OSCE

Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Report of the Human Rights Assessment Mission on Crimea (6–18 July 2015)

The current human rights situation in Crimea and the challenges faced by human rights defenders working on and in Crimea were discussed at an expert meeting on 14 June 2018 in Kherson, Ukraine. The meeting was organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in co-operation with the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

The event brought together 28 participants (15 women and 13 men) from leading civil society organizations working on Crimea human rights issues, intergovernmental organizations and the presidential Mission. Participants examined the current human rights situation in light of the recommendations provided in the 2015 Report of the Human Rights Assessment Mission on Crimea, prepared by ODIHR and the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM).

“The ODIHR/HCNM report highlighted a number of human rights challenges and provided a list of recommendations to address them. It is important to revisit together the recommendations and assess their implementation,” said Jennifer Croft, Deputy Head of the Human Rights Department at ODIHR. “ODIHR’s aim with this event is to facilitate the dialogue between Ukrainian civil society and relevant authorities, with the aim of strengthening joint and co-ordinated responses to the identified challenges and issues.”

Eskender Bariiev, Director of the Crimean Tatar Resource Centre, said: “Co-operation and collaboration among human rights organizations, minority communities and state authorities in Ukraine are at the core of timely and efficient response to pressing challenges that residents of Crimea, including minority and indigenous communities and other vulnerable groups, face.”

“The expert meeting is of great importance for enhancing co-operation between human rights defenders and the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea,” said Borys Babin, Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. “This will further the efforts of my office to promote and monitor the observance of the human rights of Ukrainian citizens living in Crimea and of internally displaced persons from the peninsula.”

KYIV, 14 June 2018 – Alexander Hug, the Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, will hold his regular news briefing on Friday, 15 June, in Kyiv.

He will talk about the security situation throughout Ukraine and the Mission’s recent activities.

Journalists are invited to attend the news briefing tomorrow, 15 June, at 12:30 (Kyiv time), at the Ukrainian Crisis Media Centre, at the Ukrainian House, 2 Khreshchatyk Street.

Live streaming of the news briefing will be available at http://uacrisis.org/ru/stream/#eng

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A team of experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) visited Skopje from 13 to 14 June 2018 to provide assistance at the final meeting of the working group on electoral reform, which is mandated to review the country’s electoral code.

The working group was established by the Ministry of Justice, and the meeting was co-organized with the civil society organization MOST. The group included representatives of parliamentary political parties, relevant institutions and civil society organizations, and met five times since it was set up in May. Previous ODIHR electoral recommendations were an integral part of the discussions.

The ODIHR team shared expertise and good practices for effective electoral reform, including on the benefits of broad engagement, inclusiveness and transparency in the group’s work. Experts supported the group by providing technical and legal expertise, particularly in the areas of election administration, voter registration and media coverage of campaigns.

The output of the sessions will serve as the basis for the Ministry of Justice to either draft amendments to or prepare a new electoral code in the coming months. ODIHR will continue to support this process by offering technical expertise and a legal review.

All OSCE participating States have committed themselves to promptly following up on ODIHR’s electoral recommendations, and ODIHR has consistently supported these efforts.

The support to the working group was provided under the project Support to Elections in the Western Balkans, which aims to strengthen ODIHR’s assistance to the electoral follow-up processes in the region. The project is funded by the European Union and the Austrian Development Agency. The visit was co-ordinated with the OSCE Mission to Skopje.

YEREVAN, 14 June 2018 - The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Stephane Visconti of France, and Andrew Schofer of the United States of America) together with the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk, met with Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan, and President Armen Sarkissian during an introductory visit to Yerevan on 12-14 June.

The Co-Chairs and the Armenian officials reviewed the status of negotiations and discussed next steps to move the process forward, including a ministerial meeting in the near future. They also exchanged views on the current situation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and the line of contact, underscoring the importance of maintaining a constructive environment. ‎

The Co-Chairs reiterated their commitment to helping the sides find a peaceful solution to the conflict based on the core principles of the Helsinki Final Act, including the non-use or threat of force, territorial integrity, and the equal rights and self-determination of peoples.

Armenian officials expressed their support for the work of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and Personal Representative and their willingness to continue working productively under the auspices of the Co-Chairs.

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Karen Gainer

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro, in partnership with Montenegrin National Coordinator’s Office for Combating Human Trafficking, organized a workshop dedicated to the preparation of the 2019-2024 Draft National Strategy for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (THB) and the 2019 Action Plan from 11 to 13 June 2018 in Podgorica.

Topics discussed in the workshop, led by international expert Bistra Netkova, included the legal framework against THB; analysis of the results from 2012 to 2017 and recommendations for the next five years; European Union strategy on combating THB; THB prevention; THB victims’ identification and protection, and strategy co-ordination and implementation.

Some 20 practitioners, representing the national inter-agency working group for THB strategy, Higher Court, Justice Ministry, State Prosecutor’s Office, Interior Ministry, Foreign Affairs Ministry, Health Ministry, Finance Ministry, Education Ministry, Tourism and Sustainable Development Ministry and NGO sector, participated.

“Co-operation on this level is considered essential for the development of a legal framework for combating trafficking in human beings and advancing with the activities in this area,” said OSCE Robert Kucharski, OSCE Programme Manager for Security Co-operation and Governance.

The Strategy and the Action Plan are expected to be adopted by the end of 2018. The activity is part of the Mission’s efforts to address transnational threats to security and is a continuation of support provided in the preparation of the key documents.

The second workshop will be held from 25 to 27 June in Podgorica.

 

MINSK, 13 June 2018 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG ‎and its Working Groups in Minsk on 13 June 2018:

“As you know, the Normandy Four Foreign Ministers meeting took place in Berlin the day before yesterday. The sides expressed their recommitment to the Minsk agreements and the peaceful settlement of the conflict. I am convinced that the activation of the Normandy Four at different levels will also give significant political impetus to our work here in Minsk.

