometres from the UAVs’ positions.

422687 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

A roundtable meeting on the rehabilitation and reintegration of juvenile offenders was held in Dushanbe on 11 June 2019. The event was jointly organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe and Tajikistan’s Ministry of Justice.

Some 50 Tajik and international experts and representatives of Tajik government agencies and international and civil society organizations discussed the key outcomes and recommendations of a legal analysis conducted earlier this year by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe. The analysis assessed national legislation for compliance with international standards in the field of rehabilitation of children in conflict with the law.

They also reviewed a document drafted by the OSCE Programme Office, the Rehabilitation and Reintegration Programme for Children in Conflict with the Law, including children who have served their sentences in places of detention. The programme is a key mechanism for rehabilitation and social reintegration of juvenile prisoners and former prisoners, which is foreseen to be implemented by Tajikistan’s Ministry of Justice for 2020 to 2024.

At the roundtable meeting Rajabmo Habibullozoda, Tajikistan’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights noted the importance of this initiative, which would serve as a good springboard to start the activities on rehabilitation of children in the justice system. She said that these services would be provided not only to children who leave places of detention, but also to those children who have been found guilty of committing a crime, and received noncustodial sentences or were exempted from criminal liability.

“Tajikistan has taken important steps to ensure that the justice system is accurately reformed and that young offenders can learn to become responsible citizens, who constructively contribute to the development of society”, emphasized Ambassador Valeriu Chiveri, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe.

Albania, Finland and Poland have renewed the mandates or, alternatively, appointed new members to the OSCE Court of Conciliation and Arbitration Court for new terms of six years after the previous mandates of their members expired. The appointments of the conciliators, the arbitrators and their alternates were made in accordance with Articles 3 and 4 of the Convention on Conciliation and Arbitration within the OSCE, which was signed in 1992 in Stockholm.

The Court will be requested to elect a new Bureau whose term of office will terminate in October 2019. The election procedure is expected to start in summer 2019 with a call for nominations of potential candidates among the members of the Court. Appointed conciliators and arbitrators will be invited to take part in the election procedure that will be carried out in writing, in accordance with Article 9 of the Rules of Procedure of the Court.

Currently, 34 States are party to the Convention, which provides mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of disputes.

The following is the list of the conciliators, arbitrators and their alternates appointed by Albania, Finland and Poland:

Albania

Conciliators:

Armand SKAPI
Director, International and European Law Department 
Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania

Etleva HAKA
Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania                                                                           

Arbitrator:                                                         

Bruna MINAROLLI
Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania


Finland

Conciliators:                                                    

Kimmo KILJUNEN
Member of the Finnish Parliament

Sia Spiliopoulou ÅKERMARK
Associate Professor of International Law
Director, The Åland Islands Peace Institute

Arbitrator:

Erkki KOURULA
Former Judge at the International Criminal Court

Alternate:

Jan KLABBERS
Professor of International Law
University of Helsinki

Poland

Conciliators:

Anna WYROZUMSKA
Professor, University of Lodz

Michał KOWALSKI
Professor, Jagiellonian University in Kraków

Arbitrator:

Roman KWIECIEŃ
Professor, Jagiellonian University in Kraków

Alternate:

Przemysław SAGANEK
Professor, Polish Academy of Science

422876 Communication and Media Relations Section

OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger and other high-level OSCE officials visited the Austrian Armed Forces International Centre (AUTINT) in Götzendorf, Lower Austria, on 24 May 2019 to mark the fifth anniversary of the Centre’s provision of pre-deployment training for the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM).  He was accompanied by the Chief Monitor of the SMM, Ertugrul Apakan, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Slovakia to the OSCE, Ambassador Katarina Zakova, and the current Chief of the Austrian General Staff Directorate, Major General Bruno Hofbauer.

Welcoming the guests, the Deputy Commanding Officer of AUTINT, Colonel Karl Wolf, thanked them for the trust placed in the Centre and assured them that every effort would be made to maintain the highest level of service to the OSCE in the future.  

Secretary General Greminger, Chief Monitor Apakan and Deputy Permanent Representative Apakan expressed their admiration for the excellent training provided to the incoming monitors through the Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) courses.

