OSCE

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region.
• The SMM was notified by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and by the armed formations in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region that the withdrawal of forces and hardware in the Petrivske disengagement area was completed. The Mission saw demining activities inside and near the disengagement area.
• The Mission continued to observe demining activities inside the Zolote disengagement area.
• Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM continued to observe construction works at the broken section of the bridge.
• The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of and repairs to critical civilian infrastructure on both sides of the contact line.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement continued, including at checkpoints near non-government-controlled Zaichenko, Nova Marivka, Starolaspa and Shevchenko.*

439079 Communication and Media Relations Section

The OSCE Mobile Training Team delivered an interactive training course on the identification of foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) for 25 first- and second-line Serbian border officers as well as officials of the country’s Security Information Agency from 12 to 14 November 2019 in Belgrade.

The three-day course was held at the facilities of the Academy of Criminal and Police Studies and provided interactive training to the participants on international, regional and national legal frameworks, the effective use of INTERPOL databases, Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record Systems, and travel document security. Sessions explored risk analysis and management in the identification of potential FTFs at borders as well as behavioral indicators of FTFs and interviewing techniques.

“This training is one of three planned courses with the OSCE aimed at expanding border security co-operation and enhancing the capacity of police officers in identifying and detecting counterfeit documents, and identifying and detecting foreign terrorist fighters at the borders,” said Slobodan Copic, Head of the Compensatory Measures Unit of the Border Police Directorate at Serbia’s Ministry of Interior. “Considering the complexity of this topic, this training will deepen knowledge and skills of border officers in this area, which they will apply in their daily work.”

Albina Yakubova, Programme Management Officer at the Border Security and Management Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, said: “A famous politician once said that success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts. When it comes to the identification of FTFs at the borders, it is crucial to learn from our lessons and apply new and innovative methods to prevent cross-border movement of FTFs and other criminals. This training provides such an opportunity.”

The Mobile Training Team was represented by national border officers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece and North Macedonia as well as international experts from INTERPOL, the OSCE and the United States of America.

The OSCE Mobile Training Team was established by the Border Security and Management Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department in 2016. It is composed of 17 selected border and counter-terrorism experts from OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation.  

This is the twelfth deployment of the Mobile Training Team organized by the Border Security and Management Unit. The training in Belgrade was organized with close support of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the Serbian Border Police Directorate.

LUND, Sweden, 14 November 2019 – OSCE PA Secretary General Roberto Montella has addressed this morning a high-level conference organized by the Office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities on the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the Lund Recommendations on the effective participation of national minorities in public life. 

In his remarks, SG Montella stressed the importance for any electoral system to facilitate representation of national minorities in the decision making bodies of the State. He also highlighted the key role of parliamentarians belonging to national minorities: "they constitute a permanent link between the minority and the central state, they are ambassadors of their voices and needs, and they can also serve as an indispensable early warning tool to detect possible tensions".

In this regard, SG Montella called for increased attention to persisting ethnic tensions in the OSCE region, especially in conflict affected areas.

The Secretary General took the opportunity to praise the work of the OSCE HCNM, Ambassador Lamberto Zannier and of his office, welcoming increased cooperation with the OSCE PA. This was also emphasized by an official visit of the High Commissioner to the PA international Secretariat held yesterday, 13 November, where he had an opportunity to exchange views with the staff and to explore avenues for joint work with parliamentarians. Ambassador Zannier acknowledged the strong role MPs play in empowering national minorities: "They can promote the development of inclusive policies which reflect the diversity of society and I look forward to increasing cooperation with the OSCE PA to this end".

For the full speech delivered by Secretary General Montella, please click here.

For more information on the conference, please click here.

This report is for the media and the general public.

SUMMARY

On 14 November at 06:45 (Moscow time), the eighty-ninth[1] Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 14 vehicles were checked by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers prior to their crossing into Ukraine. All 14 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 13:07 on 14 November.

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 14 November at 06:45, the Observer Mission observed the arrival of a Russian convoy at the gate of the Donetsk BCP. The convoy consisted of 14 vehicles: one escort car and 13 civilian cargo trucks. Out of the 13 cargo trucks, only two bore the inscription “Humanitarian aid from the Russian Federation” (in Russian). At 06:45, the vehicles entered the customs control area. Once the convoy arrived, the vehicles were visually checked from the outside by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers. The truck drivers rolled up/opened the tarpaulins of the trucks and the border guards and customs officials performed a visual observation from the outside. Two dogs were present and used by Russian Federation border guards to check the vehicles from the outside.

