Central Europe

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded no ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous 24 hours, the Mission recorded 34 ceasefire violations in the region.
• The Mission recorded 21 ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous 24 hours, it recorded one ceasefire violation in the region.
• A man was injured by the detonation of an explosive object in Slovianoserbsk, Luhansk region.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and observed a calm situation inside all three.
• The Mission observed 13 tanks in violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable the construction and maintenance of and repairs to critical civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at four entry-exit checkpoints and four checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. At the Stanytsia Luhanska entry-exit checkpoint in Luhansk region, the SMM saw the body of a person who had died from natural causes.
• The SMM visited four border crossing points in areas outside government control of Luhansk region.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a border crossing point outside government control near Izvaryne, Luhansk region.*

SUMMARY

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

OPERATIONAL REMARKS

The OM is currently operating with 22 permanent international Mission members, including the Chief Observer (CO) and one first responder[1]. The Mission is supported administratively by a staff member and the Chief of Fund Administration based in Vienna.

Update on COVID-19 measures

Activities have been impacted by COVID-19 and measures undertaken by the OM to ensure the safety and duty of care of its Mission members and compliance with measures set by the host country authorities. The Mission is continuing to keep the situation under review, in close contact with the OSCE Secretariat and the Chairmanship. Following the host country recommendations, the observers are adhering to social distancing. Due to the preventive measures taken by the central and regional authorities, the OM is faced with certain difficulties, but is still able to continue to fulfil its mandate without any limitations in its observation and reporting activities.

OBSERVATIONS AT THE BORDER CROSSING POINTS

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

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

The average number of entries/exits increased from 6,828 to 7,117 per day at both BCPs compared to last week[2].

During the reporting period, the majority of border crossings were to Ukraine, with an average net flow of 52 per day for both BCPs. The Donetsk BCP continued to experience much more traffic than the Gukovo BCP.

Responding to the COVID-19 situation, the host country has closed its borders for the majority of foreigners starting from 18 March. Among the exceptions of persons allowed to cross the border (which entered into force on 19 March), are Ukrainian citizens and stateless persons holding passports or identification documents proving permanent residence in certain areas of Luhansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine. In addition, reportedly, due to the threat of the spread of COVID-19, starting from 10 April, the organized passenger transport commuting between the non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region of Ukraine and the Russian Federation was temporarily suspended and restored from 25 June.

Persons in military-style outfits

During the reporting period, the number of persons in military-style outfits crossing the border was 13, compared to 11 last week. Five persons crossed into the Russian Federation while another eight persons crossed into Ukraine. These individuals crossed the border on foot.

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, three families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation and eight families were observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when two families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation and three families crossing into Ukraine.

Bus connections                                         

Regular local and long-distance bus connections continued to operate between Ukraine (mostly from/to the Luhansk region) and the Russian Federation. During the reporting period, the OTs observed an increase in the overall number of buses crossing the border at both BCPs (315 compared to 233 observed during the previous week). There were 168 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 147 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.

Trucks

During the reporting period, the OTs observed a significant increase in the overall number of trucks crossing the border at both BCPs (874 compared to 757 during the previous reporting week); 508 at the Gukovo BCP and 366 at the Donetsk BCP, 464 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 410 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 the Russian Federation, Belarus, Georgia, Lithuania and trucks with “LPR” plates.

The OTs also continued to observe tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions. During the reporting period, the OTs observed that the overall number of tanker trucks crossing the border at both BCPs remained the same (52 compared to 52 during the previous reporting week). 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 the 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 significantly increased from 61 to 132. Of the total number of trucks scanned, 126 trucks (95 per cent) were bound for Ukraine, the remaining six trucks (5 per cent) crossed into the Russian Federation.

Minivans

The OM continued to observe passenger and cargo minivans[3] 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 saw minivans registered in the Russian Federation. During the reporting period, the OTs observed an increase in the overall number of minivans crossing the border at both BCPs (161 compared to 122 observed during the previous week); 80 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 81 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 21 occasions; the OTs assessed that nine trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and the remaining 12 trains were travelling to Ukraine (more details are provided in the sections “trends and figures at a glance” below).

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 vehicles with Georgian and Lithuanian licence plates.

For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 10 November to 15 December 2020, please see the attachment here.

