Central Europe

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded nine ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and one in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 60 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and three in Luhansk region.
• Three men were injured due to the explosion of a device while fighting a wildfire near government-controlled Syze, Luhansk region.
• The Mission lost spatial control of a mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near the train station in government-controlled Rubizhne due to signal interference. The UAV was recovered undamaged.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. During evening hours, an SMM long-range UAV spotted people inside the disengagement area near Zolote.
• 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. It noted that the entry-exit checkpoint in Luhansk region remained closed.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded 60 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and three in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded one ceasefire violation in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. During evening hours, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle spotted people inside the disengagement area near Zolote.
• 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 and noted that the entry-exit checkpoint in Luhansk region was closed.
• In Lviv and Kherson, the SMM monitored public gatherings related to Defender of Ukraine Day.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

COPENHAGEN, 16 October 2020 – Leaders of the Parliamentary Assembly took part today in a timely event organized by the OSCE to mark the 30th anniversary of the Charter of Paris for a New Europe, which was adopted at a summit meeting in November 1990. Declaring that “the era of confrontation and division of Europe has ended,” the Charter envisioned “a new era of democracy, peace and unity,” and provided for the institutionalization of the OSCE.

Today’s event focused on the theme of “Revitalizing Trust and Co-operation in Europe: Lessons of the Paris Charter” and featured the participation of the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Ivan Korčok, as well as other high-level officials and practitioners who were involved in the adoption of the Paris Charter 30 years ago. Keynote speakers included James A. Baker III, former U.S. Secretary of State under President George H. W. Bush; Ambassador Wolfgang Friedrich Ischinger, who was part of the German delegation at the Paris Summit; Ambassador Tuula Yrjölä, OSCE Officer in Charge/SG; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Martin Povejšil, and Ambassador Igli Hasani, Chairperson of the Permanent Council.

Former OSCE Secretary General and High Commissioner on National Minorities Lamberto Zannier, who currently serves as OSCE PA High-Level Expert, spoke at Session 2, “The future of comprehensive and co-operative security in the OSCE area, three decades after the Paris Charter.”

Zannier noted that signs of dividing lines in the OSCE area began to emerge soon after the initially optimistic period in the early 1990s, with several groupings competing with each other and resulting at the end of the decade with a security space that was not reflective of the original vision of the Paris Charter. He pointed out however that there continued to be many examples of successful engagement. Despite political divisions, the OSCE has been able to engage in areas where other international organizations could not, Amb. Zannier pointed out, for example successfully facilitating dialogue in a number of hotspots and crisis situations over the years.

He argued that in order to continue to do so, greater political support is needed from the OSCE participating States, highlighting in this regard his work with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to build a higher level of political attention to the organization. “It’s when ministers get engaged that things get done,” Zannier said.

OSCE PA Vice-President Victor Paul Dobre (Romania) took the floor in the first session, held under the theme “The Paris Charter as an inspiration: Highlights and turning points of the negotiations, which lead to the unprecedented convergence between East and West.” Dobre spoke about enhancing the parliamentary dimension of the OSCE and emphasized the need to increase the political commitment to the OSCE at the ministerial level.

OSCE PA Vice-President Kristian Vigenin (Bulgaria) spoke at Session 3, “Lessons learned, best practices and future perspectives.” Vigenin described the Parliamentary Assembly as vital a forum for sharing best practices and exercising oversight of policymaking. He noted the important role played by parliamentarians, who facilitate dialogue between international and national levels and scrutinize their national governments for compliance with OSCE commitments. He also noted that the Assembly has offered over the years many ideas for strengthening the organization, calling the PA a “forward-looking driver of development of the OSCE.”

OSCE PA Secretary General Roberto Montella also addressed the event, underlining the importance of finding creative ways to focus the attention of the foreign ministers on the OSCE. He highlighted his own experience working in OSCE field operations and directly seeing the many benefits that the OSCE delivers to the “end users of the OSCE product” – i.e. the citizens of OSCE participating States.

To watch the Security Days event, please click here.