Three Ukrainian border guards and two customs officers were observed accompanying their Russian counterparts; they also performed a visual observation of the vehicles from the outside (without entering the trucks’ cargo space). They had clipboards in their hands and were taking notes. By 07:10, all of the vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 12:52, the convoy returned and queued in the customs area. The Russian Federation border guards and customs officers visually checked the returning convoy from the outside. Ukrainian representatives – three border guards and two customs officers – were present during this check. The Ukrainian officials also performed visual checks of the trucks from the outside. Two dogs were present and used by Russian Federation border guards to check the vehicles from the outside. By 13:07, all 14 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation.

[1] Based on the Observer Mission’s counting, this convoy is considered the eighty-ninth convoy that has crossed into Ukraine through the “Donetsk” or “Gukovo” BCPs. However, so far all these convoys crossed through the “Donetsk” BCP.

TASHKENT, 14 November 2019 - Judges of the highest criminal courts from 23 countries gathered for a two-day OSCE-wide conference on the role of the judiciary in combating trafficking in human beings that concluded today. The participants discussed current human trafficking-related challenges and ways to foster the implementation of OSCE commitments.  Strengthening the role of the judiciary as a part of the criminal justice system as a way to effectively combat trafficking in human beings was also discussed.

OSCE anti-trafficking principles, such as the effective application of victim-centred and trauma-informed approaches, the non-punishment principle, the abuse of a position of vulnerability as well as emerging issues in the judicial response to human trafficking and their connection to national case law were among the topics of discussion.

“In recent years, significant progress has been made in implementing the provisions of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. So far however, it has not been possible to completely end impunity for these crimes. Only co-ordinated actions and joint efforts will help us counter this crime, said Kozimdjan Kamilov, Chairperson of Uzbekistan’s Supreme Court.

“This international conference is an important step in our continuous effort to uphold the rule of law and provide a platform for dialogue on international judicial co-operation. Such co-operation is vital in addressing this global security challenge with a view of ensuring a harmonized approach to eradicate human trafficking,” said Valiant Richey, the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings.

“Judges must advocate for justice. It is therefore particularly important to understand the criminal enterprise of human trafficking, especially with regard to its link to money laundering and other related crimes,” said John MacGregor, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan. “Supreme courts could provide a critical leadership in setting the model guidelines for the lower level courts and improving collaboration as well as the development of a training curriculum to help judges to better understand human trafficking crimes”.

The conference was organized by the Office of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, the Supreme Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, in co-operation with other OSCE field operations.

438962 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

Modern approaches to education on journalism were the focus of an OSCE-organized seminar which took place in Ashgabat on 13 and 14 November 2019. The two-day event brought together journalism teachers from four institutions of higher education,  journalists from Turkmenistan’s television, radio, print and online media outlets as well as representatives of the Ombudsperson’s Office, Ministries of Education and other relevant institutions.

In her opening remarks Head of Centre Natalya Drozd referred to the OSCE’s commitments to promoting journalistic freedom and freedom of expression in all of its participating States and highlighted previous activities organized in the Central Asia region.

“High-quality journalistic training is as important as ever,” said Drozd. “Today, teachers of journalism are faced with a task of particular importance – not only to modernize methodology and approaches to teaching practical skills for contemporary media, but also to equip them with the knowledge about the rights and duties of journalists and how to protect the freedom of the journalistic profession.”

Pal Tamas from Hungary, a member of the Advisory Board of the Association of the International Media Researchers, talked about current tendencies in journalistic education, journalism skills as well as new media business models and ethical challenges.

Taras Shevchenko from Ukraine, director of the Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law and member of the International Association of Media Lawyers, shared best practices in the g development of a  modules  on freedom of expression and other related disciplines for journalism faculties.,

The participants exchanged views on the future direction of reforms in journalism education and optimal approaches to developing the module on freedom of expression for journalism faculties, which was envisaged by the National Human Rights Action Plan of Turkmenistan for 2016–2020.

439076

Strengthening rule of law-compliant criminal justice responses to terrorism was the aim of a two-day seminar which concluded on 14 November 2019 in Tirana. Over 40 Albanian practitioners from relevant government agencies, the Bar Association and civil society representatives attended the seminar.