The visitors were briefed on the week-long training course and subsequently taken to the training area, where they observed training in the provision of first aid and behaviour at aggressive checkpoints. This gave them a deeper insight into the highly professional training.

In the 45 courses conducted to date, 905 SMM monitors have been trained, of which 235 were women. Forty-five countries have deployed participants to the courses and 50 international guest trainers, primarily from Belgium, Hungary and Ireland, have contributed to the courses. With the recent ENTRi certification of the course, the continuation of the training has been confirmed until 2022, ensuring AUTINT’s continued valuable contribution to the stabilization of the situation in Ukraine.

VIENNA, 12 June 2019 – Following reports that several journalists have been verbally assaulted and intimidated in recent days in Moldova, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today called on the authorities to ensure safe working conditions for journalists.

“Journalists must be able to do their work, including during demonstrations and public actions, freely and without intimidation or violence,” Désir said. “I call on the authorities to ensure journalists’ safety. This is especially important in the context of the country’s current political developments.”

According to reports by media outlets and non-governmental organizations, several members of the media, including from Agora.md, Unimedia.info and Anticorupţie.md media portals, Pro TV and TV 8 channels, and Ziarul de Garda investigative reporting newspaper, were affected and obstructed in a number of different incidents between 7 and 9 June.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. He provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.

422879 Mirvete Islam, OSCE Mission to Skopje Ilona Kazaryan Second interim report on the activities and the cases under the competence of the Special Prosecutor's Office

SKOPJE, 12 June 2019 – The OSCE Mission to Skopje presented today the second interim report on the activities and cases of the Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPO), resulting from the Mission’s trial monitoring observations.

The report covers 20 cases in which the SPO filed indictments by its statutory deadline of 30 June 2017, and follows the first interim report, published in August 2018.

“We hope that the findings and recommendations enshrined in this report will be a helpful tool at the disposal of the actors involved in the accountability process of the crimes revealed by the intercepts, as well as in the hands of the actors involved in the judicial reform process,” said Ambassador Clemens Koja, Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje.

“Given the key role of the SPO in re-establishing accountability, it is of utmost importance that the SPO continues pursuing those responsible in a professional and independent manner,” added Koja.

Special Public Prosecutor Katica Janeva said: “The OSCE Mission to Skopje’s report, which provides an overview of the course of the trials of cases that fall under our jurisdiction, once again shows our great devotion and persistence to exhibit a substantial amount of evidence in support of the charges brought. It also demonstrates our willingness to raise the fair trial standards, aimed at tackling impunity, promoting greater accountability and upholding the rule of law in North Macedonia.”

The report, available online here, is part of a project financed through extra-budgetary contributions provided by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United States Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.

KYIV, 12 June 2019 – Representatives of the Slovak OSCE Chairmanship and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine will hand over demining and other equipment to Ukrainian governmental ministries during a joint presentation entitled “Humanitarian Mine Action: OSCE’s Help to Mitigate Conflict Effects for People”, on Friday, 14 June 2019 in Kyiv.

The event will provide insights into the legal and institutional framework for mine action and the functionality of IMSMA, a digital mapping database used for the planning and co-ordination of demining work. A practical demonstration of the demining equipment that is being provided by the OSCE to Ukrainian mine action agencies is also planned. 

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense and State Emergency service will receive metal detectors and protective equipment. The Ministry of the Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons will be provided with computers and other items that will enable it to carry out mine risk education efforts and use IMSMA.

Speakers at the presentation will include Henrik Villadsen, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, Marek Varga, Deputy Head of the Slovak OSCE Chairmanship Task Force and representatives of the Ministry for the Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons and the Ministry of Defense and State Emergency Service.  

Journalists are invited to cover the presentation starting at 17:00 on 14 June 2019 at the conference hall of Intercontinental Kyiv Hotel (2A, Velyka Zhytomyrska St, Kyiv, Ukraine). Media professionals wishing to attend are required to send an e-mail of confirmation to Yevhen.Avramenko@osce.org  (+380672394066) no later than 10 a.m. on 14 June 2019. For more information about the event, please contact Andrii Dziubenko at andrii.dziubenko@osce.org (+380506767734). 

The equipment and policy development support is part of a project implemented by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine with financial support from Global Affairs Canada, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Slovak Republic, the Kingdom of Norway, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America.

