Central Europe

CHISINAU, 16 November 2020 – Yesterday’s presidential run-off in Moldova was well managed in the challenging circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but negative and divisive rhetoric devalued the campaign amid ineffective rules on campaign financing, international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in a statement today.

“We saw the intolerant rhetoric increasingly becoming a campaign topic in itself. It had a polarizing effect and damaged public respect for the country’s political leaders,” said Corien Jonker, head of the ODIHR limited election observation mission.

While the competitive campaign ahead of the first round of the election continued, the tone became distinctly more negative as the candidates exchanged outspoken personal attacks. The intolerant and divisive rhetoric fed into campaign materials widely broadcast and circulated across social networks. Allegations of undue influence on public officials and voters and concerns over possible vote-buying continued across both rounds, while corruption, the role of the diaspora, and the country’s future geopolitical orientation were the dominant topics ahead of the run-off.

“Although the election process was overshadowed by the pandemic and its ongoing consequences for the country’s economy and political situation, an orderly transfer of power should help the country address its challenges and move on,” Jonker added.  

The country’s legal framework is lacking explicit rules for election run-offs in a number of areas, despite a previous ODIHR recommendation to address these and other legislative gaps. There were also concerns over campaign finance rules. While candidates reported their campaign expenses for the second round within set deadlines, claims of financial irregularities were left without an adequate response, confirming the lack of effective campaign finance oversight. Election day was orderly, despite frequent queues and occasional overcrowding.

In the media, there were a large number of political programmes and interviews dedicated to the election, but the lack of impartiality and balance reduced the quality of information available to voters. The observation mission found that the incumbent received a greater proportion of coverage, while the tone of much of the reporting reflected the ongoing media polarization.

ODIHR’s Limited Election Observation Mission to Moldova took up its work on 23 September with a team of 10 experts based in Chisinau and 22 long-term observers around the country. The mission is focusing on key issues identified by ODIHR ahead of the election in order to assess the extent to which the presidential election was held in line with OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation.

Communication and Media Relations Section

The risks surrounding procuring goods and services produced by trafficked persons were the focus of the OSCE virtually held workshop on 13 November 2020.

The OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (CTHB), senior management and procurement staff from the OSCE Secretariat and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) examined the importance of both programmatic and procurement staff being aware of the risks and the need for policies to ensure effective mitigation. Current efforts by ODIHR and OSCE procurement towards eliminating human trafficking were also discussed.

The workshop built upon the promising practice of having the OSCE’s procurement community and CTHB experts work together to leverage procurement to fight trafficking, harmonizing efforts across the organization.

Showcasing the “policy to practice” approach promoted by the Office of the CTHB Co-ordinator, the workshop identified persistent and emerging issues in the field of human trafficking. With the dialogue focused on developing sound policy responses and facilitated practical implementation of that policy on the ground.

The workshop also provided updates on forthcoming deliverables, including online training modules on human trafficking for OSCE procurement professionals.

WARSAW, 16 November 2020 – With the publication of its annual Hate Crime Report on today’s International Day for Tolerance, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) underscores the need for police to record hate crimes in order to ensure that victims are recognized and receive the support they so urgently need.

Behind every hate crime is a painful and often traumatic story of physical and psychological injury, fear and threat. Victims of hate crime are targeted for who they are and for characteristics intrinsic to their identity, and which they share with others. Recording such crimes and offering support to those affected is therefore key to ensuring the security of individual victims, their communities and society as a whole.

The data published today show that in many countries there are mechanisms in place to record and collect comprehensive data on hate crimes. However, a large number do not provide police and prosecutors with the tools and knowledge they need to recognize, record and effectively investigate such crimes. This frequently deprives hate crime victims of the opportunity to access much-needed specialist support.

ODIHR’s hate crime dataset is the largest of its kind worldwide, and gathers together information both from official and civil society sources. A total of 39 OSCE states reported official hate crime data to ODIHR for 2019, including 25 states that provided figures classified by bias motivation. The dataset includes a record number of 3,207 statistical and 3,757 descriptive hate crime incidents reported by civil society, which translates into a minimum of 4,621 hate crime victims.

No two hate crime victims are alike, which is why the support offered to victims must be tailored to their individual needs. These can include police protection, psychosocial support, practical assistance and information about criminal proceedings. Providing such support also empowers victims to play a meaningful role in the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes. Above all, they must receive respectful and sensitive treatment to prevent further psychological harm and to assist their long-term recovery.