Organized by the OSCE Presence in Albania jointly with the Action against Terrorism Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, the seminar focused on good practices detailed in the Global Counterterrorism Forum’s Rabat Memorandum, listing effective terrorism prevention and prosecution measures, while emphasizing respect for human rights and other applicable international law.

In his opening remarks, Ambassador Bernd Borchardt, Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, recalled the Paris attacks of 13 November 2015, stating that such a sad anniversary “emphasized the need for a comprehensive international response to the terrorist threat on all levels.” He added: “Compliance with human rights standards at all times and unwavering commitment to national and international laws is an essential part of countering terrorism effectively.”

Experts and participants discussed effective co-ordination mechanisms among domestic government agencies other national actors, and the importance of international co-operation in the investigation and prosecution of terrorism cases in particular. The seminar also highlighted the need to ensure the protection of all parties involved in terrorism cases, as well as for the development of policies for the effective incarceration, rehabilitation, and reintegration of convicted terrorists back into society.

The OSCE Presence in Albania considers countering violent extremism to be a crucial aspect of ensuring regional security. It works closely with state actors, civil society and youth, as well as other national and international experts, on issues such as returning foreign terrorist fighters or violent extremism in the prison system and among youth. The Presence is also engaging civil society organizations to join forces with Local Safety Councils in addressing violent extremism.

The event in Tirana was the twelfth of a series organized by the Action against Terrorism Unit, with previous seminars having taken place in Nicosia (2014), Skopje, Sofia, Tashkent (2015), Sarajevo (2016), Pristina, Nur-Sultan (2017), Issyk-Kul, Budva (2018), Ashgabat and Dushanbe (2019).

439007 Kunduz Rysbek

The fourth Entrepreneurship Support Centre (ESC) in Kyrgyzstan opened on 12 November 2019 in Karakol.

The ESC aims to provide local entrepreneurs with professional legal and business consultations as well as training courses on business management. It will also help strengthen dialogue between local authorities and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The new Centre in Karakol was opened by the Plenipotentiary Representation of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic in Issyk-Kul province with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek.

The first ESC in Kyrgyzstan opened in 2017 in Osh city; with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek in co-operation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ). Followıng the positive results of the centre’s activities in Osh, two additional ESCs were established earlier this year in the cities of Jalal-Abad and Batken.

The network of ESCs (Osh, Jalal-Abad, Batken, and Karakol) allows entrepreneurs to share their expertise and experiences.

Supporting SMEs in Kyrgyzstan is of vital importance as they generate about 40 per cent of the total gross domestic product and provide jobs to 20 per cent of the working-age population in the country.

The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek places high importance on the implementation of the Government’s priorities in fostering economic development by supporting SMEs, which is in line with the National Strategy for Sustainable Development of the Kyrgyz Republic 2018–2040.

Lund, Sweden,14 November 2019 – OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Lamberto Zannier today opened a conference marking the 20th anniversary of The Lund Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Public Life in Lund, Sweden.

Twenty years after the HCNM published the Lund Recommendations, the context has changed but the issues at its heart remain current. How can we ensure that our societies are representative of all their members? How can we support the efforts of minority groups to voice their opinions and influence decision-making? How can we build institutions that reflect the diversity of society, thereby increasing their resilience to interethnic tensions?

Entitled “From Lund to Ljubljana: Promoting the participation of national minorities as a pathway to the integration of diverse societies”, the conference aims to explore the connections between participation and the integration of diverse societies.

In his opening speech, Zannier said: “The premise of the Lund Recommendations is that when people have a real opportunity to participate effectively in the society in which they live, including through benefitting from protections for their identity, society is less likely to be marred by conflict. It is less likely to fail.”

In her keynote speech, Tarja Halonen, Former President of Finland, said: “An issue that is sometimes difficult to tackle is structural discrimination. For better access to justice and rights, stronger co-operation – among countries, within regions, and between minority representatives and governments – is needed."

Experts explored these themes in four separate panels on political participation; cross-border and economic participation; the participation of minority women in public life, and the specific experience of Sweden.

The Conference was supported by the Government of Sweden and co-hosted by the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, which played an instrumental role in drafting the Lund Recommendations in 1999.

With 57 participating States in North America, Europe and Asia, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is the world’s largest regional security organization. The OSCE works for stability, peace and democracy for more than a billion people, through political dialogue about shared values and through practical work that aims to make a lasting difference.