467550 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (OSCE POiD) organized a virtual meeting with representatives of Tajikistan’s civil society organizations on 16 October to highlight their recent major achievements and identify priorities for co-operation in 2021.

The meeting with Tajik NGOs followed the Partnership Platform meeting between the OSCE POiD and the Government of Tajikistan to outline strategic co-operation for 2021 held online on 15 October.

Around 100 participants, including staff of the OSCE POiD and representatives of Tajik civil society, attended the event. Participants discussed how the OSCE POiD could increase its engagement with Tajik NGOs in all phases of project implementation, in line with its existing mandate and relevant priorities of the host country. This includes within all three dimensions of the OSCE’s comprehensive and co-operative approach to security.

PRAGUE / VIENNA, 16 October 2020 – Ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Charter of Paris for a New Europe, opening speakers of an online OSCE Security Days event commemorating this historic document called on States to revive the spirit of the 1990 Paris Summit in overcoming today’s challenges, distrust and heightened tensions in European security.

“The era of confrontation and division of Europe has ended”, proclaimed the Paris Charter, which was adopted following the Summit in the French capital a year after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Signed by Heads of State and Governments of participating States of the then Conference for Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE, the forerunner of the OSCE), the Paris Charter envisioned “a new era of democracy, peace and unity”.

“For forty years we have had stability without freedom in Europe. Henceforth we want freedom with stability,” affirmed French President François Mitterrand at the time. The Paris Summit “heralded a new, post-confrontational era in European history,” said Mikhail Gorbachev, leader of the Soviet Union.

Opening the Security Days event, Tuula Yrjölä, OSCE Officer-in-Charge/Secretary General, Director of Conflict Prevention Centre, reflected on leaders’ courageousness in 1990, adding that Paris also gave the CSCE a leading role in ensuring European stability.

“The institutionalization of the CSCE began at the Paris Summit with the establishment of the first permanent structures for a comprehensive regional international organization that we now know as the OSCE. This, as well as the broadening of the CSCE’s activities, were one of a number of concrete steps taken to heal the former East-West divide in Europe,” Yrjölä said. “What Paris established is the model that is still with us: a set of executive structures, receiving consensus-based mandates and guidance from the participating States, supporting and reporting to them.”

Ivan Korčok, Slovakia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, praised the work of the OSCE in the years after Paris, but said there was still work to do because “we still witness conflicts, humanitarian crises, and undemocratic establishments”.

“Thirty-one years ago, a wave of freedom swept across Europe and beyond, with people demanding their freedom and human rights. But, still, there are nations that lack fundamental rights and freedoms, or suffer in ongoing conflicts,” Korčok said. “It is our – the OSCE and its participating States’ - obligation to continue translating the words of human rights into facts on the ground, into the reality of people’s everyday lives, as well as to facilitate nations’ rights to democratic governance and representation. Because, in the end, what matters the most are security, freedom, and dignity.”

Amid “the growing complexity of threats and challenges that create instability and unpredictability” in the world today, Martin Povejšil, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic, said: “It is my strong belief that the OSCE, again, has a critical role to play.”

“For this to happen, we need to bring back the genuine political will of all participating States that we saw in the early 1990s,” said Povejšil. “We need to bring back the spirit of willingness to find common ground and solutions, rather than individual profits. We need to bring back the will for behaving in accordance with the concept of a rules-based order, as a basis for respectful mutual dialogue and relations. We need to bring back the belief that building our common security is a way to strengthen security of every single individual state.”

Ambassador Igli Hasani, Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council, said that while the OSCE is a diverse organization, there can be no divergence from the Organization’s founding principles, including those agreed in Paris.

“Events like this one today should not leave us yearning for yesteryear,” Hasani said. “They should act as an inspiration and motivation to forge our own legacy. Just as Paris succeeded in overcoming confrontation, we should prove ourselves capable of doing the same now.”

Over the course of the event, participants explored the highlights and turning points of the Paris negotiations, and the future of comprehensive and co-operative security in the OSCE area.

Participants also heard video messages specially recorded for the event by former United States Secretary of State James Baker, who had a leading role in the negotiations of the Paris Charter, and from Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger, who was part of the freshly reunited German delegation.

