Central Europe

Željka Šulc

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) organized a specialized IT and Cybersecurity Fair on 29 October 2020 focused on the security and vulnerabilities of ICT systems, and aimed at providing a platform for networking between representatives of the private and public sectors. The Fair, which was held online, gathered relevant experts from government institutions, the private sector, educational institutions, and youth.

The event was designed to encourage participants to interact with relevant youth experts and to potentially educate and employ them. It also aimed at improving inter-institutional co-operation at the national level in dealing with contemporary cybersecurity challenges.

“The OSCE Mission to BiH is committed to supporting the country in addressing and building resilience to the complex challenges and threats emanating from cyberspace. I am confident that today’s Fair will strengthen co-operation on priorities and modalities for joint engagement,” said Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission. “This Fair is also a unique opportunity for our young experts to share their views, ideas and concerns. In a field as fast-moving as this one, the involvement of motivated young people – the leaders of the future – is crucial.”

Irina Rizmal, Senior Associate for cybersecurity policies at PricewaterhouseCoopers Serbia said: “Co-operation of different actors is necessary to make the accelerated digitalization of our societies safe. Cybersecurity is an area in which no actor or segment of society can respond to all challenges on its own. Cross-sectoral co-operation, i.e., various forms of public-private partnerships, is the only way to ensure the resilience of the entire society in cyberspace. In addition to the public and private sectors, this means involving the academic sector, civil society and ultimately the citizens themselves to develop comprehensive approaches to the issue of cybersecurity.”

The event, organized within the OSCE’s Cybersecurity Month, also saw participants assess the current situation and developments in cybersecurity.

SUMMARY

On 29 October at 06:20 (Moscow time), the ninety-seventh[1] Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of seven vehicles were checked by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers prior to their crossing into Ukraine. All seven vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 13:23 on 29 October.

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 29 October at 06:20, the Observer Mission observed the arrival of a Russian convoy at the gate of the Donetsk BCP. The convoy consisted of seven vehicles: one escort car and six cargo trucks. Four trucks were civilian and two trucks belonged to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES). All six cargo trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian aid from the Russian Federation” (in Russian). At 06:20, the vehicles entered the customs control area. Once the convoy arrived, the vehicles were visually checked from the outside by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers. The truck drivers rolled up/opened the tarpaulins of the trucks and the border guards and customs officials performed a visual observation from the outside. One dog was present and used by Russian Federation border guards to check the vehicles from the outside. One Russian Federation border guard took photos and video during the convoy crossing.

Four Ukrainian border guards and two customs officers were observed accompanying their Russian counterparts; they also performed a visual observation of the vehicles from the outside (without entering the trucks’ cargo space). By 06:34, all seven vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 13:11, the convoy returned and queued in the customs area. The Russian Federation border guards and customs officers visually checked the returning convoy from the outside. Ukrainian representatives – four border guards and two customs officers – were present during this check. The Ukrainian officials also performed visual checks of the trucks from the outside. One dog was present and used by Russian Federation border guards to check the vehicles from the outside. By 13:23, all seven vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation.

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

VIENNA/STOCKHOLM, 29 October 2020 — Enhancing security in the Mediterranean region through sustainable development and economic growth in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic is the focus of the 2020 OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation conference, chaired by Sweden, and taking place online and in Vienna on Tuesday, 3 November.

Representatives of the 57 OSCE participating States, the six OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation — Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia — and several international organizations will participate.

The discussion will highlight long-term co-operation on political and economic security in the region, with a particular emphasis on women’s economic empowerment and environmental co-operation.

Sweden’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde, Albania’s Acting Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Gent Cakaj and OSCE Officer-in-Charge/OSCE Secretary General Tuula Yrjölä will open the conference.

A video announcement by Linde previewing the conference is available here.

Media representatives are invited to cover the opening of the conference from 09:30 to 10:00 via https://www.osce.org/live. There is no requirement to register.

The agenda and more information about the event are available here.

The OSCE has been holding annual conferences with its Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation since 1995.