[1]   First responders are OSCE staff or Mission members deployed for a short period of time.

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

[3]   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).

473676

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, together with the Association of People with Disabilities of Uzbekistan co-hosted an online event to discuss the Access to Justice for Persons with Disabilities: Foreign Experience and National Practice on 14 December 2020.

The event consisted of two sessions, which covered international standards and experience as well as national practice in Uzbekistan with regard to access to justice for people with disabilities. International experts from Latvia, Estonia and Kazakhstan shared their knowledge and experiences about the new standards in the area of access to justice, as well as rights of women and children with disabilities.

John MacGregor, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, opening the event, said: “It is up to all of us to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities. Many of the priorities of Uzbekistan’s 2017-2021 Action Strategy, as well as a number of OSCE commitments, are closely related to this topic. The organization of today’s event is a clear evidence of the firm approach of Uzbekistan to safeguarding the human rights of Persons with Disabilities.”

Over 44 participants attended the event, including members of organizations representing people with disabilities from all over the country, representatives of the Secretariat of the Ombudsperson Institution of Uzbekistan, the Ombudsperson Institution for Children’s Rights, and the Supreme Court of Uzbekistan.

Anna Vorobeva OSCE Mission to Moldova

Moldovan law enforcement officers strengthened their capacities and knowledge to identify and investigate hate crimes at an OSCE-led training of trainers from 9 to 11 December 2020. The Joint Law Enforcement Training Centre of the Moldovan Ministry of Internal Affairs Academy collaborated with the OSCE Mission to organize the event.

In recent years, the Mission has been supporting the Training Centre with various capacity-building activities to improve the skills of police officers around Moldova to address bias-motivated offences. Being rooted in intolerance, such crimes affect not only individuals, but also communities and, ultimately, social cohesion and security.

This year’s workshop consolidated the sustainability of this support. Eight women and nine men from law enforcement from various parts of Moldova, including the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia, participated in the workshop. They learned about international standards and the specifics of the national legislation in the field of hate crimes. Having  upgraded their teaching and training techniques, the new trainers will be able to share their knowledge and skills with their peers around the country in the coming years.

This event was organized in the framework of the Mission’s project “Building a more inclusive society by advancing the capacity and co-operation of state and non-state actors”. The Mission has been continuously supporting the Moldovan Government in advancing policies that create a sense of a common home for all people throughout the country, and to make Moldova’s diversity a tangible asset.

BAKU/YEREVAN/MOSCOW, 14 December 2020 - 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) released the following statement today:

French Co-Chair Stephane Visconti and U.S. Co-Chair Andrew Schofer traveled to Baku 12 and 13 December and Yerevan 13 and 14 December. In Baku, they were received by President Aliyev and met with Foreign Minister Bayramov. In Yerevan, they were received by Prime Minister Pashinyan and met with Foreign Minister Aivazian. Due to Russian Co-Chair Igor Popov’s inability to travel, the Russian Federation was represented in Baku by Russian Ambassador Mikhail Bocharnikov and in Yerevan by Russian chargé d’affaires Alexei Sinegubov.  The Co-Chairs also met with representatives of the ICRC and UN agencies active in the region.  The Personal Representative of the Chairperson in Office (PRCiO) Andrzej Kasprzyk also participated in all meetings.

In both capitals, the sides provided their assessment of the situation on the ground and expressed their expectations on engagement with the Co-Chairs for the coming year.  Taking into account the new realities, the Co-Chairs affirmed their continuing commitment to engage constructively with the sides to promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and to resolve outstanding issues.  The Co-Chairs also committed to providing concrete proposals on issues raised during the meetings for future discussions between the sides. 

Noting recent reports of incidents resulting in casualties, the Co-Chairs called on the sides to take additional measures to stabilize the situation in accordance with their commitments.  The Co-Chairs urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to complete as soon as possible the exchange of all detainees and accelerate the identification and repatriation of remains in coordination with the ICRC.  