ODIHR offers countries across the OSCE region a range of tools to help them support hate crime victims, improve hate crime monitoring and recording practices, and strengthen co-operation with civil society. The full range of ODIHR resources on countering hate crime is available on the website here.

Over the next three days, the findings of the 2019 dataset will be presented at an annual meeting of official representatives from across the OSCE region responsible for reporting hate crime data to ODIHR. Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting will be held online for the first time.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded four ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and 20 in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded three ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and three in Luhansk region.
• Two men were injured on 10 November due to the detonation of an explosive object in Volnovakha, Donetsk region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Inside the disengagement area near Zolote, an SMM mini- unmanned aerial vehicle again spotted a stationary white container truck with a JCCC inscription.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians amid the COVID-19 pandemic, including at three entry-exit checkpoints and corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Luhansk region and at a checkpoint of the armed formations in Donetsk region.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

BUCHAREST, 14 November 2020 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has formally opened a special election assessment mission (SEAM) for the 6 December parliamentary elections in Romania. The deployment follows an official invitation from the Romanian authorities.

The mission is led by Marianne Mikko (Estonia), and consists of a core team of eight international experts based in Bucharest.

The ODIHR SEAM will focus on observing priority areas of the election process identified by a needs assessment mission carried out on 14 to 18 September 2020. The mission will assess the elections for their compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation. Observers will follow fundamental aspects of the election such as voter registration, candidate registration, campaign activities, the work of the election administration and relevant state bodies, implementation of the legal framework and the resolution of election disputes. In addition, the ODIHR SEAM will monitor the media coverage of the election campaign.

In the course of its observation, the mission members will meet representatives form state authorities and political parties, civil society, the media, and the international community. The mission will co-operate closely with the Romanian health authorities and follow any health protocols they have established.

The ODIHR SEAM will not carry out systematic or comprehensive observation of the voting, counting and tabulation proceedings on election day, in line with ODIHR’s methodology for election assessment missions. Mission members will, however, visit a limited number of polling stations on election day.

The day after the elections, ODIHR will publish its preliminary conclusions about the electoral process and present its findings at a press conference. An invitation to participate will follow separately.

A final report summing up the entire election process and including recommendations will be published approximately two months after the end of the election process.

For further information, please visit www.osce.org/odihr/elections/romania or contact Pietro Tesfamariam, Media Analyst, at  + 40757172139, or at pietro.tesfamariam@odihr.ro

or

Katya Andrusz, ODIHR Spokesperson, at +48609522266 (Warsaw mobile), or at katya.andrusz@odihr.pl.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded three ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and three in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 90 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and seven in Luhansk region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Inside the disengagement area near Zolote, an SMM mini- unmanned aerial vehicle again spotted a stationary white container truck with JCCC written on its sides.
• The SMM observed a surface-to-air missile system near government-controlled Chernenko, Donetsk region, in violation of withdrawal lines.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The SMM saw that the entry-exit checkpoint (EECP) near Stanytsia Luhanska and its corresponding checkpoint of the armed formations were operational. It also saw that the EECPs near Zolote, Shchastia and Marinka were operational and that the checkpoints of the armed formations near Zolote, Shchastia, Kreminets and Horlivka were closed.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

SARAJEVO, 13 November 2020 – The Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Ambassadors of Germany, Italy, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States once again strongly condemn continuous attacks and undue pressure on the media in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the most recent cases in Banja Luka and Visoko.

A free and independent media is an essential component of a functioning society, leading to greater stability and prosperity. Journalists have a crucial function in maintaining the integrity of democracy, the rule of law and good governance. They play an important role in the election process as they are a bridge between political parties and voters. Journalists and media workers have to be free to do their job without the fear of reprisal. At the same time, politicians and public officials are expected to exercise respectful and accountable behaviour.

We continue to stand by journalists and media workers in the important work they do and call on all levels of authority in BiH to enable a conducive environment for media freedom and freedom of expression.

Communication and Media Relations Section

The OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department’s Action against Terrorism Unit, in co-operation with the OSCE Presence in Albania and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) organized an online train-the-trainer course from 11 to 13 November 2020, with the aim of further strengthening Albania’s capacities in countering the financing of terrorism.

Senior experts and practitioners from the Finance Ministry’s General Directorate for the Prevention of Money Laundering and the Albanian State Police took part in the course. Together with the OSCE lead trainers, participants developed scenario-based exercises for the OSCE-UNODC training courses on countering terrorist financing, which will be delivered in the country in the future.