KYIV, 28 October  2020 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Heidi Grau, made the following statement to the press after the regular meetings of the TCG ‎and its Working Groups held through video conferencing:

“According to the assessments of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, the overall dynamics of the compliance with the ceasefire continues, with a positive impact on the lives of civilians in the conflict zone. For three months, the number of violations has remained well below the level recorded prior to the enactment of measures to strengthen the ceasefire on 27 July 2020. This reflects the importance of the political will to continue sustain the ceasefire.

The security situation and compliance with the ceasefire, including the functioning of the coordination mechanism for responding to ceasefire violations, were central topics of discussion in the Security Working Group.

The meeting participants confirmed a common understanding with regard to the location of additional disengagement areas as well as the updated demining plan. However, it was not possible to agree to launch the implementation.

The discussion in the Working Group on Political Issues did not advance again. In an effort to enhance the work on conflict resolution, the TCG tasked the Working Group to urgently develop a draft action plan based on written proposals by the Working Group participants, in full compliance with the Minsk Agreements.

In the Humanitarian Working Group, the preparations for the simultaneous opening of the new entry-exit crossing points (ECCPs) in Zolote and Shchastia of the Luhansk region were discussed. The participants assured that both ECCPs would be ready to open on 10 November 2020.

In addition, issues related to the settlement of the legal status of certain persons released in the previous exchanges were considered.

I urge that every effort be exerted to proceed with mutual release and exchange of conflict-related detainees based on the “all for all” principle, as provided for in the Minsk agreements.

The Economic Working Group focused on water supplies across the contact line in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The discussion also included environmental issues as well as questions of pension payment for the citizens living in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine”.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded two ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and again none in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 23 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. During evening hours, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle spotted a person inside the disengagement area near Petrivske.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM continued following up on the situation of civilians amid the COVID-19 pandemic, including at an entry-exit checkpoint and the corresponding checkpoint of the armed formations in Luhansk region.
• The SMM observed a calm situation in south-east Kherson region.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

VIENNA, 28 October 2020 – OSCE participating States must do more to systematically implement their gender equality commitments across the politico-military, economic and environmental, and human dimensions of security, said participants of the third OSCE Gender Equality Review Conference, which closed today.

The two-day event was organized by Albania’s 2020 OSCE Chairmanship, the OSCE Secretariat, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), and focused on assessing progress achieved by the OSCE participating States and the Organization itself in implementing the 2004 OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality.

"I am alarmed by the ongoing attempts to challenge women’s and girls’ rights,” said Finland’s President Sauli Niinistö in a video message to participants. “We must make sure that gender equality goes forward, not backward."

Albania’s Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu stressed that gender equality in the OSCE region is “a cornerstone and a crucial feature to inclusive democracy and concept of comprehensive security.”

The high-level event was attended by over 300 participants representing OSCE participating States, Partners for Co-operation, executive structures, civil society, academia and the private sector. Discussions focused on areas such as women’s participation in political and public life, their participation in the security sector, and women´s economic empowerment. Participants also highlighted emerging issues that have an impact on the promotion of gender equality, such as digitalization and the increase in cyber violence against women and girls.

“Advancing women’s rights is a global challenge, not just one nation’s mandate. It requires co-operation and collaboration with our partners and allies. Together, we have the opportunity to change the futures of women and girls around the world,” said United States Ambassador Kelley Currie, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues.

Asa Regner, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director UN Women noted: “We need more political will, funding and leadership to implement women’s and girls’ rights and commitments to gender equality, including those enshrined in UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (on Women, Peace and Security), so that women have an equal say in the global peace and security agenda.”

Officer-in-Charge/Secretary General, Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre Tuula Yrjölä said: "I was glad to note that in certain areas, implementation of the Action Plan has accelerated in the last three years. But much work still needs to be done, if we are to effectively tackle the root causes of gender inequality."

“Democracy means the rule of the people, all people, but we can hardly refer to democracy when so many people are excluded from playing a role in public affairs,” said ODIHR’s First Deputy Director Katarzyna Gardapkhadze on behalf of the Office. “Women's representation in national parliaments has seen an improvement on previous years, but we still have a long way to go.”