OSCE Security Days events gather prominent experts from governments, think tanks and academic institutions, civil society, youth and the media, to engage with each other and with OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation in an informal and interactive discussion. They are intended as a platform for sharing experiences and good practices, and offer an opportunity to examine emerging trends and priorities for action.

The OSCE Mission to Moldova organized an online public lecture for university students from across Moldova about the human rights challenges that have emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 100 students from universities in Balti, Cahul, Chisinau, Comrat, Taraclia and Tiraspol attended the public lecture.

The lecture, conducted by Professor Frederick John Packer, Director of the Human Rights Research and Education Centre at the University of Ottawa, raised awareness among the students about the role of human rights in building sustainable and equal societies in the post-pandemic recovery. The students discussed challenges and opportunities in ‘building forward’ for a better future for everyone and for society. 

“It is remarkable how technology allows us to engage so easily with one another across great distance of geography and despite differences of language," said Packer. “It is encouraging to see the interest and engagement of students from across Moldova. Despite all the challenges, human ingenuity and drive demonstrate resilience.”

The public lecture was organized as part of a project implemented by the Mission in 2020 aimed at building a more inclusive society by advancing the capacity and co-operation of state and non-state actors.

Communication and Media Relations Section OSCE Guidebook Intelligence-Led Policing

The Strategic Police Matters Unit of the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department (SPMU), in co-operation with local field operations, organized a regional training workshop on intelligence-led policing (ILP) on 15 and 16 October 2020 for senior representatives of Kazakh, Tajik, Turkmen and Uzbek law enforcement agencies.

John MacGregor, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, Natalya Drozd,Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, György Szabó, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan and Tea Jaliashvili, Deputy Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe welcomed the participants to the online training.

The workshop focused on ILP as a modern proactive model for policing and law enforcement management, which uses information and data for evidence-based decision-making and planning, leading to more effective and efficient police work. Central to ILP is criminal intelligence – analyzed data and information – that is collected and managed in compliance with national and international law, as well as data protection and human rights standards.

Participants were familiarized with the OSCE Guidebook on ILP and shared experiences, good practices, and lessons learned from the implementation of ILP at the national level in Serbia, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom as well as at the regional and global levels from INTERPOL’s perspective.  Participants also discussed the potential benefits and challenges of introducing ILP in their own country.

At the end of the training, SPMU presented the results of the ILP Needs Assessment Questionnaire and announced the work in progress for a new extra-budgetary project on ILP implementation in the OSCE area. The new project will shift from awareness-raising towards more capacity-building and technical assistance activities.

Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe started a capacity-building training course on Explosive  Ordnance Disposal for 16 mid-to-senior ranking officers of Tajikistan’s Ministry of Defence (MoD), Border Troops, the National Mine Action Centre, Norwegian Peoples Aid and the Union of Sappers of Tajikistan on 13 October 2020 in Dushanbe.

The 18-day training course will address explosive hazards issues in the regional context via enhanced and continuous regional co-ordination and dialogue as well as technical training courses and capacity -building for the MoD and other military agencies in Central Asia, Afghanistan and other interested participating States. Due to the current travel restrictions, only Tajik citizens will physically attend the course.

The course covers the methods and techniques of detection, identification, evaluation, safe rendering, recovery and disposal of explosive ordnance. It aims at enhancing the skills and knowledge of participants on how to locate, identify and destroy explosive hazard remnants under appropriate supervision. Two local experts from the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe and one international expert from the United States Army Central will conduct the course.

Officials from the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, the MoD and the United States Department of State participated in the opening ceremony.

“This course is especially important since it is the first to be conducted in the new centre and by the Defence Ministry’s training officers, assisted by the OSCE,” said Valeriu Chiveri, Head of the OSCE Programme Office.      

Colonel Panozoda Akobirsho, the Deputy Head of the MoD’s Engineering Department, said that he truly believes in the support and close co-operation of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, the MoD and the U.S. Department of State. “Tajikistan will have success in fulfilling its obligations to maintain peace in the country,” he said.