SDGs SDGs:  12 - Responsible consumption and production

Vienna, 11 June 2019 - The report of the International Conference on Tackling Modern Slavery, Forced Labour and Human Trafficking in Public Procurement Supply Chains, held in London in March this year, was published today.

The conference was a joint event of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), the Government of the United Kingdom, and the OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, in partnership with the governments of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United States, as well as the International Labour Organization and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Participants highlighted challenges and good practices in four high-risk sectors – construction, electronics, health supplies and general manufacturing. They shared examples of  finding solutions and building networks for collaboration rather than focusing on problems. High-level discussion panels were complemented with practical workshops – enabling peers to learn from each another – and to come up with recommendations for future action.

ETI spokesperson Cindy Berman said:   “Every government in the world procures goods and services. And they spend billions doing so, whether they are rich or poor countries. Governments are constantly spending money. This can be on medical supplies for health services, construction of public infrastructure, or even stationery for civil servants,” she said. “It all adds up. It is estimated that the average government spends between 12 and 24 percent of its GDP on public procurement at national and local levels.”

There’s a lesson to be learned here, added Valiant Richey, OSCE’s Acting Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. “We can actually choose on a grand scale not to buy goods or services produced by exploited labour,” he said.

International organizations, governments, public bodies, procurement professionals, regional and local governments and authorities, trades unions, civil society organizations, academics, experts, the media and multi-stakeholder organizations – all came together at the conference to contribute their expertise.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous 24 hours, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations both in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM observed damage from small-arms fire to civilian properties in Chermalyk.
• It saw a weapon in violation in non-government-controlled Boikivske.
• The Mission continued to observe long queues of civilians at checkpoints along the contact line.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure on both sides of the contact line.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including, however, the same number of explosions (about 100), compared with the previous 24 hours. The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded at south-easterly directions of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), at southerly and south-easterly directions of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol) and at south-easterly and south-westerly directions of Kamianka (government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 150 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (about 480 explosions). More than two- thirds of ceasefire violations, including almost all explosions, were recorded at easterly and southerly directions of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk) (see below).

Damage to civilian properties in Chermalyk

At 62 Naberezhna Street, on the south-eastern edge of Chermalyk, the Mission saw two holes: one in a north-facing outer wall and one in the outer pane of a window on the same side of a single-storey house, as well as a bullet graze mark on a pile of bricks stacked in front of the aforementioned window (all assessed as fresh and caused by small-arms fire). A woman (aged 40-50) who introduced herself as the owner of the house told the SMM that she had been at home with her husband on the evening of 4 June when she heard small-arms fire.  

At 60 Naberezhna Street, about 60m south from the previous house, the SMM saw a hole (assessed as fresh and caused by small-arms fire) in the southern-facing outer wall of a shed about 10m from a single-storey house. A man (aged 60-70) who introduced himself as the owner of the house told the SMM that he had been at home during the night of 8 June when he had heard small-arms fire.

Disengagement areas[2]                

On the evening and night of 9 and 10 June, the SMM camera in Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) recorded a projectile in flight at an assessed range of 2-3km south-east (assessed as inside the disengagement area) and four projectiles in flight at an assessed range of 0.7-2km east-south-east and south-east, assessed as outside the disengagement area.

During the night of 9 June and morning of 10 June, while on the northern edge of Popasna, the SMM heard 76 explosions (42 undetermined and 34 of automatic grenade launcher) and about 240 shots and bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire at an assessed range of 6-9km east (unable to be assessed as inside or outside the Zolote disengagement area). While at two locations near the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM also heard about 20 undetermined explosions and about 40 shots and bursts of small-arms fire, all assessed as within 5km of the disengagement area’s periphery.

During the morning of 10 June, inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk) and within a 250m radius of the southern wooden ramp on the broken section of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw an anti-tank grenade launcher (RPG-7V) and four heavy-machine guns. At 12:07, about 100m of the southern wooden ramp, an armed member of the armed formations fired a flare, reportedly indicating the willingness of the armed formations to disengage.