Recalling the 3 December OSCE ministerial statement in Tirana by the Minsk Group Co-Chair country heads of delegation, the Co-Chairs reiterate their united position in favor of comprehensive and sustainable settlement of all remaining core substantive issues.  The Co-Chairs and the sides stressed the importance of reducing inflammatory rhetoric in order to create a more positive environment.  The Co-Chairs and the sides emphasized the importance of engaging with international organizations to promote humanitarian assistance to populations affected by the conflict, as well as the protection of cultural and religious heritage.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Between the evenings of 11 and 13 December, the Mission recorded 36 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 13 ceasefire violations in the region.
• Between the evenings of 11 and 13 December, the SMM recorded nine ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded no ceasefire violations in the region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and observed a calm situation inside all three areas.
• SMM unmanned aerial vehicles spotted new trenches and engineering works in a non-government-controlled area near the Donetsk Filtration Station.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable the construction and maintenance of and repairs to critical civilian infrastructure.
• The SMM continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at entry-exit checkpoints and checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a border crossing point near and a railway station in Voznesenivka, Luhansk region, both outside government control.

COPENHAGEN, 14 December 2020 – Following the 31 October parliamentary elections and the new convocation of the Parliament of Georgia on 11 December, George Tsereteli stepped down as President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. As the most senior Vice-President of the Assembly, Peter Lord Bowness (United Kingdom) took over as President.

“I want to thank President George Tsereteli for his dedication to the OSCE PA and the OSCE. He has been unstinting in giving time and work to our affairs,” wrote President Bowness in a letter to the OSCE PA Standing Committee. “The Rules determine that I follow him as President, but I know that I shall not be able to equal his extraordinary commitment.”

In his final correspondence, President Tsereteli thanked OSCE PA Members for their trust and support he was able to enjoy during his long years of service in the Assembly.

“My presidency ends as our Assembly continues to deal with numerous challenges and urgently needs to address global crises, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, armed conflicts, growing threats to democracy and human rights, climate change, radicalization and terrorism, and large-scale human migration. I encourage you to continue your hard work to pursue our unfinished agenda and safeguard the fundamental values and principles of the OSCE,” Tsereteli said.

President Tsereteli highlighted the work accomplished in previous years to build honest and strong working relations with successive OSCE Chairmanships, the OSCE Secretariat, institutions, and field operations. He also underlined the progress made in upgrading the visibility of the Assembly on the international scene and in opening new areas of work and expertise within the PA.

Secretary General Roberto Montella thanked Tsereteli for his tireless work and leadership throughout the last years and expressed gratitude for the efforts he has made for the Assembly. At the same time, Montella underlined his and the Secretariat’s readiness to start working with President Bowness, noting that his experience, wisdom, and dedication will be instrumental for the Parliamentary Assembly especially in the current challenging period.

In taking the reins of the Assembly, President Bowness announced he will not run for election during the PA’s next Annual Session but will focus on handing over the Assembly in good order and without any commitments that should rightly belong to the new OSCE PA President.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bowness also noted the importance of adopting emergency rules to allow remote elections for the President, Officers, and Committee Officers, should the OSCE PA be unable to meet in person for the Bucharest Annual Session in July 2021.

President Bowness has been a Member of the United Kingdom’s Delegation to the OSCE PA since 2007. He was first elected Vice-President in 2015 and re-elected in 2018. He also serves as Chair of the OSCE PA’s Sub-Committee on Rules of Procedure and Working Practices.

Anna Vorobeva OSCE Mission to Moldova

More than 60 lawyers, NGO and media representatives from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River participated in three online webinars on non-discrimination, inter-ethnic relations and national minorities, held in late November and early December 2020. They were organized by the OSCE Mission to Moldova and delivered by Professor Frederick John Packer, Director of the Human Rights Research and Education Centre at the University of Ottawa.  

In his March recommendations to the OSCE participating States, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities noted: “As governments rush to introduce emergency measures, it is also vital that they remember to include the needs of everyone in society, including persons belonging to national minorities and other marginalized communities.”

In line with these recommendations, the Mission’s webinars provided civil society actors guidance on how they can support national minorities in enjoying basic human rights, especially to accurate, easy-to-understand and timely information. Highlighting the importance of preserving the freedom of the press, Professor Packer provided practical tips on how to report on inter-ethnic relations without unwittingly contributing to escalation or perpetuation. Webinars with lawyers had a special focus on ways to ensure access to justice and public/private information in minority languages, including in the courts, in times of COVID-19.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have been struggling with the methods that youth organizations can apply to promote inter-ethnic harmony. During the webinar we received relevant information, which will help us in our daily activities,” said Nikolay Kelesh, President of the National Youth Council of Moldova.