Communication and Media Relations Section

The current global health crisis and associated challenges for border agencies, as well as transnational threats triggered by the pandemic, were the focus of the two-day Annual Meeting of the OSCE Border Security and Management National Focal Points Network, which concluded on 28 October 2020.

The event, held in a blended online format, was organized by Albania’s 2020 OSCE Chair and the Border Security and Management Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department. This year’s meeting brought together more than 100 border officials from across the OSCE area and the Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation.

Opening the meeting were Florian Pema, Head of the Politico-Military Unit of the Albanian Mission to the OSCE; Alena Kupchyna, Co-ordinator of OSCE Activities to Address Transnational Threats; and Dennis Cosgrove, Head of the Border Security and Management Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department.

“The operational realities facing border agencies during the virus outbreak highlighted the need and importance of enhancing the capacities and competence of border agencies related to crisis management and contingency planning,” said Pema.

One session was devoted to presentations by international organizations that provided an overview of their responses to the health crisis. In addition, representatives of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, as well as CEDARthree Limited, a leading consulting agency on crisis management, explained to participants how to assess the level of preparedness for crises in their respective services, with a focus on cross-border implications. Available mechanisms and tools addressing cross-border crises were also discussed.

The National Focal Points on Border Security reflected on the impact of health crises on gender mainstreaming in border security and discussed how crises can increase existing gender inequality.

Representatives from the International Organization for Migration, FRONTEX, as well as the Ministry of Interior of Moldova, elaborated on possible ways for border personnel to cope with stress during crises and to benefit from meaningful psychological support, both within and outside border agencies.

468699 Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan

The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan organized a webinar on 28 October 2020 for young people and members of the general public on career planning and employment opportunities in Kazakhstan.

An expert, Sayasat Nurbek, delivered a presentation on new professions, skills and opportunities for young people in a changing labour market. He highlighted “An Atlas of Emerging Careers”, a career guidance tool being developed under his supervision, that is designed to help young people understand future labour market trends and identify specialisms and skills that will become relevant or emerge in the coming decade in the country.

Some 35 people attended the webinar. The expert also conversed with the participants about the impact of economic shifts around the globe and in Kazakhstan. He explained how young people can be more resilient to changes in the labour market.

The event is part of the Programme Office’s efforts to promote youth engagement in the host country.

Communication and Media Relations Section

The Strategic Police Matters Unit of the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department (SPMU), in co‑operation with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, organized a workshop on law enforcement agencies’ response to COVID-19 in Uzbekistan and international best practices on 28 October 2020, for representatives of the country’s law enforcement agencies.

The workshop was held in acknowledgement that many countries earlier this year imposed temporary restrictions on human rights as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The restrictions can, for example, limit the exercise of fundamental human rights, such as the freedom of movement and the right to freedom of peaceful assembly.

The event aimed to raise awareness among Uzbekistan’s law enforcement agencies about human rights standards and the applicability of community policing techniques within the context of the COVID-19 restrictions.

The workshop covered regulations and recommendations in relation to COVID-19, how the police practically encourage and enforce compliance with them, an introduction to community policing and fundamental human rights and freedom of peaceful assembly, and law enforcement in times of the pandemic.

Participants learnt about the importance of providing police with clear instructions on how to ensure that public confidence is upheld and human rights violations are strictly avoided while the COVID-19 restrictions are maintained. In addition, it was deemed important that the police co‑operate with other sections of the community so that the residents are well informed about the restrictions, such as how long they will last, and possible penalties for non-compliance.

Due to the current pandemic, the workshop was organized in a fully online format, with participants and speakers taking part in lectures, discussions, exercises and scenarios via the Zoom platform.

Communication and Media Relations Section

The impact of emergencies on violence against women and the need for gender-sensitive crisis responses were in focus at a special event organized on the margins of the third OSCE Gender Equality Review Conference on 27 October 2020.

The event was co-organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Secretariat’s Programme for Gender Issues with the support of the Albanian OSCE Chair.