As part of a sustainable training programme delivered by the OSCE and the UNODC, the senior experts participating in the train-the-trainer courses, jointly with the OSCE and UNODC lead trainers, will go on to train other experts from relevant authorities in Albania in the coming years.

The multi-year training programme on countering terrorist financing aims to increase the capacity of Albania to detect and combat terrorist financing and strengthen compliance with international standards in this area. In particular, these international standards are UN Security Council Resolutions, the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF)’s standards, UN norms and OSCE commitments that promote human rights-based approaches in countering terrorist financing. ​

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.

470301 Anna Vorobeva OSCE Mission to Moldova

More than 100 representatives of civil society organizations and initiative groups from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River, and development partners gathered for the annual Donors Forum organized by the OSCE Mission to Moldova on 12 November. This year the Forum took place online and had a specific focus on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Forum, organized by the Mission since 2013, is a unique platform that connects donors and civil society organizations. Participants get to learn about each other’s experiences, needs and priorities to better address challenges faced by the people on both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River. 

“The Donors Forum is a unique event in terms of format and importance, especially for organizations from Transdniestria. It is an opportunity to directly contact donors and speak about our achievements. At the same time, it was good to speak about the challenges we face in our daily work,” said Olga Purakhina, Executive Director of the VIALEX Informational Legal Centre located on the left bank.

During the first session, civil society organizations participants shared stories of solidarity and lessons learned as well as looked at the new opportunities that arose during the pandemic. During the second session, donors presented measures they are taking to support civil society in Moldova, including on the left bank, during the pandemic. The Forum also allowed civil society organizations to learn more about existing requirements for grant applications and the priorities of the donors and development partners for 2021.

“Civil society organizations play a vital role in the promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. This Forum is our contribution to enhancing the ability of civil society organizations from both banks to realize their full potential,” said Antti Karttun, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova in his opening remarks.

This year’s event was held jointly with the CONTACT National Assistance and Information Centre as part of a project seeking to contribute to the overall development of civil society organizations in Transdniestria and to consolidate confidence among civil society organizations on both banks of the River.

470271 Communication and Media Relations Section

The OSCE's “Debating Perspectives 2030 Roadshow” held its first event in Central Asia on 13 November 2020 bringing together 38 young women and men from Central Asia to discuss their vision for a safer future. The OSCE Academy, with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, hosted the event.

“I am always delighted to see how the OSCE Academy, a flagship project of the OSCE, contributes to shaping a generation of young professionals who combine a love of Central Asia with an openness for new ideas that can benefit security and development across the OSCE region,” said Tuula Yrjölä, Officer in Charge/Secretary General and Director of OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre, opening the event.

Pierre von Arx, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, added: “Recognizing the growing role of youth in helping address comprehensive security challenges, the Programme Office works towards facilitating the participation of youth in decision-making and continues to work towards strengthening professional networks among the youth of Central Asia, Afghanistan and Mongolia.”

The Roadshow focused on the findings of the “Engaging Youth for a Safer Future” discussion paper, which was produced by the OSCE Perspectives 2030 Core Group of Experts (CGE) in 2019. This Core Group was comprised of 22 young women and men, who reflect the geographical diversity of the OSCE area, and came from a wide range of professional backgrounds including academia, civil society, policy-making, and the media.

“My education at the OSCE Academy provided a backbone for going into the world of international organizations, and participating in the Perspectives 2030 Initiative,” said Abdulvahhobi Muminjoniyon, Academy alumnus and CGE member. “Engaging in dialogue with other young people inspired me to act for a better future.”

This is the second “Debating Perspectives 2030 Roadshow” to be held, following the launch event in Albania on 30 October. The Office of the OSCE Secretary General and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung promoted it. More events are to be organized in the coming months across the OSCE region. Conclusions from the discussions will be published in a policy paper with recommendations.

WARSAW, 13 November 2020 – As pervasive violations of OSCE commitments and international human rights obligations in Belarus continue, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) calls on the country’s authorities to end impunity of those responsible for human rights violations, up to and including deaths, and hold them to account.

ODIHR is alarmed by the continued use of excessive force by law enforcement, the ongoing mass detention of overwhelmingly peaceful protesters, an increase in the number of criminal charges against the protesters, and by the well-documented reports of widespread and systematic use of torture and ill-treatment in detention, including sexual violence. This is accompanied by increasing pressure on defence lawyers and threats to fair trial rights.

