OSCE

VIENNA, 12 November 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his deep concern today regarding the re-arrest of the journalist and writer Ahmet Altan.

According to media reports, Ahmet Altan was re-arrested today, following a request by the 27th High Criminal Court on the grounds that his travel ban does not constitute a strong enough form of judicial control.

“I am appalled by this decision, which comes only a week after Altan’s release from prison. Arresting Altan again is a terrible setback and a reason for serious concern, especially if we take into account the length of the judicial process against him and the fact that he has already spent three years in pre-trial detention,” said Désir. The Representative added that the re-arrest of Altan can only deepen the media freedom crisis and increase the feeling of legal insecurity within the media community.

Journalists Ahmet Altan and  Nazlı Ilıcak were sentenced last week to 10 years and six months, and eight years and nine months in prison, respectively, for “aiding a terrorist group without being its member”, but were released on probation as the time spent in jail was taken into account. A third journalist, Professor Mehmet Altan, who was also charged in the same procedure, was acquitted due to a lack of evidence against him.

“I repeat my call to reverse this decision and ensure that journalists are protected and free to do their job,” Désir stressed.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. He/she 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 facebook.com/osce.rfom.

MINSK, 12 November 2019 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Martin Sajdik, issued the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG ‎and its working groups in Minsk on 12 November 2019:

“Due to the weather conditions, not all participants have been able to travel to Minsk today. Therefore, the Trilateral Contact Group convened in the videoconference format.

As you know, on November 9, 2019 the sides launched the renewed withdrawal of their forces and hardware in the Petrivske area.

The representatives of certain areas of the Donetsk region, for their part, announced the completion of this withdrawal on the same day, while the Ukrainian side made its announcement yesterday, November 11, 2019. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission expects the sides’ formal notification of the completion of withdrawal tomorrow at the latest. Also, not later than tomorrow, demining works shall start in the Petrivske area.

In the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the repair works on the bridge across the Siverskyi Donets river continue successfully. They are expected to be completed by the end of this month.

In the Zolote disengagement area, demining works are in progress.

I call on the sides to continue taking full responsibility in fulfilling their obligations under the TCG Framework Decision relating to disengagement of forces and hardware. This is an important factor for strengthening mutual trust aimed at a peaceful resolution of the conflict in the east of Ukraine.  

All these issues, as well as general security situation in the conflict area, were today the focus of the Trilateral Contact Group and its Security Working Group.

The Economic Working Group discussed water delivery issues, mobile communication provided by Vodafone Ukraine, the payment of pensions, as well as the ecology.

The Political Working Group paid particular attention to the implementation of the ‘Steinmeier formula’. In this context, the modalities of local elections in the certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine were duly considered.

As per the sides’ prior agreement, the meeting of the Humanitarian Working Group was not held today due to earlier commitments of the Coordinator, Ambassador Toni Frisch. I hope sincerely that the Group will take its work forward in the videoconference format to ensure progress in this field, which is crucially important for the population”.

Enhancing water diplomacy as a way of improving transboundary water co-operation is the focus of a workshop that is taking place on 12 and 13 November 2019 in Strasbourg, France.

The event was organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) in collaboration with the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine (CCNR).

The two-day workshop brings together representatives of the transboundary river basin commissions, relevant governmental agencies, international organizations and other key stakeholders supporting transboundary water co-operation from Central Asia, the South Caucasus, Eastern Europe and South-Eastern Europe.

Many of the world's water resources are commonly used by two or more countries. In the OSCE area there are more than 150 river and lake basins shared by two or more States.

OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger addressed the workshop via a video message, welcoming the participants and highlighting the importance of water diplomacy and transboundary water co-operation in the OSCE context.

Bruno Georges, Secretary General of CCNR, reflected on the historical legacy of the work that led to the establishment of river basin commissions and their importance for building trust and dialogue.