Today I would like to note a few important trends. This year, to date, the number of civilian casualties has been significantly reduced compared to the similar period of 2017. The total number of casualties declined by 55%, and the number of fatalities by 37%. I want to say, however, that even a single casualty is too much. Regrettably, this year the number of child fatalities is bigger by one child compared to the last year; this raises my indignation. 

As regards the Donetsk Filtering Station (DFS), I am glad that all the repair works have been completed thanks to the security guarantees provided to the employees. I hope that in the future I will not have to talk again about the DFS in my briefings. 

This topic was discussed today in the Security Working Group. Besides, issues related to the disengagement of forces and hardware in the agreed disengagement areas were duly considered.

The Economic Working Group continued its discussion on the way to restore and improve the mobile communication of Vodafone-Ukraine in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (CADR and CALR). It was noted that more time and considerable technical investments are required to restore full-fledged high-quality communication services.

The participants also considered the issues of water deliveries in the supply systems "Karbonyt" and "Voda Donbassa".

The Working Group on Humanitarian Issues continued its discussion on the exchange of detainees as well as on the issue of missing persons.

Another important topic for the Working Group was the improvement of conditions for crossing the contact line via checkpoints, including the one in Stanytsia Luhanska. In particular, the repairs of the access pathway to the bridge on the northern bank of the Seversky Donets were discussed.

The Working Group on Political Issues further considered the implementation of the so-called ‘Steinmeier formula’, amnesty and modalities of local elections in CADR and CARL. As I have already mentioned, active interaction with the Normandy Four is of particular importance for the activities of the Political Working Group.”

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ROME/VIENNA - OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Italy’s Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi and OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger welcomed the announcement of an agreement between Athens and Skopje on resolving the name issue, which they hailed as a major step towards advancing regional stability.

“Congratulations to Prime Ministers Alexis Tsipras and Zoran Zaev for their leadership and commitment to this momentous process for both countries, for South-Eastern Europe and for Europe as a whole,” Chairperson Moavero said. “This is a unique opportunity that one must seize and further build upon.”   

Secretary General Greminger stressed the significance of dialogue and compromise in this process. “This historic agreement can now lead to a long-term solution for the benefit of all citizens and the entire region.”

The Secretary General also expressed his appreciation to the United Nations, which has led mediation efforts to resolve this dispute for more than 25 years.

 

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This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Holubivske. The SMM observed damage caused by shelling at a civilian residence in Dokuchaievsk. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations nearby and observed military equipment and new positions of the armed formations inside the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three areas and it was also prevented from following up on civilian casualties at a hospital in an area outside of government control. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in Zolote (outside the disengagement area) and Khlibodarivka. The Mission continued to facilitate the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to the Donetsk Filtration Station through monitoring the security situation around the station. It continued to monitor and facilitate repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema and water repairs near Holmivskyi.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[1], including about 230 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (280 explosions).

On the evening and night of 11-12 June, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, two projectiles in flight from east to west, a projectile from west to east, a projectile from east to west, a projectile from west to east, two undetermined explosions and a projectile from west to east, all 3-5km south.

During the day on 12 June, positioned north-west of the railway station in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 14 undetermined explosions 5-8km north-north-west, small-arms fire 1km north-north-west, as well as two undetermined explosions and bursts of small-arms fire 1-3km west-south-west.

The same day, positioned on the south-eastern edge of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 3-4km south-east. Positioned on the eastern edge of Avdiivka, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion and small-arms fire 3-4km south-east and south-south-east.

On the evening and night of 11-12 June, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 125 undetermined explosions and about 300 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 3-5km south-east. During the day on 12 June, at the same location, the SMM heard five undetermined explosions 3-5km south-east.

On the evening and night of 11-12 June, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, three projectiles in flight from south to north, two bursts in flight from south-east to north-west, a projectile from south-east to north-west and six projectiles from south to north, followed by totals of nine undetermined explosions, 224 projectiles (172 from south to north, 51 from north to south, and one from south-east to north-west), 30 bursts (18 from south-east to north-west, 11 from south to north, and one from north to south) and an illumination flare from east to west, all 4-6km east-north-east.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including, however, two explosions, compared with the previous reporting period  (no explosions).

At a checkpoint of the armed formations in the Trudovski area of the Petrovskyi district in Donetsk city (non-government-controlled, 15km south-west of Donetsk city centre), a man in military-type clothing, who appeared to the SMM to be inebriated, threw a hammer in the direction of the SMM patrol members. The hammer flew over the patrol members’ heads and landed about 2m from two parked SMM vehicles, and the inebriated man then left the spot. A member of the armed formations from the nearby checkpoint apologized to the SMM for the other man’s behaviour.

The SMM continued to follow up on media reports of civilian casualties. In Holubivske (non-government-controlled, 51km west of Luhansk), a woman (45 years old) told the SMM that she had been a passenger on a bus that had been damaged during an explosion on 7 June. (See SMM Daily Report 8 June 2018.) The woman told the SMM that she had been injured and had shrapnel removed from her right shoulder. The woman said she had been standing behind the bus driver, and at about 10:30 she heard an explosion on the passenger side of the bus, which immediately blew out all the windows. She said there had been 18-19 passengers on the bus and she had heard screaming, and many of the passengers had blood and broken shards of glass on them. She said she had been treated at, and later released from the hospital in Holubivka (formerly Kirovske, 51km west of Luhansk) the same day.

The SMM observed damage caused by shelling at a civilian residence in Dokuchaievsk (non-government-controlled, 30km south-west of Donetsk). On the third floor of an apartment building at 15 Vatutina Street, the SMM observed damage to the outer wall and window frame of a balcony on the south-west side of the building, assessed as caused by shrapnel. The SMM saw that the glass had been broken out of the window frame and that the frame and window sill were dotted with holes caused by shrapnel. The SMM saw a hole caused by shrapnel in the ceiling of the living room. The SMM assessed that the damage was caused by a round fired from a south-westerly direction. A couple residing in the apartment told the SMM that they had heard shooting and explosions that caused the damage around 06:00 on 12 June and that they had been at home with their daughter (13 years old) at the time. 