Positioned near the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM observed a calm situation.[3]

Withdrawal of weapons

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

In violation of withdrawal lines

Non-government-controlled areas

8 June

An SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted a surface-to-air missile system (9K31, Strela-1) in the northern outskirts of Boikivske (formerly Telmanove, 67km south-east of Donetsk), in a zone within which deployment of heavy armaments and military equipment is further proscribed according to Point 5 of the Memorandum of 19 September 2014.

Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[4]

Government-controlled areas

6 June

An aerial image available to the SMM revealed the presence of a probable armoured combat vehicle (ACV) near Talakivka (90km south of Donetsk).          

10 June

The SMM saw an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (Varta) in Heorhiievka (27km south-west of Donetsk).

The SMM saw a mast with an antenna assessed as used to operate a mid-range UAV next to four Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers in a field about 2.5km south-west of Chermalyk.

Non-government-controlled areas

8 June

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• again a TORN  electronic warfare system on a truck (KamAZ) parked near a residential house in Novohryhorivka (61km north-east of Donetsk);
• an ACV near Kalynove (60km west of Luhansk); and
• five APCs (three MT-LB and two BTR-80), two anti-aircraft guns (a DShK, 12.7mm and a probable one) and two probable anti-aircraft gun positions in Boikivske, in a zone within which deployment of heavy armaments and military equipment is proscribed according to Point 5 of the Memorandum of 19 September 2014.

Long queues of civilians at a checkpoint of the armed formations near Olenivka

On 9 June, the SMM observed at least 250 vehicles queuing at a checkpoint of the armed formations near Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk) to travel to government-controlled areas, as well as around 200 vehicles queuing in the opposite direction (for previous observations in the area, see SMM Daily Report 10 June 2019).

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk),  to voltage power lines in Kruta Balka (non-government-controlled, 16km north of Donetsk) and to water pipelines in Raivka (non-government-controlled, 16km north-west of Luhansk), between Zolote-3/Stakhanovets (government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk) and Popasna,  and  near Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk).

The SMM facilitated the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) and continued to monitor the security situation in the area of the pumping station near Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk).

The SMM also monitored adherence to the ceasefire in order to enable a transfer of funds from non-government- to government-controlled areas of Luhansk region, reportedly related to water payments.

Border areas outside government control

While at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw six pedestrians (two women and four men, aged 30-45) and two cars (with Ukrainian licence plates) entering Ukraine, and four cars (two with Ukrainian and two with Russian Federation licence plates) and a woman (aged about 35) exiting Ukraine. After five minutes, an armed member of the armed formations asked the SMM to leave the area.*

While at the Chervona Mohyla railway station near Voznesenivka, the SMM saw at least three stationary railway cars but could not determine their contents. After about ten minutes, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area. *

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that the Joint Centre on Control and Co-ordination should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (for example, see below). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

• At the Chervona Mohyla railway station near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, non-government-controlled, 65km south-east of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.
• At a border crossing point in Voznesenivka, an armed member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.

Delay:

• At a checkpoint north of Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), an armed member of the armed formations allowed the SMM to proceed west to Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol) only after about 30 minutes of waiting.

Other impediments:

• On the evening of 9 June, an SMM long-range UAV experienced signal interference, assessed as caused by jamming, while flying over government-controlled areas near Stepanivka (54km north of Donetsk), Popasna (69km west of Luhansk) and Pylypchatyne (76km north-east of Donetsk).[5]

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate”.

[2]Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] Due to the presence of mines, including on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM cannot access its camera in Petrivske, and thus the SMM has not been able to access observations from the camera since 22 June 2018.

[4] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

[5] The interference could have originated from anywhere within a radius of kilometres from the UAVs’ positions.

OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

An OSCE-supported seminar on best practices in anti-money laundering (AML) and countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) in the sector of designated non-financial businesses and professions (DNFBP) took place in Ashgabat from 10 to 11 June 2019. The event was organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, jointly with the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan and its Financial Monitoring Service.

The aim of the seminar was to enhance the participants’ understanding of international legislative provisions and standards ensuring the effectiveness of internal control rules for the DNFBP sector as well as to share best practices of interagency co-operation in the area.

Representatives from the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan and its Financial Monitoring Service, law-enforcement and supervisory bodies, DNFBP entities and other relevant agencies of Turkmenistan discussed Turkmenistan’s national system and international standards of anti-money laundering and countering  terrorism financing.