The participants took part in discussions showcasing best practices and exchanging lessons learned in common use of transboundary water resources in their respective countries. They also explored areas of future co-operation and discussed potential partnerships. During the second day, the workshop participants took part in the field trip to the Rhine basin.

Vuk Žugić, Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities noted that throughout the years, the OSCE has worked with its participating States to strengthen transboundary water co-operation through facilitating dialogue in the common use of water resources. “Water diplomacy is an effective tool to achieve a comprehensive approach to security and stability,” said Žugić.

The event was organized with financial support of the Governments of Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

In response to a request from the Media Trade Union, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro organized a workshop for local public broadcasters on social media outreach on 11 and 12 November 2019 in Podgorica.

Eleven representatives from nine local public broadcasters attended the workshop. Danica Ilić, Media Consultant and Amela Odobašić, Head of Public Affairs at Communications Regulatory Agency (CRA) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, two international consultants specialized in using digital media tools, conducted the workshop.

The training was designed to equip media professionals from local public broadcasters with the skills necessary for managing the social media channels of their media outlets.

President of the Media Trade Union Marijana Camović said that local public broadcasters, their employees’ status and the way they function are important issues for the Union. "We asked the OSCE Mission to Montenegro to work with local public broadcasters. This training will equip them with necessary digital skills, which are essential for local public broadcasters. The Media trade union is grateful to the OSCE for engaging two remarkable experts,” said Camović.

“Today’s media is not about simply ‘breathing out’;  it is also about ‘breathing in’. Exchanges with audiences are necessary at every level of content production and content dissemination. Interactivity, on and offline, is key when it comes to finding the right topics, developing a story and engaging audiences,” said Daniel Blank, the Mission’s Media Programme Manager.

Recognizing the important role local public broadcasters play in their communities throughout the country, the Mission will continue to support their work in both professional development and capacity building.

This report is for the media and the general public

Weekly Update, 12 November 2019

For the period from 09:00, 5 November 2019 to 09:00, 12 November 2019 (Moscow time)

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 decreased at both BCPs compared to the previous week. The eighty-eighth Russian convoy crossed into Ukraine and returned through the Donetsk BCP.

OPERATIONAL REMARKS

The OM is currently operating with 22 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 decreased from 11,388 to 11,141 per day at both BCPs compared to last week[1].

During the reporting period, the majority of border crossings were to the Russian Federation, with an average net flow of 216 per day for both BCPs.

The Donetsk BCP continued to experience much 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 32 this week compared to 37 last week: 10 of them crossed into the Russian Federation, and 22 into Ukraine (69 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, sometimes with elderly persons and/or children, crossing the border at both BCPs with a significant amount of luggage, or travelling in heavily loaded cars. During this reporting week, five families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation and seven were observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when two families were observed crossing to the Russian Federation and three to 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 a decrease in the overall number of buses crossing the border at both BCPs (457 compared to 505 observed during the previous week). There were 234 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 223 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 and “LPR” plates.

Trucks

During the reporting period, the OTs observed 770 trucks (compared to 869 during the previous reporting week) crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs (317 at the Gukovo BCP and 453 at the Donetsk BCP); 458 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 312 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 also 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 decreased from 51 to 46. 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 could 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 slightly decreased from 163 to 158; 90 trucks (57 per cent) were bound for Ukraine, the remaining 68 trucks (43 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 127 to 141 vehicles; 67 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 74 into Ukraine.

Trains

The OTs continued to pick up the sound of trains on the railway tracks located approximately 150m south-west of the Gukovo BCP. During the reporting week, the OTs heard trains on 13 occasions; the OTs assessed that seven trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and six to Ukraine (more details are provided in the sections “trends and figures at a glance” below).

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. The OTs also observed cars with licence plates from Georgia and Lithuania.