Rodney Robideau, representative of the U.S. Department of State, emphasized the importance of continued support to the Regional Explosive Hazards Training Centre.  “I reaffirm our commitment of assistance to the Tajikistan Conventional Weapons Destruction Programme.”

The development of the training institution, in particular the establishment of Regional Explosive Hazards Training Centre, are essential to making the Integrated Co-operation on Explosives Hazards programme sustainable. The project aims at transferring knowledge and training capacities on Explosive Ordnance Disposal to the MoD by conducting a series of inter-linked training courses and activities.

The U.S. Department of State and the Government of Germany are financially supporting the Integrated Co-operation on Explosives Hazards programme and this training course.

Željka Šulc

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) commends the Brčko District Assembly on its adoption on 14 October 2020 of Laws on Associations and Foundations, and on the Rights of National Minorities.

These two pieces of legislation present a significant step forward for citizens in Brčko District. 

The Brčko District Law on Associations and Foundations will  strengthen transparency and efficient use of public funds. The Brčko District Law on Rights of National Minorities will help guarantee their protection, including through ensuring financial resources for the exercise of their rights established under the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Rights of National Minorities and the BiH Law on the Protection of Rights of National Minorities.

“This is a great day for the citizens of Brčko District, and I want to congratulate the Brčko District Assembly for showing leadership on these issues," said Ambassador Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH. "Adoption of these two pieces of legislation, along with the previously adopted law on peaceful assembly, shows that the authorities in Brčko District are serious about introducing reforms that will protect citizen rights and improve conditions for all.  We look forward in particular to the implementation of the legislation on national minorities, which will require developing strategic documents and criteria that will enable the participation for members of national minorities in the legal and executive bodies and ensure access to education, culture and media in minority languages.”

The OSCE Mission to BiH remains committed to assisting Brčko District in taking additional steps towards the protection of basic human rights and building of citizens’ trust and confidence in its institutions.

OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

Students and teachers of the Turkmen State Energy Institute in Mary participated in an OSCE-organized webinar on net energy consumption as a new ecological and energy-saving system.  The online event took place from 14 to 17 October 2020.

The four-day seminar addressed environmental advantages and economic benefits of net energy consumption and its technical and technological aspects. OSCE experts shared best practices of OSCE participating States in net metering and development of generated capacities plans at minimum costs.

“Energy is a key element of any economy and the OSCE participating States agree that a high level of energy security requires energy supplies that are predictable, reliable, economically acceptable, commercially justified and environmentally safe,” said Natalya Drozd, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

During the webinar, a UNDP expert presented opportunities for the implementation of an net energy consumption system, including grid integration aspects, in national practice. The event also stressed the importance of research on renewable energy sources (RES) integration and launch of an RES information exchange portal.

“This event is part of the OSCE Centre’s long-term partnership with the Turkmen State Energy Institute which has recently been moved to a new level after the Centre of Energy Saving Technologies was inaugurated on the premises of the Institute earlier this month”.

USAID contributed to the webinar with comprehensive presentations on requirements on equipment standards for renewable energy sources and how to connect to them.

Željka Šulc

From 1 to 15 October 2020, political parties, coalitions, and independent candidates participating in the 2020 local elections signed an election pledge in 25 local communities[1] across Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).  With the support of the OSCE Mission to BiH, the election pledge was developed by representatives of the municipal/city election commissions, municipal/city administration and civil society organizations.

The aim of the election pledge is to ensure a peaceful and fair electoral process, which adheres to the basic principles of integrity and fairness and upholds several key democratic principles, such as respecting the legality of elections, avoiding exerting political pressure on voters, and refraining from using inflammatory rhetoric.

“Local elections are especially important because this level of authority, the municipal level, is usually the one that has the most impact on BiH citizens’ daily lives”, said Ambassador Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH.  “The signed pledge sheets represent commitments by the signatories to the voters. It is up to the signatories to bring the promises in these pledges to life and to stand by the promises they make with them, for a better, more prosperous future for all citizens of BiH,” stressed Kavalec.

This initiative is part of the wider efforts of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina to support free, fair, and credible elections in BiH within the realm of the Mission's mandate.