An international expert from Lithuania highlighted the significance of control over designated non-financial businesses and professions as a mechanism for ensuring effective countering of money laundering and terrorism financing and presented key indicators of the efficiency of control in the system of AML/CFT.

Opening the seminar, Ivana Markovic, the Economic and Environmental Officer of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, stressed the significance of the 2016 Ministerial Council’s Decision on Strengthening Good Governance and Promoting Connectivity which recognized that “good governance, transparency and accountability are essential conditions for economic growth, trade, investment and sustainable development, thereby contributing to stability and security in the OSCE area.”

“The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat is committed to assisting Turkmenistan in the implementation of relevant international standards and applying best practices in countering the financing of money laundering and terrorism,” Markovic said.

Risk assessment and the use of a risk- based approach were also among the topics of the seminar. The seminar participants analysed practices of conducting national risk assessment in financial and non-financial sectors and the modalities of co-ordination and co-operation with DNFBP as a source of and recipient of information.

The seminar also addressed ways of increasing the preventive role of non-financial businesses and professions and enhanced due diligence of customers as well as best practices in identifying beneficiaries and politically exposed persons and risk reduction in AML/CFT.

The participants emphasized the importance of interagency and international co-operation for efficient AML/CFT in the sector of designated non-financial businesses and professions.

VIENNA, 11 June 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today condemned the attack on Vadim Makaryuk, a cameraman for the 24th channel and Visti.News portal, and called on the Ukrainian authorities to thoroughly investigate the incident.

On 7 June, Makaryuk was attacked with tear gas and beaten by unidentified men while filming a business-related dispute in the Barabashov marketplace in Kharkiv. As a result, Makaryuk received serious head injuries and was hospitalized with cerebral haemorrhage. He remains in critical condition at the hospital. The attackers also seized and damaged his camera and a memory stick. The police have launched an investigation and reportedly identified two alleged suspects.

“I condemn the attack and beating of Vadim Makaryuk, and urge the authorities to do their utmost to bring the perpetrators of this attack swiftly to justice,” Désir said. “Targeting and attacking journalists because of their work is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated.”

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. He provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.

KYIV, 11 June 2019 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened an election observation mission (EOM) for the 21 July early parliamentary elections in Ukraine. The mission’s deployment follows an invitation from the country’s authorities.

The mission is led by Ambassador Albert Jónsson and consists of a core team of 19 experts based in Kyiv. ODIHR has requested that OSCE participating States provide 100 long-term observers, who will be deployed throughout the country in international teams of two from 18 June. In addition, the Office will request that the participating States provide 750 short-term observers, who will arrive several days before election day.

The mission will assess the election’s compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation. Observers will closely monitor voter registration, candidate registration, campaign activities, the work of the election administration and relevant government bodies, election-related legislation and its implementation, and the resolution of election-related disputes. The mission will also monitor media coverage of the campaign.

In the course of its observation, the mission will meet with representatives of state authorities, political parties, civil society, the media and the international community.

On election day itself, the ODIHR EOM will join efforts with delegations from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the European Parliament and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to monitor the opening of polling stations, voting, the counting of ballots and the tabulation of results.

The mission will publish an interim report in the course of its work. The day after the election, a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions will be issued at a press conference. ODIHR will issue a final report on the observation approximately two months after the end of the election process.

The ODIHR election observation mission, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission and the Office of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine operate separately and independently under their own mandates.

For further information, please visit https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/ukraine/422585

or contact Francesca Boggeri, Media Analyst with the Election Observation Mission: +380 67 164 45 76 (Kyiv mobile), Francesca.boggeri@odihr.org.ua  

 or

Katya Andrusz, ODIHR Spokesperson, at +48 609 522 266 (Warsaw mobile), or at katya.andrusz@odihr.pl.

SARAJEVO, 10 June 2019 – The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) presented today in Sarajevo its publication on referral mechanisms for preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (P/CVERLT).

The publication, entitled Understanding Referral Mechanisms in Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism - Navigating Challenges and Protecting Human Rights: A Guidebook for South-Eastern Europe explains the concept of a referral mechanism for P/CVERLT and provides practical guidance on some basic elements that should always be included in such a mechanism.