The High Commissioner on National Minorities works to identify and seek early resolution of ethnic tensions that might endanger peace, stability or friendly relations between OSCE participating States or within the OSCE region.

OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

An OSCE-organized seminar aimed at improving collaboration on human rights promotion and protection in Turkmenistan was held in Ashgabat on 12 and 13 November 2019.

Twenty-six representatives from local ministries and bodies including the Ombudsperson’s Office, the Ministry of the Interior, the Mejlis (parliament), the Supreme Court, the Ministry of Justice, the Bar Association, the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan, attended the seminar.  

Experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) shared the experiences of national human rights institutions (NHRIs) from around the world, offering a comparative perspective on their work, especially in reaching out to different stakeholders. The seminar also drew on international standards pertaining to NHRIs and best practices from the OSCE region.

Yazdursun Gurbannazarova, the Ombudsperson of Turkmenistan, attended the opening of the event. She highlighted her Office’s co-operation with the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat and the latter’s continued support for their activities.

A representative of the Ombudsperson’s Office made a presentation on the law, mandate and resources of the Ombudsperson, as well as its co-operation with other national institutions and international organizations.

Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat Natalya Drozd said: “Human rights institutions along with the governments of the participating States are our key partners and allies while we strive to uphold international human rights standards at the national level across the OSCE region. In order to address modern challenges and satisfy citizens’ hopes, expectations and aspirations, national human rights institutions must develop accordingly.”

On the second day of the event, ODIHR experts divided participants into working groups in order to foster the exchange of views between the Ombudsperson’s Office and other institutions and enhance channels for co-operation. Group discussions allowed participants to reflect on ways to protect and promote human rights more effectively in Turkmenistan.

Marina Živaljević

The annual meeting of ‘“Police Persons of Trust’”, organized by Montenegrin Police Directorate with the support of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, the Centre for Integrity in the Defence Sector (CIDS)  from Norway and Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF), was held on 13 November 2019 in Podgorica.

Some 30 participants from the Police Directorate and the Agency for National Security, as well as experts from Serbia, Slovenia and Norway attended the discussion on the police persons of trust mechanisms introduced to Montenegrin Police in 2018.

Biljana Dulović, Head of the Human Resources and Legal Affairs Sevice in the Police Directorate, explained that police persons of trust are officers that are responsible for promoting gender mainstreaming within the police service and flaging discrimination cases. “Highly motivated officers are needed for this demanding position. Police persons of trust  mechanisms are a good tool to support  police officers in their work and increase public trust,” said Dulović.

Dragica Vučinić, OSCE National Programme Officer for Security and Co-operation, said that a  professional, committed, informed officer is the pillar of effective and democratic policing. “The Mission supports gender mainstreaming in the Police. Those who have agreed to serve as police persons of trust are officers with personal and professional integrity. They enjoy the confidence of colleagues and should be honoured for accepting this obligation,” said Vučinić.

Odd Berner Malme, Programme manager in CIDS, said: “Women are more hesitant than men in applying for a promotion and more likely to doubt their qualifications. My experience is that you have to encourage your female colleagues to apply for higher positions. One model could be introducing a mentoring approach and promoting gender champions.” Malme also said that if there is no progress in this area, the quota model could be considered as a tool to promote women to senior management positions.

Participants and experts from Serbia, Slovenia and Norway shared best practices, challenges and similar mechanisms that provide support services to police officers at work and privately.  

The meeting concluded acknowledging that police persons of trust need management support, personal motivation and continuity as well as mentoring support.

Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan

An OSCE-supported roundtable discussion dedicated to the formation of inclusive society in Kazakhstan took place on 14 November 2019 in Nur-Sultan.

The roundtable discussion was co-organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan and the NGO Association of women with disabilities “Shyrak”, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Information and Public Development of Kazakhstan.

Some 50 government officials, representatives of Ombudsperson Institution, , experts from the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and representatives of non-governmental and international organizations discussed issues on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Kazakhstan.

The discussion focused on key indicators towards the development of an accessible environment for persons with disabilities and an analysis of programmes and other measures, taken by the state, to promote the full participation and inclusion of persons with disabilities in public and political life.

An expert from Finland shared his experiences about empowerment and activities planned by persons with disabilities in developing countries and in the promotion of their rights. The conclusions and recommendations of the OSCE-supported analysis of the situation of rights of persons with mental disabilities were also presented at the event.

The event is part of the Programme Office’s activities aimed at promoting international human rights standards at a national level.