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), as foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016. The SMM’s access remained restricted, but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.*

On 11 June, an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) in Katerynivka (government-controlled, 64km west of Luhansk) (inside the Zolote disengagement area). The same day, an SMM mini-UAV spotted an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) mounted on a truck inside the southern edge of the Zolote disengagement area, about 2km north-east of Molodizhne (non-government-controlled, 63km north-west of Luhansk). The SMM mini-UAV also spotted new military-type positions under construction adjacent to previously observed trenches of the armed formations, about 60m inside the southern edge of the disengagement area (not visible in imagery from 28 May 2018).

On the night of 12 June, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded, in sequence, an undetermined explosion and three projectiles in flight from north-west to south-east, all 4-8km east-north-east and east (all assessed as outside the disengagement area).

While on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska during the early morning of 12 June, the SMM heard an explosion 5-7km west (assessed as outside the disengagement area). During the day, positioned in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM observed a calm situation.

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 in government-controlled areas, on 12 June, the SMM saw four multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) in a military compound near Khlibodarivka (65km south-west of Donetsk) (see SMM Daily Report 22 May 2018), and a surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) in Zolote-3 (government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk), about 1.5km north-west of the Zolote disengagement area.

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, the SMM saw three tanks (T-72) near Zelene Pole (40km north-west of Donetsk), two towed howitzers (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm) near Khlibodarivka and eight self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) in a military compound near Kalynove (formerly Kalinine, 65km south-west of Donetsk).

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. In government-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines in Luhansk region, the SMM saw five towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) and four anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) and noted that 34 towed howitzers (26 2A65 and eight 2A36) and twelve anti-tank guns (MT-12) continued to be missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles (ACV), an anti-aircraft weapon[2] and fresh craters in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 11 June, an SMM long-range UAV spotted eight IFVs (two BMP-1, three BMP-2 and three BMP variants) and an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB) near Troitske (30km north of Donetsk), an IFV (BMP-1) near Hranitne (60km south of Donetsk) and three IFVs (two BMP-1 and a BMP-2) in Novoselivka (66km south of Donetsk). On 12 June, the SMM saw two IFVs (BMP variant), one of which was next to a school, in Zolote-3.

In non-government-controlled areas, on 11 June, an SMM long-range UAV spotted a camouflaged ACV (type unknown) near Veselohorivka (64km west of Luhansk), an IFV (BMP-1) near Kalynove (60km west of Luhansk) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) mounted on a truck near Shyroka Balka (34km north-east of Donetsk). On 12 June, the SMM saw an APC (BTR-80) in Holubivske (51km west of Luhansk) and six APCs (MT-LB) near Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk).

On 11 June, near Popasna (government-controlled, 69km north-west of Luhansk), an SMM mini-UAV spotted six fresh craters in a field about 1.3km north-east of the closest civilian house, assessed as caused by 122mm artillery rounds fired from a south-easterly direction.

The SMM continued to facilitate the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to and from the DFS, as well as demining activities around the station, through monitoring adherence to the ceasefire. Positioned in areas near the DFS, the SMM heard ceasefire violations, despite explicit security guarantees (see above and the table below for ceasefire violations).

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk) and to 3km of a water pipeline by a Voda Donbassa repair team near Holmivskyi (non-government-controlled, 49km north-east of Donetsk). The SMM also facilitated and monitored ongoing construction of a winter shelter near the Maiorsk entry-exit checkpoint by an international organization. 

The SMM continued to see unexploded ordnance (UXO). On 11 June, in Pervomaisk, the SMM saw an 82mm mortar round on the territory of a coal mine. On road T-0504, the SMM saw the remnants of an artillery shell (122mm) embedded in the concrete and two rounds of ammunition (7.62mm) near an abandoned fuel station on the north-western edge of Pervomaisk. About 8m west of a road 700m south-west of Molodizhne, the SMM saw the tailfin of an artillery round lodged in a tree, about 120-150cm from the ground, and an expended rocket-propelled-grenade round near a building on the north-eastern edge of Molodizhne.

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

 

*Restrictions of 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 for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) 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 (see SMM Daily Report 12 June 2018). 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:

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The SMM was prevented from accessing parts of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, with the exception of the main road, due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM by phone that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC. 4
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads in the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM by phone that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC. 4
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. An armed formation member positioned on the southern side of the Zolote disengagement area told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed.

Other impediments:

• At a hospital in Rovenky (non-government-controlled, 54km south of Luhansk), while the SMM was speaking to the chief doctor, the hospital “administration” instructed the doctor not to speak to the SMM and said that all future visits by the SMM should be co-ordinated with the armed formations in Luhansk city.

[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. The SMM cameras at the entry-exit checkpoints in Marinka and Pyshchevyk were not operational during the reporting period.

[2] This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

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VIENNA, 13 June 2018 – Ways to enhance women’s participation in the armed forces were a key area of focus at this year’s Annual Discussion on the Implementation of the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security, held today in Vienna. Representatives of the OSCE participating States shared their experiences on implementing the Code, a unique and fundamental document which aims to regulate the role of armed forces in democratic societies.

Opening the meeting, Ambassador Andrej Benedejčič, Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the OSCE and Chairperson of the Forum for Security Co-operation, reminded representatives of the participating States that the Code is one of the OSCE’s most important normative documents and occupies a fundamental place among the body of commitments developed within the politico-military dimension of security.

The meeting’s first working session centred on a presentation of a new baseline study on women in the armed forces in the OSCE region commissioned by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

“Servicewomen are still a small minority in the armed forces across the OSCE region. On average, they make up 9.7 per cent of all service personnel,” said Susan Atkins, author of the report. “Whilst no legal barriers to women's full participation across the armed forces exist in over three-quarters of participating States, there are still a number of practical barriers in many states, including a lack of appropriate facilities and equipment, low maximum recruitment targets, male-focused working environments and abuse, from which women suffer disproportionately,” she said.

She added that three-quarters of OSCE participating States have introduced new laws or policies in the last ten years, and there is a wealth of good practice across the OSCE region.