[1] Election pledge was signed in the following local communities: Bihać, Bijeljina, Bileća, Brčko, Foča, Gornji Vakuf-Uskoplje, Istočna Ilidža, Jajce, Kiseljak, Kostajnica, Livno, Novi Travnik, Odžak, Prijedor, Prozor, Sanski Most, Srebrenik, Stolac, Teslić, Tomislavgrad, Trebinje, Visoko, Višegrad, Zenica and Gradačac.​

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded one ceasefire violation in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded no ceasefire violations in either region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. During evening and night hours, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted people inside the latter two disengagement areas.
• An SMM long-range UAV spotted three cargo trains in a border area outside government control in Luhansk region.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a public gathering related to Defender of Ukraine Day.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

Communication and Media Relations Section

A three-day online regional workshop on delimitation and demarcation practices for the South-East European OSCE participating States concluded on 15 October 2020. The event was organized by the Border Security and Management Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and focused on maritime boundaries.

Members of the National Boundary Commissions from Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia participated in this interactive training. Specific bilateral experiences in co-operation related to delimitation and demarcation practices from across the OSCE area were presented to participants. They also engaged in practical exercises by defining sea delimitation lines of fictional states.

International experts, including one of the authors of the Guidebook on Delimitation and Demarcation Practices in the OSCE Area, representatives of the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, as well as of the Surveyor General Branch of the Natural Resources of Canada, conducted the seminar.

“The delimitation and demarcation of marine waterways require expertise and close co-operation between the relevant authorities of OSCE participating States. This workshop is designed to support our participating States' technical work in this challenging field,” said Dennis Cosgrove, Head of the Border Security and Management Unit, in his opening remarks.

Challenges regarding delimitation and demarcation remain high on the agenda of the OSCE, as it was reiterated by the participating States in a number of fora in 2019. This event is the eighth workshop on this topic and builds on the success and recommendations of previous events.

467421 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (POiD) will pursue its activities in 2021 in Tajikistan, in line with its existing mandate and relevant priorities of the host country, within all three dimensions of the OSCE’s comprehensive and co-operative approach to security. The joint agreement between the OSCE and the Government of Tajikistan was declared at the annual OSCE Partnership Platform meeting in Dushanbe on 15 October 2020. The meeting brought together high-ranking officials from Tajikistan’s government agencies and representatives of the OSCE.

Ambassador Valeriu Chiveri, Head of the POiD, noted the unusual circumstances the Office faced in conducting the Partnership Platform online. Nevertheless, during the current global pandemic, an online format has proven to be the safest and most optimal way of communicating with partners. “The OSCE POiD has been providing support to its partners in facing the challenges of the spread of COVID-19, and stands ready to continue supporting the improvement of operational capacities of it local partners,” said Ambassador Chiveri.

Tuula Yrjölä, Officer-in-Charge in the absence of the Secretary General of the OSCE (OiC/SG), underlined the importance of the consultative Partnership Platform for the continued strong and practical co-operation between the OSCE and Tajikistan. She commended the POiD for moving swiftly to offer assistance to, and adjusting its operations in support of, Tajikistan. The OiC/SG also expressed appreciation for Tajikistan’s role in underpinning stronger regional co-operation and in strengthening stability in the region. In particular, she highlighted the work of the OSCE Border Management Staff College (BMSC) in Dushanbe.

Muzaffar Huseynzoda, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan noted, “It should be emphasized that such instrument of co-operation and dialogue between the host country and the Organization with the participation of a wide range of experts and representatives of relevant ministries and agencies is a unique experience in the OSCE area. This meeting will allow us to conduct a comprehensive review of bilateral co-operation through the development of joint projects in the three dimensions of the Organization.”

The Partnership Platform was launched in 2018 to reinforce co-operation between the POiD and Tajikistan based on genuine partnership, local ownership, openness and transparency.

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A two-day series of online events on the nature, status and scope of the Right to Freedom of Religion or Belief for all (FoRB) as enshrined in international standards and the OSCE human dimension commitments concluded on 14 October 2020. The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan organized the events targeted for Uzbekistan state officials. The series also included a briefing on the OSCE/ODIHR Freedom of Religion or Belief and on Security Policy Guidance. 