438815 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

Over 40 representatives of ministries and agencies, international organizations, environmental NGOs and the OSCE-supported Aarhus Centers met at a roundtable discussion on 13 November 2019 in Dushanbe to discuss the first draft of the National Action Plan (NAP) for implementation of the Aahrus Convention on environmental protection in Tajikistan. The event was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe.

“The Plan for the implementation of the Aarhus Convention is a tool for mainstreaming public access to environmental information by active application of new technologies. It also aims to promote public participation in the strengthened procedure of environmental impact assessment of new planned activities,” said Vadim Ni, OSCE consultant who led the working group for development of the NAP.

The NAP was developed in the framework of long-term co-operation between the Office in Dushanbe and the Committee on Environmental Protection on improvement of national environmental legislation and policy.

Once adopted, the NAP will stipulate the expected results, baseline and target indicators, and identify partners and responsible agencies that will facilitate and increase the effectiveness of the Aarhus Convention. It thus will contribute to strengthening environmental security and protection in Tajikistan.

438983 Anna Vorobeva OSCE Mission to Moldova

The OSCE Mission to Moldova has handed over a report on a full technical assessment of the Gura Bicului-Bychok Bridge, which connects the two banks of the Dniester/Nistru River, to the Moldovan Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure. It was re-opened by Chisinau and Tiraspol on 18 November 2017, after having been closed to vehicles for 25 years, as part of the Transdniestrian settlement process.

The bridge is part of an international transport corridor linking the port of Odessa to Moldova and the European Union. The bridge is passable for vehicles weighing up to 10 tonnes. In order to realize its full economic potential, the OSCE Mission commissioned a technical assessment. The report offers an estimate of repair works, which are necessary to bring the bridge to its initially designed capacity.

“This technical assessment provides baseline data, which further activities to reconstruct the bridge can build on. This is the first but important milestone of the reconstruction process,” said Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, Antti Karttunen, presenting the report to Svetlana Dogotaru, State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure.

Improved infrastructure of the bridge holds strong potential for spurring economic development as well as for facilitating further freedom of movement between the two banks of the Dniester/Nistru River. Some progress was observed in this regard in September 2019, when the two Sides agreed on lifting the pre-notification procedure for Moldovan officials on private visits to the left bank.

The re-opening of the bridge is one of the eight confidence-building measures included by Chisinau and Tiraspol in the “Berlin-plus” package of agreements. By bringing the two Sides closer, it prompted signing of five more agreements on access to the Dubasari farmland, the functioning of Latin-script schools on the left bank, the apostilization of Transdniestrian university diplomas and the so-called “licence-plate” agreement. Since 2017, the Sides have reached significant achievements in implementing five of the agreements; easing the lives of the people on both banks.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region.
• The SMM continued to observe the disengagement process at the Petrivske disengagement area.
• The SMM continued to observe demining activities inside the Zolote disengagement area.
• Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the Mission continued to observe construction works at the broken section of the bridge.
• The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled Donetsk city.
• The Mission monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate the removal of unexploded ordnance from a road near non-government-controlled Molodizhne.
• The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of and repairs to critical civilian infrastructure on both sides of the contact line; it heard and saw an explosion 300m away while facilitating repair works at the Phenol Sludge Reservoir near Zalizne.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement continued, including at checkpoints near non-government-controlled Zaichenko, Bezimenne and Nova Marivka.*

BRATISLAVA, 13 November 2019 – The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Slovakia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Miroslav Lajčák, welcomed today’s conclusion of the withdrawal of forces and hardware from the Petrivske disengagement area.

The OSCE Chair acknowledged the indispensable work done by the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine in monitoring and verifying the disengagement.

“I congratulated the sides on showing real commitment to pave the way towards peace. Following the positive steps in Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote, the renewal of the disengagement from Petrivske brings us closer to a summit of the Normandy Format,” Lajčák said. “A summit meeting would constitute an important step in the efforts for a peaceful and sustainable resolution of the conflict in eastern Ukraine,” he added.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

On 12 November, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) received a letter from the armed formations in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region, notifying that they had completed the withdrawal of forces and hardware in the agreed disengagement area near Petrivske.

On 13 November, the SMM received two Notes Verbales from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, one notifying that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had completed the withdrawal of forces and hardware in the agreed disengagement area near Petrivske.