Convoy

On 7 November at 06:51 (Moscow time), the eighty-eighth[3] Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk BCP. A total of 13 vehicles were checked by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers prior to their crossing into Ukraine. All 13 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 12:28 on 7 November. Ukrainian border guards and custom officers were present during the checking processes. (See OM Spot Report of 7 November 2019: https://www.osce.org/observer-mission-at-russian-checkpoints-gukovo-and-donetsk/438281).

For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 8 to 12 November 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).                         

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

More than 50 representatives of religious communities, local authorities and civil society organizations from across Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) gathered to discuss freedom of religion or belief at a conference on 12 November 2019 in Sarajevo, organized by the OSCE Mission to BiH.

The discussion focused on the modes of co-operation between local authorities and religious communities, the challenges religious communities face at the local level and the possibilities of advancing inter-religious dialogue.

“Advancing of freedom of religion or belief on the principles of inclusion and non-discrimination is essential for human security and the future stability of this country,” said Jasna Dobricik, Head of the Human Dimension Department of the OSCE Mission to BiH. “We hope that today’s event will contribute to strengthening this fundamental freedom in the upcoming period.” she added.

Igor Kožemjakin, Executive Secretary of the Interreligious Council in BiH, emphasized that freedom of religion or belief is one of the central themes the Interreligious Council in BiH focuses on. “By monitoring attacks targeting religious edifices we contribute to their better protection and by issuing joint statements condemning such attacks, we build resilience to extreme and violent narratives, while sending the message of peace, tolerance and co-existence.”

The conference is part of the OSCE Mission to BiH’s wider efforts to improve the co-operation of local authorities and religious communities in an inclusive and non-discriminatory manner.

A training seminar for international observers aimed to enhance participants’ knowledge of the rights and obligations of election observers concluded in Nur-Sultan on 12 November 2019. The seminar was based on using key OSCE/ODIHR tools related to election observation.

The event was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan in co-operation with the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan (CEC) and supported by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

The seminar brought together some 50 government officials and representatives of non-governmental organizations who have served or may serve as international observers. Participants learned about international and national legal norms regulating international elections observers’ rights and responsibilities, and the experience of their fellow citizens who participated in election observation missions this year.

During the event, the participants were familiarized with the ODIHR Handbook for the Observation of Election Dispute Resolution. The handbook provides a guidance on handling protection of voters, candidates and political parties from violations, errors or omissions during elections. The presentations were followed by an interactive session during which participants consulted with experts on technical matters and engaged in problem solving scenarios.

The training seminar is part of the Office’s continuous efforts to enhance transparency and accountability of electoral procedures and strengthen democratic institutions in line with OSCE principles and commitments.

An OSCE-supported seminar on the protection of freedom of expression and judicial regulation of hate speech took place on 12 November 2019 in Nur-Sultan. The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan co-organized the event with the NGO Legal Media Centre and the Academy of Justice under the Supreme Court.

Some twenty-five judges from different regions of the country were familiarized with international best practices on judicial regulation of hate speech. Two international experts shared their knowledge and expertise on how the European Court of Human Rights deals with hate speech cases. The OSCE-supported publication Hate Speech in Kazakhstan: statistics, cases, and recommendations was disseminated among participants.  

The event will be followed by a lecture on freedom of expression and hate speech on 13 November 2019 for some 60 Master’s students of the Academy of Justice.

The event is part of the Office’s activities aimed at promoting media freedom and freedom of expression in line with OSCE principles and commitments.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 8 and 9 November, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Between the evenings of 9 and 10 November, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours.
• On 9 November, the Mission monitored the beginning of the disengagement process in the Petrivske disengagement area. On 10 November, the SMM observed further withdrawal of forces and hardware from the 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.
• Man injured by shelling in non-government-controlled Spartak.
• The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region.
• The Mission continued to monitor adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.
• Restrictions of the Mission’s freedom of movement continued, including at checkpoints near non-government-controlled Staromykhailivka, Verkhnoshyrokivske, Novoazovsk.