Omer Fisher, Head of the Human Rights Department at ODIHR, said that this OSCE institution has a track record of assisting OSCE participating States in upholding the rights of female and male security sector personnel. He recalled that ODIHR’s mandate in this area of work is based particularly on Article 32 of the Code, which states that each participating State will ensure that military and security forces personnel are able to enjoy and exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms.

In the meeting’s second working session, representatives of the participating States reviewed the results of a statistical overview prepared by the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre, which details the participating States’ efforts in implementing the Code of Conduct.

Today’s meeting followed an event held yesterday in Vienna by the Slovenian Chairmanship of the Forum for Security Co-operation, which saw representatives of Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Sweden present their best practices and practical materials on implementing the Code, with an emphasis on the governance and democratic control of armed and security forces as well as international humanitarian law and the human rights of armed and security forces.

That event was followed by a special panel focused on private military and security companies and their potential impact on human rights and the rule of law.

Alan Bryden of the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) presented a study commissioned by the OSCE, which analyses responses provided by participating States since 2009 in the framework of the Annual Information Exchange on the Code of Conduct pertaining to private military and security companies. The study highlighted the need to foster dialogue and increase engagement on regulating private military and security companies and to encourage comprehensive, thoughtful and regular reporting on this industry in the Annual Information Exchange.

Representatives of Switzerland and Austria also presented their national experiences in regulating private military and security companies.

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Addressing the security needs of Jewish communities was the focus of an event co-organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, in co-operation with the Interior Ministry of the Slovak Republic, the Jewish Community of Bratislava/Slovakia and the Museum of Jewish Culture, on 14 June 2018.

The event brought together Slovak law-enforcement and Jewish community representatives, as well as officials from other relevant ministries and NGOs, to raise awareness of issues related to ensuring security for Jewish communities. Discussions focused on co-operation between law-enforcement agencies and Jewish communities in Slovakia and the challenges, opportunities and recommendations for such co-operation in the future.

The event also provided an opportunity to present the Slovak-language version of the ODIHR publication Understanding Anti-Semitic Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security Needs of Jewish Communities – A Practical Guide. The publication details practical steps that governments can take, in co-operation with Jewish communities, to prevent and respond to Anti-Semitic hate crimes and better address the security needs of those communities. 

Ilan Cohn, ODIHR Project Manager, said: “The Slovak authorities may use the Guide as a roadmap for a thoughtful assessment of the security issues that Jewish and other communities face on a daily basis and consider a wide range of measures they can implement to effectively address them.”

“Tolerance, non-discrimination and respect for diversity are crucial for peaceful co-existence in every society. Responsibility for the protection of all citizens lies with governments in close co-operation with representatives of respective communities and other relevant actors,” said Lukáš Parízek, State Secretary of the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “We hope that this meeting will be useful for launching a discussion on the specific challenges posed by anti-Semitism to Jewish communities and also serve as a model for addressing the security needs of other communities that are also vulnerable to hate crimes.”

Building on the expressed interest of Slovak authorities to address anti-Semitism and promote tolerance more generally, ODIHR will organize an additional event in Bratislava from 19 to 21 June, in partnership with the State Pedagogical Institute. This event will provide a platform to consult staff from teacher training institutes and school directors from throughout the OSCE region about the development of a framework curricula and guidance materials to be used to train teachers in addressing intolerance, bias, prejudice, and particularly anti-Semitism.

 

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Participants from eight OSCE field operations and 16 non-governmental organizations from across the OSCE region shared experiences and exchanged good practices at the 16th annual trial monitoring meeting. The event was organized in Kyiv by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine from 12 to 14 June 2018.

This year’s meeting gathered a total number of 42 participants, including 16 men and 26 women.

“This meeting has traditionally been a unique forum for fruitful discussions and peer-to-peer exchange on challenges and good practices. This year, we also wanted to explore new areas of monitoring, and we have received valuable contributions on how we could proceed with this work in the future,” said Karine Simonsen, Rule of Law Officer at ODIHR.

“Trial monitoring is valued by our partners for its practical, evidence-based recommendations on how to make concrete improvements in the rule of law,” said Jeff Erlich, Senior Project Officer with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine. “One of the main advantages the OSCE brings to trial monitoring is the standards developed through years of experience in field missions, which are analysed, reviewed and used by ODIHR to further refine its approach”.

Various topics were discussed during the meeting, including challenges related to monitoring closed court sessions and corruption cases. The participants also explored how the existing trial monitoring methodology could be adapted in order to monitor new areas, such as the processes of selection, appointment, evaluation and promotion of judges. The meeting included a training component on selected fair trial rights.

Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Astana

An OSCE Programme Office in Astana-supported seminar, co-organized with NGO Legal Media Centre, on the protection of freedom of expression and policies to counter hate speech on the Internet took place on 12 June 2018 in Kostanay, Kazakhstan.

Some 20 journalists, law-enforcement officials and representatives of civil society discussed the relationship between media and hate speech policies as well as ways to enhance co-operation between government, civil society and media organizations. Together with national experts from Kazakhstan, participants examined a number of Internet resources and print media examples to analyse the vocabulary used by journalists and on social media. Using real-life cases, the participants learnt how audiences can be affected by the use of stereotypes in the media.

The event aimed to equip journalists with the tools to counter hate speech in the media and on the Internet, including mechanisms to reduce the potential harm from a malicious Internet environment and destructive human behaviour such as trolling, cyber-bullying and hate speech.

The seminar was a follow-up to those held in Aktobe, Shymkent, Petropavlovsk, and Ust-Kamenogorsk in 2017. The OSCE-supported publication Freedom of Expression and Hate Speech Vocabulary on the Internet was disseminated among participants.

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

 

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission observed damage caused by shelling in and near residential areas of Donetskyi as well as nearby positions. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote and Petrivske disengagement areas. The SMM observed a newly extended trench north of the Petrivske disengagement area and again observed military-type hardware and positions inside the disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and was also restricted near Izvaryne and Sievernyiat the border with the Russian Federation, as well as in Krasnolutskyi. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to facilitate the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to the Donetsk Filtration Station and to monitor the security situation around the station. It continued to monitor and facilitate repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema.