The events were co-organized with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institution and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR), the Committee for Religious Affairs under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan, and the National Human Rights Centre of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Akmal Saidov, First Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis (parliament) of Uzbekistan and Director of the National Human Rights Centre of Uzbekistan; Dilshod Eshnaev, Deputy Chairperson at the Committee for Religious Affairs under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan; John MacGregor, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan and Andrea Huber, Head of the Human Rights Department, OSCE/ODIHR opened the events.

International and national experts discussed relevant international standards concerning the right to FoRB and key parameters as enshrined in international standards and OSCE commitments and permissible limitations. They also introduced the Uzbek version of the OSCE/ODIHR Freedom of Religion or Belief and Security Policy Guidance and discussed four main themes addressed in the document.

"As the authorities of Uzbekistan continue to undertake important reforms in the area of freedom of religion or belief, it is vital that they formulate policies, enact laws, and operationalize measures which advance this fundamental human right for the benefit of all, while ensuring that genuine security needs are met", underlined Mikolaj Wrzecionkowski, Acting Senior Adviser on FoRB at the OSCE/ODIHR.

“The members of Uzbekistan’s Oliy Majlis (Parliament) and other State officials, by their intensive participation in the last two days’ events, have shown a keen interest in their role as lawmakers in the matter of protecting the Human Rights of Uzbekistan’s people,” stated John MacGregor, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan. “The OSCE ‘Family’ of the Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan and ODIHR have been pleased to co-operate with Uzbekistan’s National Human Rights Centre and the Oliy Majlis to create the opportunity for State officials and lawmakers to engage in dialogue with experts on the subject of Freedom of Religion or Belief, including related International Legal Obligations and OSCE commitments.”

The office of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan is particularly active in the freedom of religion or belief in the framework of Human Dimension commitments. In September, PCUz supported a series of videoconference meetings with the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Mazhlis, the Committee for Religious Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, representatives of religious or belief communities, non-governmental organizations and the international community to prepare the Joint Legal Opinion by OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission on the draft Law “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations” of Uzbekistan. As a result, on 12 October 2020, a joint Opinion was officially published, and will be translated into Russian and Uzbek languages soon.

VIENNA, 15 October 2020 – The Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) published today a legal review of the draft Federal Act on Measures to Protect Users on Communications Platforms (Kommunikationsplattformen-Gesetz – KoPI-G) by the Republic of Austria. The review was officially submitted to the President of the National Council, Wolfgang Sobotka, and to the Federal Chancellery of the Republic of Austria on 15 October 2020.

The Office of the OSCE RFoM commissioned an expert analysis prepared by Judit Bayer (Budapest Business School, University of Münster) and Jan Kalbhenn (University of Münster). The legal review analyses and compares the proposed law to OSCE commitments and examines it in the context of international standards on freedom of expression and media freedom. 

As one of the main issues, the legal experts underline that it is not clear from the draft law how the access to legal remedy is guaranteed of users who had content from their accounts on communications platforms removed, as the complaint procedure does not entail an administrative decision that could be appealed against in court. They also recommend removing insult and blasphemy from the list of illegal content that must be removed by platform providers.

For the sake of legal security, the experts argue that there is room for improvement on the definition of platform providers. To better protect freedom of expression and the procedural rights of users, they recommend allowing more time for users who had content from their accounts on communications platforms removed to initiate a review procedure. Finally, the experts propose to regard the draft law as an opportunity to set out the substance and limits of the rights and duties of platforms towards their users: including respect for personal data and the obligation of neutrality towards opinions, which also entails the prohibition of discrimination among users and their content. 

The experts suggest that the draft law should be amended accordingly. The full text of the legal review is available here.

KYIV, 15 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:

“Observations by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission show that adherence to the ceasefire continues overall to be respected. This has facilitated agreeing on local security guarantees to enable repairs to and maintenance of critical civilian infrastructure on both sides of the line of contact. This is crucial for the civilian population on the eve of winter.