VIENNA, 11 November 2019 – Human trafficking is at its core a financially motivated crime, and yet anti-trafficking efforts in the area of financial investigations are falling short across the OSCE region. In response to this, the Office of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings presented today a groundbreaking compendium of resources for financial investigators based on a review of publications across the globe together with a practical step-by-step guide.

The aim is to give practitioners across the OSCE region, in the private and public sectors, a single-source tool for guiding their work.  

During the launch event, two panels of leading global experts discussed the role of financial investigations in combating human trafficking and highlighted the most interesting aspects of this new resource. 

“Human trafficking is a tremendously profitable crime - it is time that we hit traffickers where it hurts by investigating, and seizing their cash flows,” said Valiant Richey, OSCE Special Representative for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. “We know that good work has been done on financial investigations; however, many of these efforts are isolated and fragmented.”

Through its research, the OSCE Office of the Special Representative for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings discovered that, while there is an abundance of quality intelligence on financial investigations globally, this intelligence remains disjointed and under-utilized. This new publication addresses this shortcoming by centralizing information, identifying resources and good practices.

Timea Nagy Payne, Commissioner for the Liechtenstein Initiative for a Financial Sector Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking and a human trafficking survivor, added: "I have a dream, to teach financial institutions not to take money from traffickers."

According to the International Labour Organization, human trafficking generates profits of an estimated $150 billion USD each year from the exploitation of people.

“Modern slavery represents a tragic market failure that leaves us all worse off. We all miss out on the lost potential of victims,” highlighted James Cockayne, Director of the Centre for Policy Research at the United Nations University and Head of Secretariat of the Liechtenstein Initiative.

The “Following the Money” resource categorizes more than 600 indicators and typologies of human trafficking and provides a guide outlining a list of practical steps to establish a framework for successful financial investigations.

With the aim to improve parliamentary oversight, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro organized a workshop for Members of Parliament on 5 November and for Parliamentary service staff on 6 and 7 November in Podgorica.

The workshop provided a forum for discussion on the evolution of the usual procedures of parliamentary oversight, based on best international practice. Advanced concepts of parliamentary oversight, such as financial oversight and the oversight of the negotiation process with the European Union, were presented.

Lia Magnaguagno, Democratization Programme Manager, said that parliamentarians face a lot of challenges and responsibilities. “You are confronted by a rapidly changing environment in which information is more widely available, more instantaneous and more difficult to verify than ever before. The workshop is a good opportunity to examine core principles and explore new approaches to enable you to be more effective as MPs,” she said, adding that MPs and the parliamentary service staff are the engine at the very heart of any democratic system.

During the workshop, Fotios Fitsilis, expert in new trends in parliamentary oversight, introduced innovative methods for digital advancing of parliamentary procedures such as Linked Open Data and crowdsourcing.

The Mission remains, through tailored workshops, committed to improving the capacity of the Montenegrin Parliament.

THE HAGUE / LUND, Sweden, 11 November 2019 – The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities is organizing a high-level conference to mark the 20th anniversary of The Lund Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Public Life on 14 November in Lund, Sweden.

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.

Experts will explore 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 high-level speakers include: OSCE HCNM Lamberto Zannier; Annika Ben David, Ambassador for Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, Foreign Ministry of Sweden; László Bukovszky, Plenipotentiary for National Minorities of Slovakia and Representative of the 2019 OSCE Chairmanship; Roberto Montella, Secretary General of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly; Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Director, OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights; and Morten Kjaerum, Director, Raoul Wallenberg Institute.

Tarja Halonen, former President of Finland, will deliver the keynote speech.

A detailed programme, along with background materials, is available here.

For journalists unable to attend in person, the Conference will be livestreamed here.

The Conference is 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.

For accreditation, please contact michelle.pirotta@osce.org no later than 13 November 2019. The presentation of a valid ID is required for accreditation at the venue. 