Particular focus is placed on a number of critical considerations that policymakers and practitioners need to bear in mind when developing and operationalizing such mechanisms, as well as factors specific to South-Eastern Europe that might affect efforts to develop referral mechanisms for all forms of VERLT.

“This publication represents a valuable tool for assisting policymakers and front-line workers in making informed decisions when establishing referral mechanisms for preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization that leads to terrorism, and to better understand ways in which they translate into practice,” said the Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, Ambassador Bruce G. Berton. “As such, it will help to ensure that integrated local-level responses are human rights-compliant and that they do not lead to unintended consequences in local communities.”

Samir Rizvo, Assistant Minister of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina said that the development of the referral mechanism would improve prevention and assist in the fight against violent extremism and terrorism, while enhancing protection of human rights and freedoms. “We have to develop our capacities to be capable of recognizing any risk situation and any risk behaviour and in order to be able to respond in an adequate manner through non-criminal structures.” 

This publication was developed by the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department as a response to the need for the development of impactful, sustainable, and responsible policies and programmes to prevent and counter violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism. Such policies and programmes need to enable a multidisciplinary approach to the identification of those at risk of engaging in violent activities, and to interventions with them.

This report is for the media and the general public.

SUMMARY

Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons increased at both BCPs compared to the previous week.

OPERATIONAL REMARKS

The OM is currently operating with 21 permanent international staff members, including the Chief Observer (CO). The Mission is supported administratively by a staff member and the Chief of Fund Administration based in Vienna.

OBSERVATIONS AT THE BORDER CROSSING POINTS

Persons crossing the border                                                                                                                                                                                          

The profile of persons crossing the border can be categorized as follows:

1. Adults travelling on foot or by car with little or no luggage;
2. Persons in military-style outfits;
3. Families (often including elderly persons and/or children) travelling on foot or by car with a significant amount of luggage.

The average number of entries/exits increased from 10,866 to 11,202 per day at both BCPs compared to last week[1].

During the reporting period, the majority of border crossings were to Ukraine, with an average net flow of minus 168 per day for both BCPs.

The Donetsk BCP continued to experience more traffic than the Gukovo BCP.

Persons in military-style outfits

During the reporting period, the number of persons in military-style outfits crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs was five this week compared to 16 last week: three of them crossed into the Russian Federation, and two into Ukraine (60 per cent of this category’s crossings occurred at the Donetsk BCP). They continued to cross the border individually or in groups. Most individuals crossed on foot, however, some made use of private vehicles, buses or minivans, making it more difficult for the observer teams (OTs) to observe their movement across the border, especially since some of the private vehicles had tinted windows, and buses and minivans had drawn curtains.

Families with a significant amount of luggage

The OTs continued to report on families crossing the border, sometimes with elderly persons and/or children, at both BCPs with a significant amount of luggage, or travelling in heavily loaded cars. During this reporting week, 15 families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation and four were observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when five families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation and five into Ukraine.

Bus connections                                         

Regular local and long-distance bus connections continued to operate between Ukraine (mostly from/to the Luhansk region) and the Russian Federation. In addition to regular bus connections, the OTs continued to observe bus connections on irregular routes. Often the buses did not state their route; instead they had a sign on the windshield stating “irregular”.

During the reporting period, the OTs observed an increase in the overall number of buses crossing the border at both BCPs (420 compared to 370 observed during the previous week). There were 219 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 201 bound for Ukraine.

On some occasions, the OTs noticed the bus drivers removing the itinerary signs from the windshields of their buses, while some buses did not display their route at all. The majority of long-distance buses commuting between the Luhansk region and cities in the Russian Federation had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region. Among the bus connections observed by the OTs, the following “irregular” routes or destinations were noted: Kharkiv, Luhansk - Kharkiv, Luhansk - Yalta and Rovenky - Kyiv.