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

I would like to note that, thanks to the ceasefire, there have been no civilian casualties caused by shelling in the last two and a half months, according to the OSCE SMM. However, even in this context, mines and unexploded ordnance continue to cause injuries and deaths. I call on the sides to the conflict to pay more attention to demining and to adopt an updated demining plan.

The Working Group on Humanitarian Issues considered the questions of mutual release and exchange of conflict-related detainees, in particular the clarification of the legal status of certain persons previously released. In addressing these issues, I encourage the participants in the consultations not to lose sight of the “Normandy Four” Paris Summit assignment to proceed with mutual release and exchange based on the “all for all” principle.

The meeting participants also confirmed that the preparatory works for the simultaneous opening of two new entry-exit crossing points (ECCPs) in Zolote and Shchastia of Luhansk region were on schedule.

The focus of the Economic Working Group was on water supplies across the contact line in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Environmental issues as well as pension payment questions were also duly considered.

The discussions in the Political Working Group did not advance again due  to the diverging assessments by the participants with regard to the Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine № 795-IX “On the appointment of regular local elections in 2020”.

The TCG discussed in detail the possibility of developing an action plan for the implementation of the Minsk Agreements to resolve the conflict”.

Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan

The first in a series of three OSCE-supported regional roundtable discussions on the country’s environmental challenges concluded on 15 October 2020 in Kostanay, Kazakhstan. The two-day event brought together some 25 representatives from the local authorities, the business community and environmental NGOs. The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan, in partnership with the Association of Environmental Organizations, organized the event.

The participants took part in a site visit to Kostanay’s sewage and wastewater treatment plant, as well as waste recycling site. The visit was complemented by a roundtable discussion on the main environmental challenges in the Kostanay region and the ways to address them. Government officials, environmental leaders and representatives of business participated in the discussion.

Follow-up monitoring visits will take place this year in the Mangystau and Kyzylorda regions depending on the epidemiological situation.

The event was part of the Programme Office’s long-term efforts to promote the green economy and sustainable development principles to strengthen the environmental security in the host country.

Efforts by OSCE participating States to address the risks posed by small arms and light weapons (SALW) and stockpiles of conventional ammunition (SCA), particularly in preventing and combating the illicit trade in SALW, were the focus of a meeting organized by the German Chair of the Forum for Security Co-operation on 13 and 14 October 2020.

The Second Biennial Meeting was held to assess the implementation of the OSCE Documents on SALW and SCA, which stipulate the norms, principles and measures to regulate and manage the life cycle of SALW and ammunition, the production, transfer, storage, collection, and destruction of such weapons, and to control their export. The documents also provide for information exchange between participating States, which contributes to confidence-building.

“The OSCE provides a significant regional multilateral forum for the continued advancement of the regulation of SALW and SCA,” said Albrecht von Wittke, Head of Division Conventional Disarmament, Arms Control and CSBM Worldwide at Germany’s Federal Foreign Office. The partnership between regional and international organizations, like the UN and EU, or regional initiatives like the OSCE, in tackling the illicit trade in SALW is becoming increasingly more important and the OSCE has been at the forefront of this endeavour.”

Also addressing the opening of the meeting, Tuula Yrjölä, OSCE Officer-in-Charge/Secretary General, Director of Conflict Prevention Centre, said: “The OSCE conducts regular assessments of the implementation of the OSCE Documents on SALW and SCA, which also helps participating States to take effective action to address excessive accumulation and spread of SALW and conventional ammunition, built on informed and agreed recommendations.”

Noting the importance of integrating a gender dimension into policies regulating SALW and SCA, she added: “Mainstreaming gender aspects into SALW and SCA-related policies, as well as into standards and practical assistance frameworks, would contribute significantly to common efforts to combat illicit trafficking in SALW and SCA effectively”.

Taking stock of global actions, and new challenges and opportunities in addressing the illicit trade in and trafficking of SALW, panel speakers highlighted the security risks and the importance of international and regional agreements.