VIENNA, 11 November 2019 – The Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media will organize an event on “How do We Curtail the Spread of Hate Speech, Violent Extremism and Disinformation Online while Protecting Free Speech?” with select members of the Transatlantic High-Level Working Group on Online Content Moderation and Freedom of Expression on Monday, 18 November, in Vienna. The discussion takes place in the framework of the Representative’s project on the impact of artificial intelligence on freedom of expression.

The event will provide a platform to discuss the moderation of online content, and the role of legislations, community guidelines, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, in shaping and arbitrating online information and thereby impacting public discourse.

The Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, will introduce and moderate the panel, which will consist of CEO of the Chertoff Group Michael Chertoff, Founder and Co-Chair of the Transatlantic high-level working group Susan Ness, Senior Director for Law and Policy at Article 19 Barbora Bukovska, and Director of the Institute for Information Law at the University of Amsterdam Nico van Ejik. The panel discussion will be followed by a Q&A session.   

Journalists are invited to cover the event on 18 November, which will take place from 10:30-13:00 at the Hofburg Conference Centre, Heldenplatz, 1010, Vienna.

Journalists wishing to attend the event are required to send an e-mail to register their participation at press@osce.org. The presentation of a valid ID is required for accreditation at the venue.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. He/she 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 facebook.com/osce.rfom.

KYIV, 9 November 2019 – The Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, Yaşar Halit Çevik, welcomed the beginning, today, of the withdrawal of forces and hardware from the Petrivske disengagement area. 

After SMM monitoring officers had observed Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel and members of the armed formations leaving the disengagement area, with their weapons, the Chief Monitor reaffirmed the SMM’s commitment to monitor and verify the process. “Additional SMM patrols, supported by static cameras and unmanned aerial vehicles, have been deployed,” he said. “We welcome any steps towards progress and stand ready to assist.”

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region.
• Small-arms fire was assessed as directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle near non-government-controlled Khrystove.
• The Mission observed 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 government-controlled areas of Donetsk region.
• The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to water pipelines in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka.
• Restrictions of the Mission’s freedom of movement continued, including at a checkpoint near non-government-controlled Boikivske.

This report is for the media and the general public.

Shortly after 12:00 (Eastern European Time) on 9 November, the SMM observed the beginning of the disengagement process at the Petrivske disengagement area. SMM patrols positioned near the disengagement area saw the launch of flares by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the armed formations, signaling both sides’ readiness to disengage.

Subsequently, the SMM saw Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel and members of the armed formations exiting the disengagement area, together with their weapons.

The Mission will continue to monitor and verify the disengagement process.

Additional information can be found in the SMM Daily Reports.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region.
• A boy was injured by a stun grenade in non-government-controlled Ilovaisk.
• 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.
• It observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas of Donetsk region.
• The SMM continued to monitor adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate the operations of and repairs to critical civilian infrastructure including to water pipelines and power lines in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region.
• The SMM monitored a peaceful gathering concerning alleged police actions in Lviv.
• Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued at a non-government-controlled checkpoint near Verkhnoshyrokivske.

Challenging intolerance and discrimination by raising awareness about the complexity of migrant integration and promoting a human rights-centred approach to migration were the topics of a workshop in Brussels on 7 and 8 November 2019.

“Governments and politicians, through their policies and discourse, set the tone for public debate,” said Pablo Rojas Coppari, Migration and Freedom of Movement Adviser at the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). “Unfortunately, across the OSCE region we have witnessed negative and hateful messages targeted at migrant communities for the purpose of electoral advantage. This event is an opportunity to bring together various perspectives and experiences to examine how we can counter such narratives and make our societies more inclusive.”

The discussion highlighted the fact that politicians are not alone in shaping narratives, nor do they operate in a vacuum. Understanding how political and media narratives and public opinion are constructed and how they interact with each other is therefore crucial to challenging negative and hostile messages, the participants stressed.