Since the presidential election three months ago, thousands of people have been arbitrarily detained for making use of their right to freedom of peaceful assembly, sentenced to administrative arrest and sanctioned with disproportionate fines. ODIHR notes with particular concern the rise in the number of criminal charges against peaceful protesters.

At the same time, government statements are calling for more prosecutions and tougher punishments for protesters. This, as well as recent reports of pressure and intimidation of defence lawyers representing protesters, seriously undermines the independence of the judiciary and due process. Plans to limit public accessibility to trials and withhold the identity of prosecution witnesses from defendants risk further infringements of fair trial rights.

ODIHR also deeply regrets the fact that despite numerous complaints of torture and other ill-treatment submitted to the relevant authorities, not a single criminal case has been opened against those responsible. On the contrary, the number of complainants have recently been notified that no such investigations will be opened. Security agents who do not display service numbers, frequently wear balaclavas, and use civilian cars without licence plates, increase the likelihood that the perpetrators of violence against peaceful demonstrators and other human rights abuses will continue to act with impunity.

ODIHR takes this opportunity to urge the Belarusian authorities to meet their international obligations and OSCE commitments to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to a fair trial and the independence of the judiciary, to uphold the absolute prohibition of all forms of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and to hold all perpetrators of human rights violations to account. ODIHR once again offers to provide expertise and tools to help strengthen human rights and democratic institutions in Belarus, for the future of all citizens.

470292 Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan

The 11th Annual Central Asian OSCE Forum on Internet Development, organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan, in co-operation with the International Centre for Journalism MediaNet, was held online from 10 to 13 November 2020.

The Forum focused on “Transforming the role of the Internet during a pandemic”. Some 200 participants discussed the role of the state, media, and society in providing reliable information, countering disinformation and fake news, and protecting freedom of expression and information accessibility to all. The event also covered other topics such as the rising influence of the Internet on public life and the importance of capacity-building of journalists and the general public on fact-checking, media and information literacy.

The event gathered government officials, civil society representatives, media-related non-governmental organizations, professional associations, the diplomatic corps, experts, lawyers and journalists from Kazakhstan, Belarus, Ukraine, USA, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. During master-classes and sessions, participants focused on specific topics, such as challenges to access to justice and access to information during the pandemic, tools to tackle disinformation and deepfakes, protection of personal data and digital security.

The Forum was part of the Office’s work in promoting freedom of expression and freedom of media in Kazakhstan and the Central Asia region.

OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

An OSCE-organized online course for law students on international human rights standards during criminal proceedings and investigations took place from 9 to 13 November 2020 in Ashgabat.

The five-day event brought together around fifty students of the Institute under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Institute of International Relations under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Turkmen State University named after Magtymguly.

The course introduced participants to the concept of human rights, its history, types and functions as well as respect for human rights in the context of criminal justice. International experts from Romania and Moldova focused on ensuring the right to integrity of the person in the pre-trial investigation stage, and the right of suspects and accused persons to a fair defence and legal counselling.

“The OSCE has accumulated significant experience in the provision of expert support to its participating States in implementing OSCE commitments in the areas of human rights and freedoms,” said Natalya Drozd, Head the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. “The OSCE Сentre has developed constructive co-operation with the Office of the Ombudsperson of Turkmenistan and other relevant institutions in different areas across the human dimension. This course is an example of the Centre’s long-term support being provided to the host country in strengthening its human rights education for law students.”

Participants reviewed relevant case studies and also covered the standards for custody, guarantees against ill treatment and use of force as well as guarantees of individual rights in case of suspension and termination of the preliminary investigation. There were special sessions on gender-based and domestic violence, which focused on the implementation of relevant international standards at the national level and best practices from OSCE participating States.

470223 Communication and Media Relations Section

The potential of data, its effective monitoring and use in creating a culture of evidence-based decision-making centred on needs of citizens and the community was the focus of a virtual seminar organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) on 10 November 2020.

More than 40 representatives from national authorities, civil society organizations, businesses, chambers of commerce and business associations from the OSCE region discussed best practices in monitoring, analysis and use of data for more effective, transparent and accountable decision-making processes.

Speakers from Austria, Ukraine, the Netherlands, France and Colombia took part in the discussion. Many emphasized that to maintain high availability of data and to ensure transparency of public processes, all components in data processing and analysis have to be considered and a proper methodology for the use of the available information must be in place.