Over the past two years, the Mission has been working with the state and non-state institutions to improve their co-operation and capacity in protecting the rights of national minorities in the Republic of Moldova – key to promoting tolerance and inclusivity, which are important enabling factors for the Transdniestrian settlement process.

473607 Head of Presence's remarks at launching of Master's Programme in Criminology, 14 December 2020 Executive Master’s in Criminology – Information brochure Studies in the field of criminology

The OSCE Presence in Albania and the University of Tirana launched an Executive Master’s Programme in Criminology, the first of its kind in Albania, at an event on 14 December 2020.

The Master’s Programme was launched following a period of more than two years of intensive work focused on developing the structure and curricula of the programme, and building the capacities and resources of the University of Tirana to deliver and manage it. There will be twenty-five students participating in the programme in the first year.

“The Executive Master Programme in Criminology has the potential to be ground-breaking for the country, departing from a classic approach to crime, based on investigation and punishment, switching the focus and effort to a more encompassing approach,” said Vincenzo Del Monaco, Head of Presence.

Minister of Education, Sports and Youth Evis Kushi, said: “Albania had a vacuum in the university programmes with regard to the preparation of criminology experts and, thanks to the support for the OSCE Presence, we assessed our needs in this field and prepared for the first time this Executive Master’s Programme. I believe that the new Master’s Programme will be an added value in the qualification of human sources and the development of even more efficient criminal policies.

The Rector of the University of Tirana and the deans of the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Social Sciences also spoke at the event.

Through the Master’s Programme, the Presence aims at improving research capacities of professionals, academics and policy-makers in Albania in order to support identifying root causes of crime. The Programme will enable students to explore the interrelationships between crime, justice and society in a comparative context, as well as promote restorative justice for victims and victim-centred responses.

The project “On Establishing a Master’s Programme in Criminology” is implemented by the OSCE Presence with financial support of the United States Mission to the OSCE and the British Embassy in Tirana. It is implemented in close co-operation with the Faculty of Law of the University of Tirana, with the support of the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Interior.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded 13 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 284 ceasefire violations in the region.
• The Mission recorded no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded six ceasefire violations in the region.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and saw people inside the latter two areas.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable the construction and maintenance of and repairs to critical civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at four entry-exit checkpoints and one checkpoint of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM continued monitoring the situation in Zakarpattia region.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.

Communication and Media Relations Section

The 2020 Scholarship for Peace and Security training programme, jointly organized by the OSCE and the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), held its concluding event on 10 and 11 December 2020.

The Scholarship for Peace and Security training programme is an annual initiative to encourage young people, particularly women, from the OSCE region and the Organization’s Partners for Co-operation to participate in the security sector.

The 8-week training programme provides participants with a deeper understanding of key conceptual and analytical issues in the field of conflict prevention and confidence- and security-building with a specific focus on the OSCE. It also aims to bridge gaps between education, training and career opportunities and facilitates professional networking among programme participants and experts.

The third edition of the programme was held from April to June 2020 with 150 participants, of which, 135 were women. It focused on various aspects of arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation issues particularly related to the OSCE.  For the 2020 programme, the scholarships were provided through generous contributions made by the governments of Andorra, Ireland, Finland, France, Germany, and Switzerland.

The concluding event for the 2020 programme took place virtually due to restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The two-day event was organized by the OSCE with valuable contribution from VCDNP and in cooperation with UNODA, and featured discussions with programme graduates and experts on topics ranging from the importance of building trust in the field of arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation, to factors preventing and promoting the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda.

OSCE experts also provided interactive sessions at the event as an opportunity for the programme graduates to learn more about job interview requirements, practice self-development and further explore on how to expand their networks with peers and experts in the field.

The fourth edition of the programme is expected to take place in 2021 and to be jointly organized by the OSCE and UNODA in collaboration with other stakeholders from the field.

GENEVA, 11 December 2020 - The 51st round of the Geneva International Discussions (GID) took place in the Palais des Nations on 10-11 December 2020.