Trucks

During the reporting period, the OTs observed 807 trucks (818 during the previous reporting week) crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs (279 at the Gukovo BCP and 528 at the Donetsk BCP); 403 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 404 crossed into Ukraine. Most of the trucks observed by the OTs had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region; however, on a daily basis, the OTs also noted trucks registered in Belarus and the Russian Federation and some with “LPR” plates.                                                                                          

The OTs also continued to observe tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions. During the reporting week, the number of tanker trucks increased to 52 (compared to 43 during the   previous reporting period). These trucks were observed crossing the border at both BCPs. The trucks had the words “Propane” and “Flammable” written across the tanks in either Russian or Ukrainian. The majority of tanker trucks had hazard signs, indicating that they were transporting propane or a mix of propane and butane.

All trucks underwent systematic inspection by Russian Federation officials, which may include an X-ray check. Due to the unfavourable observation position at the Gukovo BCP, the OTs continued to be unable to observe any X-ray checks.

Compared to the previous week, the total number of X-ray checks at the Donetsk BCP decreased from 135 to 99: of the total number of trucks scanned, 75 trucks (76 per cent) were bound for Ukraine; the remaining 24 trucks (24 per cent) crossed into the Russian Federation.

Minivans

The OM continued to observe passenger and cargo minivans[2] crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs. The OTs observed minivans predominantly with Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region; however, the OTs also frequently saw minivans registered in the Russian Federation. Compared to the previous week, the number of cargo minivans increased from 143 to 182 vehicles; 91 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 91 into Ukraine.

Trains

The OTs continued to pick up the sound of trains running on the railway tracks located approximately 150m south-west of the Gukovo BCP. During the reporting week, the OTs heard trains on 32 occasions; the OTs assessed that 18 trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and 14 to Ukraine (more details are provided in the sections “trends and figures at a glance”). The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine was regularly informed about the trains bound for Ukraine.

Visual observation was not possible because of the line of trees located between the train tracks and the BCP.

Other observations

The majority of vehicles crossing the border had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region, or Russian Federation licence plates. A significant number of vehicles with “LPR” plates were also observed crossing the border in both directions on a daily basis. Cars with licence plates from Lithuania, Armenia, Georgia and vehicles with “Republic of Abkhazia” plates were also observed.

On 5 June at 11:55, an ambulance entered the Donetsk BCP from the Russian Federation and parked in front of the main building. Two paramedics were observed moving from the vehicle to the main building. At 12:30, the medical crew accompanied a civilian to the ambulance and together they returned towards the Russian Federation.

On 6 June at 19:35, the OT observed one police vehicle that arrived at the Donetsk BCP from the Russian Federation. The police vehicle parked in front of the main building. At 20:00 the same day, the police vehicle left the BCP towards the Russian Federation.

On 7 June at 19:45, the OT observed one police vehicle that arrived at the Donetsk BCP from the Russian Federation. The vehicle drove behind the main building and was not visible to the OT. At 21:34 same day, same vehicle left the BCP towards the Russian Federation.

For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 7 May 2019 to 11 June 2019, please see the attachment here.

[1]                      Based on data received from the Regional Representation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation

[2]                      Cargo minivans: light commercial vehicles with a maximum authorized mass of more than 3.5 t and not more than 7.5 t; with or without a trailer with a maximum mass of less than 750 kg (small cargo vehicles which correspond to driving licence C1).

422639 Marina Živaljević

The staff of local public broadcasters enhanced their project writing skills to help them better respond to various calls for project proposals during a two-day training course organized by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro on 6 and 7 June 2019 in Podgorica.

This workshop, a  follow-up to last year’s basic training course, was attended by 11 representatives of local public broadcasters from Radio and Television Budva, Nikšić, Rožaje, Pljevlja, as well as radio Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Berane and Andrijevica. The training was facilitated by two local experts, Goran Ɖurović and Ana Novaković.

Opening the workshop, Daniel Blank, Media Programme Manager at the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, said understanding project design and delivery are crucial elements in managing the work of a media house. “Everything we do in our professional life consists of small and big projects, so it is good to have an understanding of how project ideas are envisioned and then how to implement them. It is advisable to structure the year with both small and big projects to make your media house grow stronger,” said Blank.

The two-day training course taught participants how to transfer an idea into the quality and well-written project.  “Ideas are not enough. You must know the steps and rules of how to transform ideas into well-planned projects,” said Novaković.

The course focused on practice, rather than theory, and dealt with the research process, developing a logical framework, budgeting and reporting in the project-writing process.