Marjolijn van Deelen, Special Envoy for Non-proliferation and Disarmament at the EU’s External Action Service, said: “Especially in the context of today’s deteriorating security environment and erosion of the international arms control architecture, our organisations have a great responsibility and must play their role for the sake of global security.”

John Brandolino, Director of the Department of Treaty Affairs at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, added: “Illicit arms flow is a complex undertaking that requires multiple and integrated responses that combine preventive and control measures at the global level. Our work on countering firearms trafficking is based on several interconnected pillars: from support for policy and legislative development to capacity-building and assistance in the implementation of preventive and security measures; from effective criminal justice responses to broad and inclusive national co-operation and to evidence-based research and analysis.”

Participants also discussed preparations for the UN’s Seventh Biennial Meeting of States on implementation of the Programme of Action of SALW.

“Moving forward, it is important that we design people-centred small arms control and ammunition management policies and frameworks, which are comprehensive, context-specific, gendered and prevention oriented,” said Izumi Nakamitsu, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs. “With a clear focus on impact, our engagement should be built on national ownership and geared towards multi-stakeholder partnerships, including regional organisations, civil society and youth activists.” 

The meeting’s working sessions reflected on the importance of the OSCE’s Best Practice Guides on SALW and SCA; information exchanges as a way of assessing progress and gaps in implementing the OSCE Documents on SALW and SCA; and the functioning and efficiency of the OSCE’s Assistance Mechanism for providing support to States in addressing challenges related to SALW and SCA.

SEOUL/VIENNA, 15 October 2020 – New technologies need to be backed up with necessary human rights safeguards, furthering the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security, say participants at the fourth inter-regional conference on the Impact of Emerging Technologies on International Security and Terrorism. Foreign Affairs Ministry of Korea, in co-operation with the OSCE Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) and the OSCE External Co-operation Section, organized the virtual conference on 14 October 2020.

Ambassador for International Security Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, Bae Jongin, said that cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, big data, robotics and similar have been rapidly emerging.

“The possible abuse, excessive competition for dual-use technologies among states can lead to an arms race and cause geopolitical instability,” said Ambassador Bae.” The development of technologies raises concerns of new ethical and legal standards, as seen in the discussion on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems.” The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically heightened the urgency and importance of discussion on emerging technologies, said Bae. “There are rising concerns on widespread misinformation relevant to the pandemic and cyberattacks on hospitals and laboratories.”

Ambassador Bae said that the spread of propaganda and recruitment through cyberspace, using drones or other weapons manufactured by 3D printing, and the procurement of weapons and financing through the dark web, and virtual currencies is a concern.  He added that recently the COVID-19 pandemic has drawn global attention to risks of bio-terrorism on a large scale.

Participants agreed that in order to effectively address the challenges we face, it is essential to strengthen international co-operation and work together to make a more secure world amid rapid technological advances. Ambassador Bae said that ‘”we need to boost regional co-operation to call attention to new challenges and find concrete ways to deal with them.” He said that the development, use, and management of technologies are mainly driven by the private sector, think tanks and academia. Governments, civil society, and the private sector all have specific roles and responsibilities and must work side by side.

Participants discussed the development and testing of weapons based on emerging technologies, precautions needed to minimize the risk to civilians and compliance with international humanitarian and human rights law. Alena Kupchyna, OSCE Co-ordinator of Activities to Address Transnational Threats, said that the risk of unintended engagements, a loss of system control and the risk of proliferation must be taken into consideration.

“Abuse of technological tools – such as excessive, unjustified or disproportionate surveillance, data collection and profiling – can result in human rights violations,” said Kupchyna. “It can affect due process guarantees, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, freedom of expression and information, freedom of assembly and association, and the right to equality before the law as well as the right to respect for private and family life.”

The OSCE is actively assisting participating States and Partners for Co-operation in increasing travel document security while maintaining the full respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The OSCE is focused on implementing the 16 ground-breaking cyber/ICT security confidence-building measures; supporting States to close the law enforcement gap in countering cybercrime through comprehensive capacity-building initiatives and countering the abuse of the Internet by terrorists, by suppressing terrorist financing, and protecting critical infrastructure and soft targets.