Participants agreed that efficient data monitoring and analysis is vital in the ecosystem of good governance processes. Systematically evaluated effects of past and proposed public policies and resource management should be used to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of those programmes for a more accountable decision-making process. This process needs to be based on a multi-stakeholder approach, including the participation of civil society and the private sector, it was concluded.

The sessions provided an overview of the benefits of open data for good governance and the different approaches in data-driven policy-shaping and decision-making for more transparent and accountable public processes. Participants looked into different models and lessons learned around data monitoring, analysis, use and re-use from and beyond the OSCE region.

One of the panellists covered practices on the use of open data in government decision-making processes in Colombia ranked among the top three countries in progress towards a digital government, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 2019 Digital Government Index.

Iris Pilika, OSCE Economic Co-operation and Governance Programme Officer and project manager said: ”Experiences and best practices shared during the webinar will help beneficiaries from OSCE participating States improve the transparency and efficiency of public administrations and help economic growth in their respective countries through more effective use of open data.”

The second in a series of capacity-building seminars on good governance and open data, the event was organized within 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.”  Germany and the U. S. Department of State fund the project.

470244

An OSCE-supported roundtable discussion on the rights and opportunities of people with disabilities to participate in political and public life took place on 13 November 2020 in Nur-Sultan.

The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan and the NGO Association of women with disabilities “Shyrak” co-organized the roundtable discussion with the support of the Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan.

Some 40 government officials, parliamentarians, Human Rights Ombudsperson, an expert from the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and representatives of international and non-governmental organizations took part in the event directly and via video conference. Participants discussed issues related to the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Kazakhstan and the related National Action Plan on improving the quality of their life. Experts from Finland and Ireland spoke about international and OSCE standards on political participation of persons with disabilities. A representative from an organization of people with disabilities shared experiences in participating in the electoral campaign for a local representative body in Aktobe city (West Kazakhstan).

The conclusions and recommendations of the OSCE-supported baseline study on accessibility and inclusiveness of the Parliament in Kazkhstan in relation to persons with disabilities were also presented at the event.

The event is part of the Programme Office’s efforts to assist the host country in promoting a more inclusive and participatory society.

COPENHAGEN, 12 November 2020 – Meeting in an online format today, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Standing Committee heard a keynote address by David Beasley, Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme, and discussed OSCE matters.

In his remarks, Beasley discussed his work leading the WFP, which is the recipient of the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize. He noted that the effects of COVID on food security have been dramatic, and warned that 2021 could be a catastrophic year for food security if appropriate resources are not dedicated to the effort, highlighting the possibility of increased famine and mass migration. “People don’t want to leave home,” Beasley said. “But when you don’t have food and you don’t have a degree of peace, they do what any of us would do to protect their children.”

OSCE PA President George Tsereteli provided an overview of the Assembly’s activities in recent months, noting that the COVID-related suspension of election observation last spring was lifted with the deployment of two election observation missions this autumn – one to the United States and one to Georgia, as well as a small mission in Montenegro in August.

The President spoke about other issues high on the OSCE PA’s agenda, including the situation in Belarus and the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. He noted his hope that the agreement signed by Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the Russian Federation earlier this week will offer an opportunity for long-lasting peace. Another issue Tsereteli touched on was the institutional crisis in the OSCE, noting that the leadership vacuum is largely caused by a lack of interest for the OSCE at a political level in participating States.

“This crisis is purely political,” he said. “The ability to rapidly deploy the Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine proves that the OSCE can be operational when there is political will.”

OSCE PA Secretary General Roberto Montella reported on the recent work of the International Secretariat, noting that operations continue in a COVID mode, with telecommuting the general rule for now. He reported on recent election observation missions as well as an informal brainstorming session the PA hosted in September to discuss the OSCE leadership crisis and the future of the Organization.

Montella noted that the recent mission to the United States may have been the most important election observation mission ever undertaken by the OSCE PA, resulting in a strong statement demonstrating that OSCE observer missions do not apply double standards. He highlighted the extreme care taken to ensure that all election observers are safe in the context of the pandemic. The Secretary General briefed the Standing Committee on his recent meeting in Copenhagen with exiled Belarusian opposition figure Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and discussed upcoming activities, such as statutory meetings scheduled for 2021.

Ambassador Lamberto Zannier spoke about his work in developing a process to focus on issues affecting the OSCE, including implementation of commitments, the misuse of the consensus rule, and the issue of appointments. He noted that there are plans being developed to organize events in capitals and that he looks forward to working with parliamentarians in developing a plan to revitalize the OSCE ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act in 2025.