In Donetskregion, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[1], including about 280 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (315 explosions). 

On the evening and night of 10-11 June, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, three projectiles in flight from east to west and a projectile from west to east, followed by totals of two undetermined explosions, 28 projectiles (17 from east to west and 11 from west to east) and four illumination flares in flight (two from west to east, one from east to west and one from south to north), all 0.5-1.5km south.

During the day on 11 June, positioned on the western edge of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk) for about six hours, the SMM heard two undetermined explosions and about 80 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 1-7km at directions ranging from south-west to west.

The same day, positioned on the south-eastern edge of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) for about five hours, the SMM heard four undetermined explosions and about 30 shots and bursts of small-arms fire, all 1-6km at directions ranging from east-south-east to south. 

On the evening and night of 10-11 June, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 230 undetermined explosions and about 370 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-5km at directions ranging from south-east to south-south-west. During the day on 11 June, while at the same location, the SMM heard 20 undetermined explosions and eight bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 1-5km at directions ranging from south-east to south-south-west.

On the evening and night of 10-11 June, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, an illumination flare in flight from north to south, eight projectiles in flight from south to north and an undetermined explosion, followed by totals of 11 undetermined explosions, about 350 projectiles (235 from south to north and about 115 from north to south), three illumination flares (two from south to north and one from north to south) and seven bursts from south to north, all 2-5km east.

During the day on 11 June, while in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard an explosion assessed as an outgoing artillery round 2-3km south-south-east as well as eight undetermined explosions and about 20 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 3-5km south-west.

In Luhanskregion, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations (no explosions), compared with the previous 24 hours (six explosions). 

The SMM observed damage caused by shelling in and near residential areas of Donetskyi (non-government-controlled, 49km west of Luhansk). On 9 June, an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted 38 fresh craters near firing positions and dugouts about 300m south of a residential area of the village, assessed as caused by probable 120mm mortar rounds fired from a north-westerly direction. In the southern part of the village, the same UAV also spotted a hole in the roof of a school building and four members of the armed formations near the building, as well as debris on the roof of a kindergarten about 100m further south-east (the SMM was unable to assess the type of weapon used or the direction of fire or whether the damage and debris were fresh). Near a bridge in the eastern part of Holubivske (non-government-controlled, 51km west of Luhansk), on 8 June, a man and two women who identified themselves as residents of Donetskyi told the SMM that they had heard shelling between 22:00 and 02:00 on 7-8 June and between 05:00 and 07:00 on the morning of 8 June. (The SMM was unable to access Donetskyi due to security reasons.)

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), as foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardwareof 21 September 2016. The SMM’s access remained restricted, but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.* 

On the evening of 9 June, the SMM camera in Petrivske recorded three tracer rounds in flight from south to north, followed by an undetermined explosion, all 1-2km south-west (all assessed as inside the disengagement area).

On 9 June, inside the Petrivske disengagement area, an SMM mini-UAV again spotted an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP variant) 1.8km east of its western edge and 1.2km south of its northern edge. About 600m further north, inside the disengagement area, the same UAV spotted a mortar (2B14 Podnos, 82mm) under camouflage netting in a recently dug mortar pit, a heavy machine gun in a recently dug firing position and Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel. (See SMM Daily Report 21 May 2018.) The UAV also spotted three IFVs (BMP variants) along a tree line about 600m south of the disengagement area and 25 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid across a road about 150m north of the disengagement area (see SMM Daily Report 14 March 2018).

On 10 June, an SMM mini-UAV spotted for the first time a 70m-long extension of a trench system about 100m north of the disengagement area, about 150m north-east of Petrivske (not visible in imagery from 7 February 2018).

On the evening of 10 June, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded, in sequence, two projectiles in flight from north to south 2-4km south-east (assessed as inside the disengagement area), a projectile from north-west to south-east 5-8km south-east, a projectile from south-west to north-east 5-8km east and seven projectiles from north-west to south-east 5-10km east and east-north-east (all assessed as outside the disengagement area). 

On 11 June, positioned in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM observed a calm situation.

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 in government-controlled areas, on 9 June, an SMM long-range UAV spotted six self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) near Zoria (22km north-east of Mariupol). On 11 June, the SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) near Sopyne (16km east of Mariupol).

In violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas, on 9 June, an SMM long-range UAV spotted two mortars (2B11 Sani, 120mm) and a surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) near Novolaspa (50km south of Donetsk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites in a non-government-controlled area, the SMM saw seven tanks (T-64) in firing positions in a training area near Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles (ACV) and an anti-aircraft weapon[2]in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 9 June, an SMM long-range UAV spotted an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) near Pisky (11km north-west of Donetsk), two armoured personnel carriers (APC) (one BTR-60 and one BTR variant) near Nevelske (18km north-west of Donetsk), a fire control vehicle (MT-LB 1VXX variant) near Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk), an APC (MT-LB) near Berezove (31km south-west of Donetsk), two APCs (one BTR-70 and one BTR-80) and four ACVs (BMP variants) near Novotroitske (36km south-west of Donetsk) and an IFV (BMP-1) near Novohryhorivka (55km south of Donetsk). On 11 June, the SMM saw a self-propelled anti-aircraft system (ZU-23-4 Shilka, 23mm) near Sopyne.

In non-government-controlled areas, on 8 June, an SMM mini-UAV spotted three IFVs (BMP-2) and an APC (MT-LB) near Vesela Hora (16km north of Luhansk). On 9 June, an SMM long-range UAV spotted an IFV (BMP-1) near Novolaspa and an SMM mini-UAV spotted an APC (BTR-80) near Donetskyi (see above). On 11 June, the SMM saw an IFV (BMP-1) in Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, non-government-controlled, 50km west of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to facilitate the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to and from the DFS, as well as demining activities around the station, through monitoring adherence to the ceasefire. Positioned in areas near the DFS, the SMM heard about 160 ceasefire violations in the area, despite explicit security guarantees (see above and the table below for ceasefire violations).

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk). 