The workshop also addressed dominant narratives on migration and the question of who is currently benefiting from them, as well as their longer term impact. In addition, means of creating positive change and the best ways of supporting responsible leadership on migration in the future were discussed.

The event brought together 25 experts (19 women and 6 men), including academics, representatives of international organizations and civil society, journalists, migrant activists and communicators with experience of promoting diversity and a rights-based approach to migration. ODIHR organized the event in partnership with the Quaker Council for European Affairs.   

How youth engagement can combat violent radicalization was the topic of a two-day workshop on 7 and 8 November 2019 in Budva. The OSCE Mission to Montenegro, together with the Ministry of Sports and Youth, organized the event.

Around 20 young people from all over Montenegro gathered to discuss combating violent radicalization, what its drivers are, and the national prevention framework.

Opening the workshop, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, Maryse Daviet said that violent radicalization is complex, and a multi-faceted challenge not confined to borders. “The OSCE participating States are part of a broad coalition that supports a multi-dimensional approach, focusing on prevention of violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism. In this regard, I would like to commend Montenegro for taking a number of positive initiatives in this area and for recognizing it as a key security challenge,” said Daviet.

She said that the Mission would continue to support Montenegrin authorities and civil society as they work to address preventing violent radicalization on different levels. “Over the next weeks, the Mission will deliver training for elementary and high school teachers on the role they can play in identifying and developing strategies to prevent violent radicalization,” said Daviet.

Nenad Koprivica, Director General of the Directorate for Youth at the Ministry of Sport and Youth, said that this workshop is just one example of the synergy and joint activities for young people, implemented by the Government of Montenegro with the OSCE Mission and other stakeholders as the issue of youth is a multi-sectoral issue.

“Since its inception, the Ministry of Sport and Youth has invested more than EUR 800,000 in 150 projects of youth organizations. We are the first country in the region to open a branch office of the Regional Youth Co-operation Office (RYCO), and we have recently celebrated the first year of 'The European Youth Card (EYCA)', a project that provides young people in Montenegro with free cards for numerous discounts in the country and across the Europe. Supporting the youth is high on the priority list of the Ministry and the Government,” said Koprivica.

Dragan Pejanović, the State Secretary in the Ministry of Interior and National Co-ordinator for Combating Violent Extremism, said that Montenegro started early in recognizing this challenge. “Montenegro does not have a visible problem with violent radicalization, but we are constantly working on its prevention, and education is one of the key elements in successfully addressing violence and violent extremism that leads to radicalization,” said Pejanović.

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) organized a panel discussion entitled: Women in Media — Safety Challenges and Ways Forward on 8 November 2019 in Sarajevo. The event was organized in co-operation with the Balkan Investigative Regional Reporting Network (BIRN Hub).

The discussion gathered more than 70 journalists and media professionals, representatives of judiciary, international community and civil society to discuss media freedom and the safety of female journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  

“In recent years, we have witnessed an increase in hate speech, hateful comments and online threats targeting women journalists all around the world, including in this country. We know that those who are brave enough to report on contentious issues, such as corruption, war crimes and transitional justice, often find their safety is at risk,” said Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH. “This event is one of the steps are taking to support and encourage all female journalists, writers, and freelancers to publically raise their voice against the violence they face.”

The aim of the event was to explore the issue of existing legal mechanisms and their effectiveness in the protection of journalists. Serving as a platform for the exchange of personal experiences, the panel discussion contributed to bringing public attention to this important issue.

Hatidža Gušić, Programme Manager for Media Development at BIRN Hub, emphasized that women in the media face discrimination not only due to the nature of the work they do, but are also subjected to gender-based violence, sexual harassment, especially on the Internet. “We must work to ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable for the violence. They should know that they can no longer think their anonymity would shield them from accountability.”

The panel discussion is a part of the OSCE Mission to BiH wider efforts in addressing the challenges related to media freedom and freedom of expression in Bosnia and Herzegovina.