“The fact that violence against women dramatically increases during emergencies should have been a lesson learned from past experience of emergencies such as other public health crises or natural disasters or conflicts,” said Elisabeth Duban, an independent gender expert who contributed to the event as a panelist. “Yet, policy responses at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic did not factor in this possibility, thus exposing millions of women to violence.”

Participants highlighted the long-term impact of violence which spans across generations.

“As this year marks the twentieth anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (on Women, Peace and Security) we must remind ourselves of the transformative power of this instrument with its focus on prevention,” said Ambassador Katrina Katkina, Permanent Mission of Latvia to the UN, OSCE and other International Organizations in Vienna. “To use it consistently means to adopt it as a framework of reference for all emergencies where security and human rights are at stake.”

The event featured speakers from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan, and the United Kingdom and provided a forum to civil society and delegations to share recommendations and lessons learned.

Participants noted that the OSCE participating States’ commitments provide a strong framework to address the invisibility of violence against women and girls. The 2018 OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women stresses that the persistence of violence against women and girls in all its forms impedes their full enjoyment of all human rights. At the same time, if women do not have a voice in decision-making, their challenges will inevitably be underestimated or kept invisible.

The key findings of the event will be shared in a dedicated report and disseminated.

SUMMARY

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

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 decreased from 7,888 to 7,067 per day at both BCPs compared to last week[2].

During the reporting period, the majority of border crossings were to the Russian Federation, with an average net flow of nine 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 five, compared to six last week. One person crossed into the Russian Federation while another four 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, no families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation while three families were observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when six families were observed crossing to the Russian Federation, while three families crossed 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 a decrease in the overall number of buses crossing the border at both BCPs (245 compared to 276 observed during the previous week). There were 128 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 117 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 slight increase in the overall number of trucks crossing the border at both BCPs (885 compared to 871 during the previous reporting week); 576 at the Gukovo BCP and 309 at the Donetsk BCP, 535 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 350 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, 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 a decrease in the overall number of tanker trucks crossing the border at both BCPs (36 compared to 47 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.

During the reporting period, the X-ray vehicle at the Donetsk BCP was not operating due to the ongoing construction activities; consequently, no X-ray checks were observed by the OTs.

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 a slight decrease in the overall number of minivans crossing the border at both BCPs (154 compared to 156 observed during the previous week); 79 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 75 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 25 occasions; the OTs assessed that 11 trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and the remaining 14 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 22 September to 27 October 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).

VIENNA, 28 October 2020 – The Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media is organizing an online event on Monday, 2 November to launch a new Resource Guide, which contains action proposals on how to protect the safety of female journalists online.

The Resource Guide entails concrete suggestions for ten stakeholder groups, comprising both State and non-State actors, including the executive  and legislative branches of government; the judiciary; law enforcement agencies; intergovernmental organizations; internet intermediaries; media outlets; journalists’ organizations and self-regulatory bodies; civil society organizations and educational institutions; and journalists and media workers. The Guide identifies a way forward, and provides a list of useful resources and examples of existing measures and good practices.

Jürgen Heissel, Director of the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, will open the event. This will be followed by a presentation of the Resource Guide by its author Silvia Chocarro, Head of Protection at ARTICLE 19, and a subsequent panel discussion, which will include Hanna Stjärne, Chief Executive Officer at Sweden’s national broadcaster and Thomas Hughes, Director of the Facebook Oversight Board.

The launch event will provide a platform for key stakeholders to discuss the proposed actions to tackle the challenges women journalists are facing online as well as the implications that gender-based online abuse has on the freedom of expression and the quality of our democracies.

The event is organized as the next step in the #SOFJO project, to assist States and non-State actors across the OSCE region to take real action to improve the digital safety of women journalists.

Representatives of the media are invited to attend the entire meeting, which will be held via Zoom from 14:00 to 16:00 hrs CET. Please register for the event here: https://events.osce.org/2020-walk-the-talk-launch/registration/Site/Register.