The SMM visited two border areas not under government control. While at a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk) for ten minutes, the SMM saw five cars (four with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates) and a bus (licence plates not visible) exiting Ukraine and a bus (with Ukrainian licence plates) and seven pedestrians entering Ukraine. A member of the armed formations then told the SMM to leave the area.* While at a border crossing point near Sievernyi (50km south-east of Luhansk) for five minutes, the SMM observed no traffic or pedestrians entering or exiting Ukraine. A member of the armed formations then told the SMM to leave the area.*

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

 

*Restrictions of 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 for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) 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 (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: 

• Near Izvaryne, at the border with the Russian Federation, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.
• Near Sievernyi, at the border with the Russian Federation, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.
• In Krasnolutskyi (non-government-controlled, 52km south-west of Luhansk), the director of a kindergarten denied the SMM access to the kindergarten, saying that it was not allowed to enter without permission from members of the armed formations.

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO: 

• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads in the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM by phone that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.[3]
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. An armed formation member positioned on the southern side of the Zolote disengagement area told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed.
• The SMM did not travel across the bridge in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk) due to the presence of mines. At a checkpoint south of the bridge, an armed member of the armed formations told the SMM that he had no information regarding demining activities in the area. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed.

 

[1]For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. The SMM cameras at the entry-exit checkpoints in Marinka and Pyshchevyk were not operational during the reporting period.

[2]This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

[3]The SMM informed Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC. Russian Federation Armed Forces officers of the JCCC have withdrawn from the JCCC as of 18 December 2017.

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TASHKENT, 12 June, 2018 - Raising awareness and formulating policy recommendations on the need to engage and empower youth in preventing violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (VERLT) was the focus of a two-day international conference that ended today. The event, organized by the OSCE in co-operation with the upper house of the parliament, the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and the United Nations, was held in Tashkent and Samarkand, respectively.

Over 200 participants from across the OSCE region and beyond, including government officials from all Central Asian countries, and civil society groups, discussed and shared best practices on how to engage youth in preventing and countering VERLT, specifically through education, media, arts and sports. The engagement of local communities, religious actors and the increased empowerment of civil society was also discussed.

Addressing the conference, the OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger stressed the importance of developing comprehensive, nuanced and co-ordinated responses to preventing violent extremism and countering terrorism. “It is also essential that we stand by our commitments to uphold human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of belief, freedom of expression and freedom of the media,” he said.

On the basis of the debate and the work of three working groups during the conference, recommendations were developed that underscored the importance of an inclusive, whole-of-society-approach when countering VERLT. Participants also recommended strengthening the role of youth in decision making in the spirit of the UNSC Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security and newly adopted UNSC Resolution 2419 on Increasing Role of Youth in Negotiating, Implementing Peace Agreements.

The winners of the OSCE regional competition “Central Asian Youth Against Violent Extremism!”, chosen for their innovative recommendations to counter VERLT online, were announced during the conference: Nursultan Rakhmanov from Kazakhstan, Ermek Aktanov from Kyrgyzstan, Nilufar Muradova from Tajikistan and Sardor Nazirov from Uzbekistan. The competition was open to university students from all Central Asian countries.

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan also announced the launch of an information web portal on countering VERLT, which it developed in co-operation with the Tashkent-based NGO, Center for Studying International Threats.

The OSCE has been engaged in countering terrorism in the Central Asian region since 2007. This conference, the first of its kind in Uzbekistan, was organized within the framework of the 2016 Ministerial Council Declaration on Strengthening OSCE Efforts to Prevent and Counter Terrorism and the 2015 Ministerial Council Declaration on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization That Lead to Terrorism, adopted under the German and Serbian OSCE Chairmanships, respectively.

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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). 

OPERATIONAL REMARKS

The OM is currently operating with 20 permanent international staff members, including the Chief Observer (CO). The Mission is supported administratively by a Vienna-based staff member. 

OBSERVATIONS AT THE BORDER CROSSING POINTS

Persons crossing the border                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

The profile of the people 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 people and/or children) travelling on foot or by car with a significant amount of luggage.

During the reporting period, the data on the average number of entries/exits from both border crossing points (BCPs) is not available, since the OM did not receive the relevant figures from the competent Authorities, due to a public holiday in the Host Country. 

Persons in military-style outfits                                                 

During the reporting period, the number of persons in military-style outfits crossing the border in both directions was 31 at both BCPs compared to 55 last week; 17 of them crossed into the Russian Federation, 14 into Ukraine. Approximately 71per cent of this category’s crossings occurred at the Donetsk BCP. They continued to cross the border individually or in groups. Most individuals crossed by 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 have tinted windows, and buses and minivans have drawn curtains.

Families with a significant amount of luggage

The OTs continue to report on families crossing the border, sometimes with elderly people and/or children, at both BCPs with a significant amount of luggage, or travelling in heavily loaded cars. During this reporting week, eight families were observed crossing to the Russian Federation and another eleven were observed crossing to Ukraine, compared tothe previous reporting period when six families were observed crossing the border.

Bus connections                                          

Regular local and long-distance bus connections continue 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 do not state their route; instead they have a sign on the windshield stating “irregular”.

During the reporting period the OTs observed 382 buses crossing the border at both BCPs (compared to 414 observed during the previous week), 190 of them were bound for the Russian Federation and 192 for Ukraine. 

Among the bus connections observed by the OTs, the following “irregular” routes or destinations were noted: Kyiv; Alchevsk-Kyivand Rovenky-Kyiv.

On some occasions, the OTs noticed the bus drivers removing the itinerary signs from the windshields of their buses, while some buses do not display their route at all. The majority of long-distance buses commuting between the Luhansk region and cities in the Russian Federation have Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region.

Trucks

During the reporting period the OM observed a decrease in the number of trucks crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs. Compared to the previous week, the total number of trucks went from 948 to 800 (243 at the Gukovo BCP and 557 at the Donetsk BCP); 432 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 368 crossed into Ukraine. Most of the trucks observed by the OTs had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region. 