Against the backdrop of the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, this was the first and only GID round that took place in 2020. In the interim, the Co-Chairs held a series of consultations via videoconference and conducted several visits for in-person meetings with the participants. The holding of an in-person GID round re-confirmed the commitment of all participants to the GID process.

In this regard, the importance of in-person meetings was noted, as was support for continued dialogue and joint efforts, which are aimed at addressing conflict-related issues and defusing tensions and potential misunderstandings. The collective efforts of the Co-Chairs allowed participants to better address issues relating to the security and humanitarian situation of conflict-affected populations on the ground.

During this 51st GID round, the participants once again met in two separate working groups focused on security and humanitarian issues. The security situation on the ground was assessed as relatively calm and stable. The participants reviewed a number of issues on the agenda, including the situation in the Chorchana-Tsnelisi area, recent detention cases, missing persons, and the importance of conflict-affected populations' access to livelihoods. Particular focus was given on the one side to the core agenda item of non-use of force and, on the other, on the impact of COVID-19 on the humanitarian situation on the ground. Efforts to address these challenges jointly were positively noted. Participants could not engage on the issues of IDPs and refugees, due to a walkout of some participants.

The resumption of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) in Ergneti with two meetings held this year was welcomed. The Co-Chairs emphasised the need to resume regular meetings of the Gali IPRM.

The Co-Chairs reiterated their call for all participants to increase efforts to build trust and confidence among them, and to ensure constructive cooperation with international humanitarian and human rights organisations.

The participants agreed to hold their next meeting in Geneva on 23-24 March 2021.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded 284 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded two ceasefire violations in the region.
• The Mission recorded six ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded five ceasefire violations in the region.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and observed people during evening and night hours inside the latter two areas.
• The Mission observed anti-tank mines, some for the first time, in areas on both sides of the contact line in Donetsk region.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable the construction and maintenance of and repairs to critical civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at five entry-exit checkpoints and four checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

473460 Communication and Media Relations Section Andris Stastoli

On 11 December 2020, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, with the support of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Polska, hosted the “Debating Perspectives 2030 Roadshow”, providing a platform for young women and men in Poland to make their voices heard.

In her opening remarks, OSCE CiO Special Representative on Youth and Security Keisi Seferi recognized: "Young people have a responsibility to advocate for human rights standards and to develop platforms for their implementation, as well as working in a structured manner to ensure public access to these rights."

The Perspectives 20-30 Roadshow is a joint initiative of the Office of the OSCE Secretary General and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Regional Office for Cooperation and Peace in Europe aimed at giving youth a stronger voice in the promotion of international peace and security. It finds inspiration in the findings of the “Engaging Youth for a Safer Future” paper, which proposes innovative and constructive solutions to challenges to peace and security and security in topics such as human rights, rule of law, building peace, education, new technologies, and environment and energy.

Katarzyna Gardapkhadze, First Deputy Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, said: “Young people are the new architects of our democratic future. Their energy, vision, and resourcefulness have the power to shape our democracies in the coming years, giving them stronger foundations and more space to welcome everyone.”

"Developing and implementing inclusive youth policies, strategies and programmes to tackle the growing social and political issues shall become a priority for both international organizations and national governments. I believe that this initiative makes a real difference when it comes to the inclusion of youth in decision-making processes", said Kanatbek Abdiev, member of the OSCE Perspectives 2030 Core Group of Experts and moderator of the event.

The Roadshow in Poland is part of a series of events at the national level that are taking place across the OSCE region. Conclusions and recommendations from these discussions will be published in a policy paper that will provide participating States with a youth perspective on how to strengthen co-operation to better promote comprehensive security.

Perspectives 20-30 initiative is promoted through an extra-budgetary project of the OSCE Office of the Secretary General, with support from Andorra, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Spain and Switzerland.

473484

On 11 December 2020, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan co-hosted the blended event “the Digitalization of the Ombudsperson’s work: innovative mechanisms for promoting and protecting human rights and freedoms”, dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Institute of the Authorized Person of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights (Ombudsperson). The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ (UN OHCHR) Regional Office for Central Asia, the United Nations Office in Uzbekistan, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR), the United Nations Democracy Fund, the United Nations Development Programme and Penal Reform International, co-organized the event.