In the discussion, OSCE parliamentarians raised issues such as the importance of election observation, the end of hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the crisis in and around Ukraine, and human trafficking.

Lord Peter Bowness, who serves as Chair of the Sub-Committee on Rules of Procedure and Working Practices, reported on ongoing efforts to improve and clarify the Assembly’s methods of operation. Treasurer Peter Juel-Jensen reported on the OSCE PA’s financial situation, noting that the Assembly continues to function in an efficient and cost-effective way, and OSCE PA Special Representative in Vienna Ambassador Andreas Nothelle reported on the latest developments at the OSCE headquarters.

The Standing Committee consists of heads of the national delegations to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, plus the Bureau. The last time it met was on 7 July.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded 90 ceasefire violations, including 89 undetermined explosions, in Donetsk region and seven ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded no ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and 14 in Luhansk region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
• It saw that the entry-exit checkpoint (EECP) near Stanytsia Luhanska and its corresponding checkpoint of the armed formations were operational. It also saw that the EECPs near Zolote, Shchastia, Hnutove and Novotroitske were operational. It further saw that the corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations near Zolote and Schastia were closed.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

470193

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, in co-operation with the State Committee on Ecology and Environmental Protection and the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), on 12 November 2020, held the final online workshop on introducing environmental assessment systems in the country. These systems are designed to be in accordance with the UNECE Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in a Transboundary Context and its Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA).

The main outcomes of a review of the national legislative framework in this area vis-a-vis international standards, including the SEA, were presented and discussed during the workshop.

Recommendations and proposals presented during this final workshop aim at contributing to strengthening Uzbekistan’s capacity in implementing an effective EIA and SEA system.

“Today’s seminar is important because it supports the efforts of Uzbekistan to promote environmental security and will help improve its environmental legislation based on the best international practices,” said John MacGregor, Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan. “This event also serves as a platform for an open and honest discussion of crucial topics that may influence the future of the nation and coming generations.”

Over 50 participants, including high-level state officials, UNECE representatives and OSCE experts, took part in the online event.

OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

Best practices in developing strategies in the area of energy diplomacy were shared during an OSCE-organized online seminar that took place on 11 and 12 November 2020 in Ashgabat.

The two-day event presented an overview of international priorities in the energy sector, analyzed world trends, policies and strategies in the area, and facilitated discussions on further possible steps in developing Turkmenistan’s energy diplomacy programme.

Participants included representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Energy, Finance and Economy, institutions of higher education and other relevant bodies.

“As the world’s largest regional security forum, the OSCE is well-positioned to promote political dialogue and international co-operation on energy issues, including its economic and environmental aspects,” said Natalya Drozd, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

Experts from the Russian Federation and Serbia elaborated on energy in the international context focusing on energy markets, geopolitics and climate change diplomacy. Participants discussed the energy diplomacy of the Middle East, its strategies and approaches, and relations with the Central Asian Region. 

“It is commendable that neutral Turkmenistan is promoting energy security as one of its foreign policy priorities and is attaching special importance to developing energy diplomacy,” stressed Drozd. “We strongly believe that this event will make a practical contribution to the country’s efforts to elaborate the Programme for the Development of Energy Diplomacy in Turkmenistan 2020-2025”.

Participants shared their views on the priorities and practical aspects of Turkmenistan’s energy diplomacy after learning about the priorities of other energy-exporting OSCE participating States and experiences of countries without direct access to world oceans and international energy markets.

The seminar will be followed by a lecture on energy diplomacy, which will be held on 13 November for students and teachers from the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, the State Energy Institute in Mary, and the Institute of Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan.

470049 Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan

A four-day online training seminar on investigation practices of cybercrimes concluded on 12 November 2020 in Nur-Sultan. The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan, in co-operation with the Law Enforcement Academy under the Prosecutor General’s office/Hub to Counter Global Threats, organized the event.

Some 30 law enforcement officials from across Kazakhstan took part in the seminar. International experts from Belarus familiarized participants with best practices in detecting and investigating cybercrimes. Instruction took place regarding analytical work with relevant evidence using digital forensics instruments, as well as a review of real criminal cases on cyberattacks to banking accounts. Participants also learned how to identify and detain suspects, seize electronic evidence, and work with victims to determine the amount of damage.

This training event is part of the Programme Office’s multi-year efforts to build competent law enforcement officers’ capacity to counter cybercrimes in Kazakhstan.