Among them, the OTs continued also to observe tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions. During the reporting week, the number of tanker trucks slightly decreased from 63 to 47 (compared to 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 have hazard signs, indicating that they are transporting propane or a mix of propane with butane.

All trucks undergo systematic inspection by Russian Federation officials, which may include an X-ray check. Due to the unfavourable position at the Gukovo BCP, the OTs continued to be unable to observe any X-ray checks. At the Donetsk BCP the OTs observed 61 X-ray checks: out of the total number of trucks scanned during the reporting period, 45 trucks (74 per cent) were bound for Ukraine; the remaining 16 trucks (26 per cent) crossed into the Russian Federation.

Minivans

The OM continued to observe passenger and cargo minivans[1]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.

As compared to the previous week, the number of cargo minivans slightly decreased from 169 to 163; 76 crossed into the Russian Federation and 87 into Ukraine.

Trains

The OTs continued to pick up the sound of trains running on the railway tracks located approximately 150 metres south-west of the Gukovo BCP. During the reporting week, the OTs heard trains on 47 occasions, compared to 31 last week; the OTs assessed that 26 trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and 21 to Ukraine. 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. In addition, the OTs also observed vehicles registered in Georgia. A number of vehicles with “LPR” and “DPR” plates were also observed crossing the border in both directions. 

On 6 June at 05:58, an ambulance car with “LPR” plates arrived at the Donetsk BCP from Ukraine and crossed to the Russian Federation. During the crossing, the OT was not able to observe whether a patient was on board or not. 

On 9 Juneat 09.00, a white minivan marked with a red cross and “LPR” plates arrived at the Donetsk BCP from Ukraine. At 09.40 it crossed into the Russian Federation. During the procedures, the OT could observe only the driver on board.

 

For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 15 May to 12 May 2018, please see the attachment here.

[1]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).

                        

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BELGRADE, 12 June 2018 – Improvements in the accommodation of migrants and refugees in Serbia have been welcomed by a delegation led by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Nahima Lanjri (MP, Belgium), with parliamentarians noting that other OSCE countries can learn from these positive developments. They pointed out however that Serbia’s capacity needs to be expanded and adapted to fully meet the needs of unaccompanied minors.

Lanjri and several other members of the OSCE PA Ad Hoc Committee on Migration completed their visit today, having met with representatives from the Serbian government, the international community, civil society and migrants and refugees to assess current developments in the field of migration, with a special focus on unaccompanied and separated children. The delegation included Ad Hoc Committee Vice-Chair Pascal Allizard (MP, France), and members Kyriakos Hadjiyianni (MP, Cyprus), Stefana Miladinovic (MP, Serbia) and George Varemenos (MP, Greece).

During the three-day visit, the main topics of discussion included developments in improving the legislative framework as well as ongoing challenges in implementation.

“Serbia’s efforts in supporting migrants – and particularly refugee and migrant children – have not gone unnoticed. It is commendable that almost 90 per cent of migrant children attend primary school in Serbia regardless of their legal status. Serbia’s new Law on Asylum and Temporary Protection is also a significant step toward full compliance with international law, with a number of important provisions regarding unaccompanied minors, such as those concerning the guardianship system as well as taking into consideration the best interests of the child,” Lanjri said.

She added however that there is a need for a more objective and systematic approach to age determination in order to ensure that minors are accommodated appropriately and protected from possible mistreatment.

Delegation members noted that unaccompanied minors are a particularly vulnerable category who are at risk of exploitation and sexual abuse by smugglers and that this threat requires further attention.

Miladinovic, who also serves as Head of Serbia’s Delegation to the OSCE PA, noted that as a country with a high number of migrants in transit, Serbia has focused on establishing reception facilities for short stays and that there is now a need to provide adequate reception capacity also for longer term stays. The first steps have already been taken in this direction, she pointed out, and highlighted the positive practice of issuing documents to children born in Serbia.

“Our local communities in Serbia have largely welcomed refugees and migrants, and we have also enjoyed a good level of co-operation between government authorities, international organizations and NGOs,” Miladinovic said. This good co-operation was also emphasized by the representatives of the international organizations and civil society that the delegation met with.

On Monday, the Migration Committee members met with a broad range of officials dealing with migration and asylum policies, including Vladimir Cucic, Commissioner for Refugees and Migration as well as representatives from the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs, the Asylum Office of the Ministry of Interior, and the Ministry of Education.

A number of site visits to facilities sheltering unaccompanied minors in Belgrade also took place, including Krnjaca Asylum Centre, two specialized facilities for unaccompanied minors, one managed by the Jesuit Refugee Service, the other a new state facility opened in May, as well as the 24/7 aid hub Refugee Aid Miksaliste.

Today the delegation was received by the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Ambassador Andrea Orizio, who, together with his colleagues, gave a comprehensive overview of the migration-related activities of the field operation in Serbia. These included initiatives such as supporting the enrollment of migrant children in local schools through seminars on inter-cultural communication for teachers and English learning, as well as projects to boost regional co-operation in combating smuggling and trafficking of migrants.

Delegation members also had the opportunity to learn more about the initiatives of international organizations and non-governmental organizations working with migrant children, to debate their concerns and identify areas for improvement. At a roundtable discussion today with representatives of international organizations and NGOs, the parliamentarians learned more about their initiatives and heard about examples of positive practices with respect to refugee and migrant children. One such practice is the use of cultural mediators, who help facilitate communication between migrants and authorities.

The next meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee on Migration will take place in Berlin, Germany on 7 July 2018 at the margins of the OSCE PA Annual Session. A debate on migrant children will also take place during the Annual Session when the Assembly debates the draft resolution proposed by Chair Lanjri on behalf of the Committee, entitled “Minors on the Move: The Role of the OSCE and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Building an Effective Protection Framework.”

Photos of this week’s visit to Serbia are available for public use on Flickr.

For more on the OSCE PA’s work on migration, please click here.

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SKOPJE, 12 June 2018 – Improving the safety of journalists during critical events was the focus of an OSCE-supported workshop today in Skopje, which brought together some 20 journalists and police officers.