Find more information here: www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/467613

Follow #SOFJO on Twitter for the latest updates on this project.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded 23 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region. In the previous 24 hours, it recorded seven ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and ten in Luhansk region.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. During evening and night hours, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle spotted people inside the latter two disengagement areas.
• The Mission saw 69 weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The SMM continued following up on the situation of civilians amid the COVID-19 pandemic, including at an entry-exit checkpoint and the corresponding checkpoint of the armed formations in Donetsk region, as well as at an entry-exit checkpoint in Luhansk region.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a checkpoint of the armed formations near Olenivka.*

COPENHAGEN, 27 October 2020 – In a discussion today with the Greek Minister of Migration and Asylum Notis Mitarachi, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Ad Hoc Committee on Migration members heard about the situation following the fires which destroyed the Moria Reception and Identification Centre in early September. Minister Mitarachi also provided an update on the handling of the coronavirus outbreak in the context of migration as well as plans for future reception and accommodation of asylum seekers.

Opening the meeting, Ad Hoc Committee Acting Chair Margareta Cederfelt (MP, Sweden) noted that the OSCE PA attaches particular importance to the development of the migratory situation in Greece and recognizes the extensive efforts made by consecutive Greek governments. The Assembly, she said, will remain committed to providing assistance while advocating for comprehensive, sustainable and people-centered solutions to challenges of migration.

Minister Mitarachi said that migration flows to Greece have dropped drastically since the beginning of the year, noting that transfers from Eastern Aegean Islands to the mainland have increased, significantly reducing the congestion at the reception facilities on the islands.

Regarding the recent fires at the Moria camp, he pointed out that a police investigation is being carried out in order to determine the causes of the fire, while six people have already been arrested and prosecuted. Mitarachi underlined that Greece responded swiftly to the needs of the people affected by the fire, setting up an emergency camp within four days while stressing that efforts are ongoing for the winterization of the new facility in co-operation with UNHCR and others.

Ad Hoc Committee members participating in the online meeting included Daniela De Ridder (MP, Germany), Lord Alfred Dubs (MP, United Kingdom), Gudrun Kugler (MP, Austria), Kyriakos Kyriakou-Hadjiyianni (MP, Cyprus), and Evangelos Syrigos (MP, Greece).

Members raised questions related to how the fires in September may have affected the processing of asylum claims, how to ensure that reunification with family members in EU Member States under the Dublin regulation, how to avoid a repeat of the Moria fires and the reaching of critical living conditions for people hosted. Other questions were raised about vulnerable persons who were facing considerable challenges related to their general psychological and physical wellbeing, notably women and unaccompanied minors, and whether more countries needed to step forward to contribute to relocation efforts for vulnerable asylum seekers.

Mitarachi responded that the fires had not destroyed any essential documents thanks to the digitization of the application process so the processing of asylum claims had not been significantly affected. He also discussed how Brexit has affected co-operation between Greece and the United Kingdom, noting that efforts continue to be taken to prioritize the reunification of families.

Other topics included efforts being made to secure the safety and provision of essential services in camps as well as challenges to the labour integration of migrants and refugees in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. With fewer jobs available, it is a big challenge for refugees to find employment, Mitarachi pointed out. Finally, while he welcomed the ad hoc relocation offers by EU Member States, he emphasized the need for a permanent and stable solution, highlighting the recently EU Pact for Migration as an important proposal that needs to be considered.

Following the discussion with the Minister, Ad Hoc Committee members were briefed by civil society organizations currently present on Lesbos.

Topics discussed included challenges related to the closure of two open accommodation camps currently hosting vulnerable refugees as well as the closure in the spring of a COVID-19 isolation facility set up by Doctors Without Borders. The participants also highlighted the increasingly difficult operating conditions for civil society organizations and journalists working in the area of migration in Lesbos and elsewhere in Greece.

With imminent camp closures, it was stressed that the Migration Committee can contribute to the consideration of permanent and durable solutions to provide safe and dignified living conditions for asylum seekers on the Greek Islands, in particular for minors and other persons in vulnerable situations and in need of specialized treatment.