Among the 150 participants were: the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; the Chairperson of the Senate of Uzbekistan; the Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of Parliament; the leadership of the International Ombudsman Institute and of the European Ombudsman Institute; the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions; as well as the Ombudspersons from several OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation; OSCE/ODIHR representatives; UN OHCHR representatives and civil society representatives from Uzbekistan.

The high-level event was an opportunity to exchange good practices in the OSCE region and beyond on topics such as the use of contemporary information technologies in times of the COVID-19 pandemic and the experience of interacting with rights holders and the public during the pandemic. Additionally, discussions were held on working towards specific vulnerable groups, as well as on the co-operation between national human rights institutions and the civil society.

The conference was also the occasion for the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan to sign a Memorandum of Co-operation with the Ombudsperson Institution.

Communication and Media Relations Section

The OSCE Transnational Threats Department’s Action against Terrorism Unit, in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) organized an online train-the-trainer course from 9 to 11 December 2020, with the aim of strengthening Bosnia and Herzegovina’s (BiH) capacities to analyse terrorist financing risks and threats.

The train-the-trainer course emphasized the key role of inter-agency and international co-operation and of multi-stakeholder approaches in countering terrorist financing.

Senior experts and practitioners from the Ministry of Security of BiH, the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH, the State Investigation and Protection Agency, the Ministry of Interior of the Federation of BiH, and the Ministry of Interior of Republika Srpska took part in the course.

Together with the OSCE lead trainers, participants adapted the OSCE-UNODC training course on countering terrorist financing to the needs of BiH.

The senior experts participating in the train-the-trainer courses, jointly with the OSCE and UNODC lead trainers, will go on to train further experts from relevant authorities in BiH in the coming years.

The multi-year training programme on countering terrorist financing aims to increase the country’s capacity to detect and combat terrorist financing and strengthen compliance with international standards in this area.

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, together with the National Human Rights Centre of Uzbekistan, co-hosted a blended event to mark Human Rights Day. The International Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December, the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

The event in Tashkent was attended by more than 140 participants with some of them attending in person and some online. Representatives of the Parliament, state bodies, youth and civil society, as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps and international organizations took part in the meeting. Discussions focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to build back better by ensuring that human rights are central to recovery efforts, which was the main theme of this year’s Human Rights Day.

During the event, winners of the award titled “For the Protection of Human Rights” were announced. Prof. Akmal Saidov, Director of the National Human Rights Centre of the Republic of Uzbekistan that organized the award, congratulated the winners. There were different categories for the award that included practical work in the field of human rights; human rights activity in the non-government sector; contribution to the protection of women and children’s right; human rights advocacy and educational activities and reporting on human rights; educational and research work in the field of human rights and the development of international co-operation in the field of human rights.

The winners, in the order of the above-mentioned categories, included:

Former Ombudsperson, Sayyora Rashidova, and Director of the Center for Support of Citizens' Initiatives Dilova Kabulova;

The Istiqbolli Avlod NGO working on the prevention of human trafficking, and Mahmudjon Isaev;

The Republican Center for Socio-Economic Development "Sabr” and the Center for Youth and Children with Disabilities;

Rustambek Shamsutdinov, Editor-in-Chief of "Vodiynoma" magazine, and Nargul Abdreymova, Head of the Legislation, Legal Advocacy and Anti-Corruption Department of the Policy and News Editorial Office of the National News Agency of Uzbekistan;

Professor of Tashkent State Law University Halimbay Babaev and Head of the department of the National Human Rights Centre of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulkhay Muminov (posthumously);

Representative of the Russian Federation for Human Rights Tatyana Moskalkova for effective work in protecting the rights of migrants during the pandemic, and former Minister of Justice of the Federal Republic of Germany Herta Doybler-Gmelin for effective activities in the field of justice, human rights and anti-corruption in Uzbekistan.

John MacGregor, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, who was a member of the awarding commission, expressed appreciation for the all the winners work saying that he is honoured to “meet people who worked hard this year to achieve a better implementation of international human rights standards in Uzbekistan”.

473466 Communication and Media Relations Section

The importance of political support as a key step in introducing effective legal and policy frameworks to strengthen open data initiatives that lead to societies that are more transparent was discussed at an OSCE-organized webinar on International Anti-Corruption Day on 9 December 2020.