Organized jointly by the OSCE Mission to Skopje, the Internal Affairs Ministry and the Association of Journalists (AJM), this is the sixth in a series of workshops held in cities across the country. The aim is to identify, analyse and overcome the communication issues between police officers and journalists, to enhance their co-operation during critical events, and to increase the trust among them.

“One very important thing we learned during the workshops is that an open dialogue among police officers and journalists is possible and very useful to both groups and to the public they both serve,” said the Acting Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, Jeff Goldstein. ”Journalists must be able to perform their work in a safe and enabling environment.”

The Internal Affairs Minister, Oliver Spasovski, said that there is no justification for attacks on journalists. “The position of the government is clear and we repeat this all the time: zero tolerance for any attempt to jeopardize the freedom of speech and freedom of expression. Any attack on journalists will be strongly condemned and sanctioned.”

The President of AJM, Naser Selmani, said: “We strongly believe that journalists are a very important element in the functioning of democratic processes in the country. Journalists have the right to work in an atmosphere without pressures and threats. The mission they have, to inform the citizens and to demand accountability from government, will not be successful if they work in a state of fear and insecurity.”

The workshops on improving the safety of journalists during critical events organized in Skopje, Tetovo, Ohrid, Kumanovo, Strumica and Shtip are part of an OSCE Mission to Skopje project which aims to improve media freedom and freedom of expression in the country.

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384129 Liana Khorovytska Strengthening Chemical Safety and Security in Ukraine In line with the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery

Ukraine’s challenges in modernizing its chemical regulatory system to meet international standard were discussed at an OSCE Project Co-ordinator-hosted workshop on 12 and 13 June in Kyiv.

More than 90 Ukrainian governmental and industry representatives learned from their counterparts from the European Commission, France, Italy, Romania and the United Kingdom their experiences to help Ukraine match its regulations to the European Seveso III directive concerning emergency prevention and industrial safety, as well as other international best practices.

“Ukraine has a large number of enterprises using hazardous chemicals and this creates a high risk of accidents,” said Oleh Melchutskyi, First Deputy Head of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. “There are 675 locations where over 240 tons of such chemicals are stored or used for production,” he said.

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, Vaidotas Verba, said that accidents involving dangerous chemicals pose a significant threat to human health and lives, the environment and the economy. “For improved emergency preparedness and response, it is also important to be able to better assess the potential effects of an industrial accident or natural disaster affecting chemical facilities.”

The workshop also featured a presentation of the software tools developed by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission to assess these effects.

The workshop is part of a major OSCE programme to improve Ukrainian chemical safety and security, which includes other regulatory reform, border control and identification of hazardous substances.

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine organized the workshop with financial support from the European Union and the United States.

384141 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) launched a new publication to help train police and prosecutors to address hate crimes in Bulgaria at a workshop organized in partnership with the Prosecutor’s Office and the National Institute of Justice on 12 June 2018 in Sofia.

“Good co-operation between police officers and prosecutors is crucial in addressing the issue of hate crime. The innovative joint training manual  combines and enhances ODIHR’s existing curriculum for prosecutors and law enforcement agencies by placing particular emphasis on improving communication between these two groups,” said Christie Edwards, Deputy Head of ODIHR's Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Department. “By bridging the gaps in everyday co-operation between police officers and prosecutors, ODIHR is enhancing the effectiveness of the entire criminal justice system in addressing hate crime.”

The event was held as part of ODIHR’s project Building a Comprehensive Criminal Justice Response to Hate Crime, which has also seen ODIHR organize a series of pilot training courses in Bulgaria for law enforcement personnel and prosecutors in Sofia, Veliko Tarnovo and Plovdiv. The materials in the manual developed for Bulgaria, based on lessons learned from the three pilot courses, will contribute to the development of a larger manual for a broader audience on joint hate crime training for police and prosecutors, to be used in criminal justice systems across the European Union and the OSCE region.

“I am certain that the results of the project and the implementation of the manual will be well integrated with the series of efforts we are engaging in to increase the professional awareness and the effectiveness of the criminal justice response to hate crime,” said Penka Bogdanova, Deputy Prosecutor General of Bulgaria.

The workshop also provided an opportunity for ODIHR to present its legal opinion on certain provisions of the criminal code of Bulgaria pertaining to bias-motivated crime, hate speech and discrimination. ODIHR also opened discussions regarding the prospect of greater inter-agency co-operation on addressing hate crimes among prosecutors, the Ministry of Interior, UNHCR Bulgaria, the Commission for Protection against Discrimination, the Ombuds Office and civil society.

384120 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

An exhibition of images and biographies of distinguished women of Georgia – painters, artists, writers and public figures – who redefined women’s roles in the 19th and 20th-century Georgian society opened at the headquarters of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Warsaw on 11 June 2018.

The exhibition, hosted by ODIHR throughout the week, was organized by the Georgian Embassy in Warsaw as one of the events marking the centennial of the Democratic Republic of Georgia, the first independent Georgian state in modern history, which existed from 1918 to 1921.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when new social and political movements were gaining strength, Georgian women obtained voting rights, were elected to the Founding Congress of the Democratic Republic of Georgia, studied at European universities and actively promoted social, political and civil rights for women.

“We are delighted to host this exhibition, which highlights the important contributions made by these outstanding women to the social, political and cultural development of their country,” said ODIHR Director Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir.

“At the time these women were pioneers in taking their society forward. I am sure their path was not easy, but they overcame the challenges in their way. It would be interesting to know what their expectations were as regards the status of women in our time. Did they anticipate full gender equality by now or would they have foreseen how much work is still ahead of us in achieving the full realization of women’s rights,” said Gísladóttir.

 Georgia’s Ambassador to Poland Ilia Darchiashvili, said: “The exhibition is unique and special, as it aims to present to a wider society 50 women of Georgia who have played important roles in the history of the country, in the political development of the state, in almost every field of public life. One hundred years ago, five out of 17 women candidates won seats in the democratically elected parliament of Georgia.”

The materials displayed were collected by the South Caucasus Regional Office of the Heinrich Böll Foundation from various museums and family and state archives.