For more on the work of the OSCE PA's Ad Hoc Committee on Migration, please click here.

468600 Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan

The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan supported a series of online discussions as part of the “Newcomer Fest on Human Rights”, which was launched on 27 October 2020. The Fest will see a number of awareness-raising and learning activities held for local community representatives on the importance of human rights and their protection.

The three-day online Fest is co-organized by the OSCE Programme Office in partnership with the New Generation of Human Rights Defenders Coalition and involves some 35 participants. Representatives of government bodies, local civil society experts and international experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and Amnesty International are also attending the discussions.

They will focus on key trends and challenges in human rights education, access to information, freedom of expression and related restrictions in the light of COVID-19 pandemic. Particular attention will be paid to the rights of vulnerable groups and public participation in law-making.

A guest lecture will be devoted to digital technology tools that can be used by human rights defenders in countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

The open discussions will be followed in November 2020 by a series of workshops for selected participants and online tours of human rights NGOs.

The event is part of the Programme Office’s activities in supporting the host country in strengthening human rights and fundamental freedoms.

468213

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan organized a training course for judges from 22 to 24 October 2020 on best practices and challenges in the field of countering gender-based violence, and State and judicial responses to combating domestic violence and human trafficking amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The events was co-organized with the Supreme Court of Uzbekistan and the Supreme School of Judges under the High Judicial Council.

Ikram Muslimov, Deputy Chairperson of the Supreme Court, and John MacGregor, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, opened the event.

“The OSCE is pleased to be able to create an opportunity for sharing of best practices to combat gender-based or domestic violence,” said MacGregor. “This three-day event helps improve implementation of Uzbekistan’s 2019 Law on ‘Protection of Women from Harassment and Violence’ and related OSCE commitments.”

Experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) presented findings from their report “OSCE Human Dimension Commitments and State Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic” and the “Recommendations for Judges Addressing Emerging Human Trafficking Trends and Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic”.

Lead international experts, judges and barristers from the United Kingdom, Moldova and Uzbekistan shared their experiences at the national level on countering gender-based violence and human trafficking, and the tools existing at the national level to protect victims.

Dr. Surayo Rakhmonova, Head of the Department of Criminal Law of the Supreme School of Judges under the High Judicial Council of Uzbekistan, discussed the current protection mechanisms for female victims of domestic violence in the country.

The event participants, who were judges from the Supreme Court and auditors to the Supreme School of Judges, were also tasked to prepare and solve fictitious cases related to gender-based violence, with support and feedback provided from the international and national experts.

The event was organized under the OSCE Project Co-ordinator’s project “Crime prevention in the family”.

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The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe launched the second round of the Sustained Field Operation Course for representatives of Tajikistan’s Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defence on 26 October 2020. The four-week course aims at improving the rescuers’ skills and capacities to help prepare them for conducting complex rescue operations in difficult field conditions across the country.

During the training course, another group of 18 rescuers (in addition to the 20 rescuers trained previously) will refresh their skills in map-reading and orientation, basic alpinism, pathfinding, and search-and-rescue operations. In addition to a range of practical exercises conducted in the field, the course will also provide the participants with knowledge on human rights- and gender-related aspects of conducting rescue operations.

The training courses are part of a larger effort by the European Union and the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe to support the Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defence in addressing various threats and risks related to natural disasters.

As such, the 18-month EU-funded project “Stabilization of Tajikistan’s southern border region with Afghanistan”, which is being implemented by the OSCE Programme Office, plans for a series of tailored training courses to be conducted for up to 150 officials from the Committee.

The project will also provide material support to the Committee in the form of rescue equipment for first responders, and also assist the Committee in construction works at the Karatag training centre.