Around 100 representatives from governments, OSCE institutions, civil society organizations and academia discussed success stories in beneficial ownership and public procurement as well as ways to build and maintain political support for anti-corruption reforms.  

The Chair of the OSCE Permanent Council and Permanent Representative of Albania to the OSCE, Ambassador Igli Hasani opened the event by referencing the 2020 Ministerial Council Decision on “Preventing and Combatting Corruption through Digitalization and Increased Transparency” adopted on 4 December 2020.

“This is truly a great achievement, which enriches the OSCE’s set of commitments in this field. It also responds to the emerging trends of development of technologies in promoting good governance, transparency and accountability. This is the first Ministerial Council Decision elaborating on the links between anti-corruption and digitalization,” said Hasani. Professor Paola Severino, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Corruption echoed his message.

Vuk Žugić, Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities stated during the opening session that: “Efficient, accessible, accountable, and transparent public service delivery is a key component in building a functioning public sector, and this is particularly important when we talk about procurement procedures.”

Guest speakers from Slovakia, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, the United States and Georgia focused on how to achieve political support in combating corruption. They provided an overview of the key role that transparent beneficial ownership information plays and the importance of open and efficient public procurement processes in enhancing public and private sector transparency and accountability.

Irene Charalambides, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Special Representative on Fighting Corruption, said: “It is only through strong political will that we can effectively fight corruption at all levels. Without political will, anti-corruption laws will remain empty shells and anti-corruption authorities will feel abandoned.”

Speakers identified transparent processes and access to well-analyzed data as essential for fighting corruption. Emphasizing the importance of beneficial ownership portals, Drago Kos, Chair of the OECD’s Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions said: “Access to data on beneficial ownership is crucial in our mutual fight against corruption on the international, national and local level.”

This is the third webinar in a series of capacity-building seminars organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities in the framework of the extra-budgetary project “Promoting Good Governance and Enhancing Anti-Corruption Efforts in the OSCE Area through the Use of Open Data and New Digital Technologies”. The government of Germany and the United States Department of State support the initiative.

473475 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Katya Andrusz

The 2020 parliamentary elections in Montenegro were competitive, and took place in an environment highly polarized over issues of church and national identity. Contestants were able to convey their messages but the ruling party gained an undue advantage through misuse of office and state resources, and dominant media coverage.

These are some of the main conclusions from the final report on Montenegro’s parliamentary elections of 30 August 2020, published on 11 December 2020 by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

Recommendations

The report provides 23 recommendations to improve the conduct of elections and bring them fully in line with OSCE commitments and other international standards. Key recommendations include:

• carrying out a comprehensive reform to harmonize the electoral legal framework and regulate all key aspects of the elections
• implementing clear, consistent, timely and fully implementable decisions within the mandate of the State Election Commission
• reviewing the legal capacity and residency requirements for voting and standing for election
• introducing effective and proportionate sanctions, and an explicit obligation of the oversight body to identify and publish the information on inaccuracies, including unreported incomes and expenditures
• reviewing provisions on challenging and invalidation of election, and prescribing that decisions on preliminary results may be appealed, including to the Constitutional Court
• considering additional measures to achieve balanced representation of women and men holding publicly elected positions

ODIHR deployed a Limited Election Observation Mission (LEOM) on 4 August 2020 to observe the parliamentary elections. All 57 countries across the OSCE region have formally committed to follow up promptly on ODIHR’s election assessments and recommendations.

473574 Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan

An OSCE-supported webinar on identifying and combatting gender-based violence organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan concluded on 11 December 2020.

Twenty-nine representatives from civil society organizations, women entrepreneurs, students and young professionals attended the webinar titled "Domestic Violence: Types, Prevention and Assistance". Participants were informed about the local and international legislation on addressing gender-based violence and protecting victims, effective measures in tackling violence against women and girls and statistical data on the cases of domestic violence during the current pandemic. Particular focus was given to the issue of identifying the cases of violence, psychological portraits of abuser and lifetime consequences on persons affected by it.

The webinar was facilitated in the framework of a series of seminars on gender equality and human rights, initiated by the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan. The aim of the series, which is running from November 2020 through February 2021, is to bring public awareness to the notion of gender and pertinent issues.

The event is part of the Programme Office’s continuous efforts to support gender mainstreaming and economic empowerment initiatives in the host country.