The Mission had observed the beginning of the disengagement process at the disengagement area near Petrivske shortly after 12:00 (Eastern European Time) on 9 November when Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel and members of the armed formations began leaving their positions, together with their weapons, and exiting the disengagement area (see SMM Spot Report 9 November 2019).

The SMM was present throughout the process of disengagement on the following days (see SMM Daily Reports of 11 November and 12 November 2019 for further information).

The second Note Verbale from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the above-mentioned letter from the armed formations also contained notifications of readiness to begin the removal of fortifications and other installations of military value from the disengagement area, together with baseline information and geographical co-ordinates of these fortifications, and other installations of military value.

These notifications were provided to the SMM in accordance with a timeline, endorsed by the Trilateral Contact Group on 1 October 2019, regulating activities in the disengagement areas concerning the withdrawal of forces and hardware, the removal of fortifications and demining.

The second Note Verbale and the letter also notified that the removal of fortifications and other installations of military value would begin in line with the agreed timeline.

The Mission continues to actively monitor and will report on the situation.

438776 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

An OSCE-organized seminar aimed at improving collaboration on human rights promotion and protection in Turkmenistan was held in Ashgabat on 12 and 13 November 2019.

Twenty-six representatives from local ministries and bodies including the Ombudsperson’s Office, the Ministry of the Interior, the Mejlis (parliament), the Supreme Court, the Ministry of Justice, the Bar Association, the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan, attended the seminar.  

Experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) shared the experiences of national human rights institutions (NHRIs) from around the world, offering a comparative perspective on their work, especially in reaching out to different stakeholders. The seminar also drew on international standards pertaining to NHRIs and best practices from the OSCE region.

Yazdursun Gurbannazarova, the Ombudsperson of Turkmenistan, attended the opening of the event. She highlighted her Office’s co-operation with the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat and the latter’s continued support for their activities.

A representative of the Ombudsperson’s Office made a presentation on the law, mandate and resources of the Ombudsperson, as well as its co-operation with other national institutions and international organizations.

Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat Natalya Drozd said: “Human rights institutions along with the governments of the participating States are our key partners and allies while we strive to uphold international human rights standards at the national level across the OSCE region. In order to address modern challenges and satisfy citizens’ hopes, expectations and aspirations, national human rights institutions must develop accordingly.”

On the second day of the event, ODIHR experts divided participants into working groups in order to foster the exchange of views between the Ombudsperson’s Office and other institutions and enhance channels for co-operation. Group discussions allowed participants to reflect on ways to protect and promote human rights more effectively in Turkmenistan.

438584 Željka Šulc

A two-day training course on the fight against illegal trade in art and cultural property concluded on 13 November 2019 in Sarajevo. Organized by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), in co-operation with the French Embassy in BiH, the training course brought together representatives of law enforcement agencies from across BiH.

Participants had an opportunity to learn from French customs professionals and local art experts about measures being taken against trafficking in cultural property and were given practical examples of art smuggling.

“Issues and challenges related to the trafficking of cultural property and art are highly complex and necessitate a multi-stakeholder approach that utilizes the full range of expertise and resources. Therefore, it is necessary to improve co-operation among relevant agencies both within the country and internationally in responding to this serious crime in a more systematic manner,” said Alexander Chuplygin, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH.  

“France has been working for a long time in the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural goods, both on its territory and throughout the world, with the competent authorities and bodies and in co-operation with the United Nations, in particular UNESCO, and naturally within the context of European integration”, stated Guillaume Rousson, French Ambassador in BiH. “It is by raising awareness of this issue and acting at an interdepartmental level that public action will be most effective.”

The training course was organized with the support of the Centre for the Fight against Trafficking in Art and the Agency for Education and Professional Training of the BiH Ministry of Security.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region.
• The SMM observed further withdrawal of Ukrainian Armed Forces from the Petrivske disengagement area.
• The Mission continued to observe demining activities inside the Zolote disengagement area.
• Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the Mission continued to observe construction works at the broken section of the bridge.
• Small-arms fire was assessed as directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle near non-government-controlled Metalist in Luhansk region.
• The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region.
• The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station; it also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repair works at the Phenol Sludge Reservoir near Zalizne and to the Bakhmut Agrarian Union's pig farm near Novoluhanske.
• The SMM monitored a protest against liquidation of assets of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate.
• Restrictions of the Mission’s freedom of movement continued, including at checkpoints near non-government-controlled Verkhnoshyrokivske and Metalist.*