The project’s two-pronged approach of both specialized training courses and material support will help develop the long-term professional capacities of the Committee’s rescuers.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Between the evenings of 23 and 25 October, the SMM recorded 38 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded no ceasefire violations in the region.
• Between the evenings of 23 and 25 October, the Mission recorded ten 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. During evening and night-time hours, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle spotted people inside the latter two disengagement areas.
• 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 an entry-exit checkpoint and the corresponding checkpoint of the armed formations in Luhansk region.
• The SMM observed public gathering places and areas around polling places during local elections on 25 October and found the situation calm and peaceful in all areas observed.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

KYIV, 26 October 2020 – Ukraine’s local elections were conducted under a substantially revised legal framework which, despite some improvements, requires further refinement to address remaining shortcomings, international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in a statement today. The Central Election Commission administered the elections professionally and efficiently, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the work of territorial commissions was often politicized, and was negatively affected by frequent replacements of their members.

“These elections were especially important because of the transfer of significant powers and resources to local governments,” said Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, head of the ODIHR limited election observation mission. “We noted how this decentralization process increased the stakes for the political actors, and I hope that the elected local officials will use their substantial powers for the benefit of the people they serve.”

Contestants were able to campaign freely, but cases of abuse of state resources and of office, as well as widespread allegations of vote-buying, were of concern.

While the media landscape is diverse, there is a high concentration of politically vested ownership, contributing to the political polarization of reporting and a lack of public trust in the media sector. The Constitution guarantees the freedom of expression and prohibits censorship, and the conduct of the media during the election campaign is regulated by the Election Code. Monitored private media outlets failed, however, to comply with legal obligations for unbiased and balanced coverage of electoral contestants, and there was a high volume of unmarked promotional materials in broadcast media.

A new Election Code was adopted in December 2019, and while subsequent amendments to the Code addressed some deficiencies, the changes came only shortly before the elections, at odds with international good practice. Positively, the revised legal framework introduced an inclusive gender quota for candidate lists, revised sanctions for electoral offences, and facilitated the changing of voting addresses, making voting easier for citizens unable to do so at their registered address.

“The elections were administered professionally and efficiently despite challenges posed by the pandemic and remaining shortcomings in the election laws,” Gísladóttir said. “Previous and upcoming recommendations will need to be addressed in order to strengthen the legal framework. We will continue to focus on the legal and election administration issues in the run-up to the second round of mayoral elections.”

In the limited number of polling stations visited, the voting process was generally calm, well-organized and transparent, and prescribed procedures were mostly followed. The vote counts, often lengthy, were orderly and transparent, although party observers interfered with or participated in the counting process in several cases. The initial stages of the tabulation process in the few cases observed were organized and calm. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s conduct of an opinion poll at polling stations, funded by his party, appeared to create an undue political advantage on election day and blurred the separation of state and party, the observers said.

ODIHR’s Limited Election Observation Mission to Ukraine took up its work on 23 September and will continue to work in those cities where there will be a second round of mayoral elections. The mission is assessing the extent to which the elections were held in line with OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation.

Washington D.C., 25 October, 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: 

The Co-Chairs met in Washington D.C. on October 24 with Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, and also participated in a joint meeting with the Foreign Ministers and U.S. Deputy Foreign Minister Stephen Biegun. The Personal Representative of the OSCE’s Chairman in Office, Andrzej Kasprzyk, also participated in the meetings.    

The Co-Chairs urged the sides to take immediate steps to implement all aspects of the October 10 Moscow Joint Statement in accordance with their commitments, noting that they had reaffirmed these commitments with Paris on October 18. The Co-Chairs also reminded the sides of the October 1, 2020 joint statement of United States President Donald J. Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as the October 5 joint statement of Secretary of State Secretary of State of the United States of America Michael R. Pompeo, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France Jean-Yves Le Drian, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, calling on the sides to cease hostilities immediately and to resume substantive negotiations to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.  

During their intensive discussions, the Co-Chairs and Foreign Ministers discussed implementing an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, possible parameters for monitoring the ceasefire, and initiating discussion of core substantive elements of a comprehensive solution, in accordance with the October 10 Joint Statement. The Co-Chairs and Foreign Ministers agreed to meet again in Geneva on October 29 to discuss, reach agreement on, and begin implementation, in accordance with a timeline to be agreed upon, of all steps necessary to achieve a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in accordance with the basic principles accepted by the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia.