Central Europe

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region.
• An SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle spotted, during evening hours, a convoy of trucks entering Ukraine and another convoy exiting Ukraine on a dirt road, in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region near the border with the Russian Federation where there are no border crossing facilities.
• Members of the armed formations continued to deny the SMM passage at checkpoints along official crossing routes in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.*
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.
• The Mission continued following up on measures taken amid the COVID-19 outbreak, including at entry-exit checkpoints and checkpoints in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

COPENHAGEN, 6 June 2020 – Welcoming the agreement on electoral reform in Albania, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli, Special Representative on South East Europe Mark Pritchard and Secretary General Roberto Montella issued the following joint statement today:

“We are pleased to see that a political agreement on electoral reform, in line with recommendations from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, has been reached in Albania. We congratulate all the parties for the inclusive process and for securing the necessary political will. This is an important achievement for Albania and we hope to see continued efforts toward political dialogue and co-operation in the interests of the Albanian people.

“In the spirit of the longstanding good co-operation between Albania and the PA, which has been enhanced this year with Albania holding the OSCE Chairmanship, we continue to support reforms in line with Albania’s domestic and foreign policy priorities.”

###

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is comprised of 323 parliamentarians from 57 countries spanning Europe, Central Asia and North America. The Assembly provides a forum for parliamentary diplomacy, monitors elections, and strengthens international co-operation to uphold commitments on political, security, economic, environmental and human rights issues.

COPENHAGEN, 5 June 2020 – While much of the international community’s attention is currently focused on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, traditional threats such as terrorism and violent extremism are as relevant as ever and must remain high on the international agenda, participants said at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s seventh meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee on Countering Terrorism (CCT) today.

The meeting, held in an online format, was addressed by CCT Chair Reinhold Lopatka (Austria), Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism Vladimir Voronkov, Chair of the OSCE’s Security Committee and Head of UK Delegation to the OSCE Neil Bush, and Chelsea L. Daymon, an independent expert on terrorism and political violence. 

Parliamentarians discussed how crisis situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic can aggravate threats by offering new opportunities for terrorist groups to prosper and achieve their goals, as the attention of the world has shifted elsewhere. The impact of economic disruption related to the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to greater radicalization and fuel the rise of extremism, while some are exploiting the crisis to advance extremist narratives, disseminate conspiracy theories, promote hate speech and spread propaganda, it was noted.

“The global crisis caused by COVID-19 has exacerbated existing grievances and protracted conflicts and led to the emergence of new terrorist trends,” said Under-Secretary-General Voronkov. “ISIL, Al-Qaida and their supporters have expanded the dissemination of violent ideologies and are intensifying recruitment efforts, both online and offline.”

Other violent extremists are also exploiting the fear and anxiety caused by the pandemic to spread misinformation and further their ideologies, according to Voronkov, who welcomed the work of the OSCE PA in addressing these issues. “We need strong partnerships, such as the one we have with the OSCE and its Parliamentary Assembly,” Voronkov said.

In his opening remarks, CCT Chair Lopatka noted that the uncertainty caused by COVID-19 could trigger dangerous dynamics and fuel violent extremism.

“Extremists exploit the crisis for their despicable purposes, and violent protests and even attacks could result from dangerous conspiracy myths,” Lopatka said. “Right-wing extremists increasingly propagate hatred of foreigners, especially Asians, and also spread the anti-Semitic myth of a Jewish world conspiracy. Left-wing extremists blame the capitalist system for causing the crisis, reject governmental surveillance and foment social unrest.”

Neil Bush spoke about the importance of promoting a whole-of-society approach to counter-terrorism, which would involve utilizing all the tools of civil society and governments, as well as the business community and educational institutions. Chelsea L. Daymon said that terrorists are taking advantage of the fact that the focus of governments is currently on the COVID-19 pandemic. Extremists of various stripes are exploiting the situation and offering their own narratives to explain the pandemic, she said.

In the discussion, members spoke about the importance of distinguishing terrorist movements from social movements, with very clear legal distinctions. Designating activists as terrorists is dangerous, it was stressed, and should be avoided. The importance of preserving fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism was also emphasized, as well as how to address the question of dealing with returning foreign terrorist fighters.

Committee members also discussed ongoing work of the CCT, including a Parliamentary Web Dialogue scheduled for late June, an upcoming co-ordination meeting with UNOCT, and joint activities with other institutions of the OSCE. Parliamentarians explored ways to address recent terrorism trends and consolidate the OSCE PA’s network of strategic partnerships.

Also addressing the meeting were PA President George Tsereteli, Secretary General Roberto Montella, and Alena Kupchyna, the OSCE Co-ordinator for Activities to Address Transnational Threats.

The Ad Hoc Committee on Countering Terrorism was established by the OSCE PA’s Standing Committee on 5 July 2017 at the 26th Annual Session in Minsk. In consultation with relevant partners, the Ad Hoc Committee assesses terrorism trends in the OSCE region to identify priority areas of engagement for the OSCE PA, aiming to advance a parliamentary contribution to the global fight against terrorism and violent extremism.

For more on the work of the OSCE PA on counter-terrorism, please click here.

For more on the OSCE PA's response to the COVID-19 crisis, please click here.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

From 30 May to 5 June, members of the armed formations again denied SMM attempts to cross into non-government-controlled areas along official crossing routes: six times in Donetsk region and four times in Luhansk region, while further attempts to cross into government-controlled areas were also denied, once in Donetsk region and three times in Luhansk region.

On 30 and 31 May and on 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 June, at a checkpoint south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk), members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage towards non-government-controlled areas on four occasions, and passage towards government-controlled areas on three other occasions, each time referring to the closure of the checkpoint due to COVID-19.

On 31 May and on 4 June, at a checkpoint 600m west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 85km south of Donetsk), members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage towards non-government-controlled areas, referring to quarantine restrictions due to COVID-19.

On 1 and 3 June, at a checkpoint near Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage towards non-government-controlled areas, on both occasions referring to quarantine restrictions due to COVID-19.

On 2 June, at a checkpoint near Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage towards government-controlled areas on one occasion and again denied passage towards non-government-controlled areas on another occasion, both times referring to quarantine restrictions due to COVID-19.

On 5 June, at a checkpoint near Oleksandrivka (non-government-controlled, 20km south-west of Donetsk), members of the armed formations denied the SMM passage towards non-government-controlled areas, referring to quarantine restrictions due to COVID-19. In addition, on 30 May, the Mission was unable to proceed towards non-government-controlled areas due to the presence of metal bars and a pile of tyres at the same checkpoint.

The Mission began facing repeated denials when attempting to cross into non-government-controlled areas at checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk region on 21 March and Luhansk region on 23 March (see previous SMM Spot Reports). They restrict the SMM’s freedom of movement across the contact line, thus impeding the implementation of its mandate throughout the country.

***

With regard to COVID-19, the SMM has introduced a number of stringent mitigation measures into its operational procedures. These include strict adherence to social distancing rules both internally and with external interlocutors, daily temperature checks, use of PPE and minimizing the number of personnel in vehicles.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and recorded ceasefire violations in Luhansk region.
• Small-arms fire was assessed as directed at two SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) flying over areas near Petrivske and Popasna, one of which sustained damage caused by small-arms fire near the latter location.
• Members of the armed formations continued to deny the SMM passage at checkpoints along official crossing routes in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.*
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable vegetation clearance, inspection and maintenance of railway tracks near Vilkhove, and to enable the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.
• The Mission continued following up on measures taken amid the COVID-19 outbreak, including at entry-exit checkpoints and checkpoints in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and recorded no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region.
• Members of the armed formations continued to deny the SMM passage at checkpoints along official crossing routes in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.*
• The Mission continued monitoring all three disengagement areas and saw damage caused by small-arms fire to its camera in Petrivske.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable vegetation clearance, inspection and maintenance of railway tracks near Vilkhove, and to enable the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.
• The Mission continued following up on measures taken amid the COVID-19 outbreak, including at entry-exit checkpoints and checkpoints in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

Communication and Media Relations Section

The Balkan Asset Management Interagency Network (BAMIN) Steering Group held an online meeting, supported by the OSCE, on 3 June 2020.

The participants discussed the BAMIN 2020 plan and ways in which the Network could adapt and maintain full operationalization under the new challenging conditions.

While many of the activities have been affected by the current circumstances, the Network continues active internal and external co-operation. Romania will be joining BAMIN as an observer state. Georgia and Armenia also expressed interest in the Network and are exploring possibilities for close co-operation.

Denise Mazzolani, Deputy Head of the Strategic Police Matters Unit (TNTD), and Iris Pilika, Programme Officer, Economic Co-operation and Governance (OCEEA), who attended the meeting, commended BAMIN for keeping the Network active and open for other interested OSCE participating States for co-operation.

They presented the activities the OSCE is carrying out to help the participating States fight organized crime and corruption through effectively managing assets seized from organized crime and corruption cases.

Following the meeting, a workshop on managing crypto assets was held. The workshop offered an insight into their management through operational case studies.

The participants discussed how to harmonize the management of crypto assets across BAMIN jurisdictions and advanced crypto assets for BAMIN Practitioners. The workshop was open to all BAMIN members, observer and associate states.

The OSCE supports BAMIN through the extra-budgetary project “Strengthening the fight against transnational crime in South-Eastern Europe through improved regional co-operation in asset seizure, confiscation, management and re-use.”

The OSCE Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) are implementing the project. The cross-dimensional initiative adopts a comprehensive approach by providing support during the entire cycle of asset seizure, management and re-use.

The project is financially supported by the U.S. Department of State, Italy and Germany.

Željka Šulc

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), as part of its wider initiative to support the country in its pandemic response, on 4 June 2020 in Zenica, provided IT equipment for the social protection institution “Dom porodica”, a home for children without parental care.

The home was given PCs to be used for learning purposes by their beneficiaries.

Glorija Alic, National Programme Officer for Human Rights at the OSCE Field Office Travnik, said that the OSCE Mission to BiH recognized the efforts of “Dom porodica” Zenica to ensure that children currently accommodated in the institution have adequate living conditions during the pandemic, including access to the education process.  

“This donation will help the institution organize the learning process in situations like the one that we are currently facing and also improve their learning prospects by giving them better access to online sources for regular education and extracurricular activities,” said Alic.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

On 3 June, an SMM patrol was tasked with maintenance of the SMM camera system located about 200m east of the north-eastern corner of the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk) after the Mission had lost video feeds from the camera system at about 14:30 on 2 June. The system consists of a daylight and a thermal camera and is generally directed south-west towards the disengagement area. The patrol saw that both boxes housing the cameras had sustained damage, assessed as caused by small-arms fire.

The Mission observed at least two holes assessed as exit bullet holes in the east-facing back panel of the box housing the thermal camera. It also observed that the east-facing back panel of the box housing the daytime camera was lying on the ground, about 2m north-east of the camera mast, with one hole assessed as a bullet hole, and one corner missing due to another bullet impact. The Mission saw several shards of glass, assessed as pieces of camera lenses, on the ground about 1.5m north-west of the camera mast. The SMM assessed that all bullets had been fired from a west-north-westerly direction.

Footage from a security camera also installed at the site revealed the sounds of four shots recorded between 14:27 and 14:29. It also revealed that at the moment of the first shot being heard, the camera faced south-west; and that, when the next three shots were being heard, it faced west-north-west. Immediately after the last shot was heard, the SMM lost video feeds from both the thermal and the daylight camera.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Members of the armed formations continued to deny the SMM passage at checkpoints along official crossing routes in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.*
• The Mission continued monitoring all three disengagement areas. It recorded ceasefire violations inside the disengagement area near Petrivske and about 110 ceasefire violations which it was unable to assess as inside or outside the disengagement area.
• The SMM observed persons inside former positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and of the armed formations inside the disengagement area near Zolote.
• The SMM saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line in Luhansk region.
• The Mission continued following up on measures taken amid the COVID-19 outbreak, including at entry-exit checkpoints and checkpoints in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Members of the armed formations continued to restrict the SMM’s freedom of movement, including at checkpoints near Olenivka, Lozove and Stanytsia Luhanska.*

Željka Šulc

On 3 June 2020, high school students from the Municipality of Jajce, represented by the Student Council of the Secondary Vocational School Jajce, handed over IT equipment for the Secondary Vocational School and “Nikola Sop” Secondary School, with the support of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).

These students, the 2018 Max van der Stoel Award winners, decided to invest the award in improving the education process at the Secondary Vocational School and the “Nikola Sop” Secondary School.

After discussions on what could help students in their everyday life in school and improve learning process, they decided to purchase IT equipment, interactive boards, smart benches, and window blinds. They also decided to organize summer camp for students.

Mladen Marijanac, Acting Head of the OSCE Field Office Travnik, praised the efforts of the high school students for deciding to spend the award on a common good.  “Today, we are here to handover IT equipment as it was a priority because of the exit exams. Other goods will be delivered as soon as they arrive,” said Marijanac.

“Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina should be proud of these students, because of their continued engagement in local community. They are examples of how individuals can contribute to creating a better future for all,” concluded Marijanac.

Communication and Media Relations Section

A three-day online training course aimed at strengthening the capacity of Turkmenistan to counter terrorist financing was organized from 1 to 3 June 2020.  Eighteen experts and practitioners from the Financial Monitoring Service under the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministries of Internal Affairs and of National Security, and the Prosecutor’s Office of Turkmenistan participated in the course.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) organized the course at the Financial Monitoring Service of Turkmenistan, in co-operation with the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department and the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

It aimed at strengthening Turkmenistan’s compliance with international standards, UN Security Council Resolutions, in particular Resolution 2462 (2019), the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF)’s standards, and UN norms and OSCE commitments to promote human rights-based approaches in countering terrorist financing.

The course emphasized the key role of inter-agency co-operation and of involving all relevant stakeholders, from public and private sectors, in efforts aimed at countering terrorist financing. Participants worked on exercises highlighting specific instruments and techniques that play an important role in countering this threat.

“One of the UNODC Regional Office in Central Asia’s primary objective is to increase the capacity of the national law enforcement, financial intelligence units (FIU) and financial institutions to detect and combat terrorist financing, disrupt terrorist networks and recover proceeds of crime,” said Ashita Mittal, UNODC Regional Representative in Central Asia. “Currently, government bodies and the private sector are actively working to prepare the Republic of Turkmenistan for its mutual assessment for compliance with the FATF international standards. In order to provide technical assistance and improve the effectiveness of the national framework for Anti-money laundering and Combating terrorism financing we are implementing the training programme on Countering the Financing of Terrorism.”

Natalya Drozd, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, said: “The OSCE developed comprehensive measures to contribute to international efforts aimed at preventing and combating terrorist financing. Today’s event offers an excellent opportunity to share unique expertise accumulated by the OSCE and UNODC, and we believe it will contribute to the efforts of the Government of Turkmenistan to enhance the national system of combating terrorist financing in line with international standards and requirements of relevant international bodies”.

Fejzo Numanaj, Acting Head of the Action against Terrorism Unit of the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department, said: “The OSCE-UNODC’s innovative multi-annual capacity-building programme to support national efforts on countering terrorist financing in Central Asia brings more real-life cases and exercises, more team work and interaction than other training programmes. It also allows for more local ownership since the curriculum can be updated based on suggestions from national experts.”

Chary Atayev, Acting Head of the UNODC Programme Office in Turkmenistan added: “ The UNODC Programme Office in Turkmenistan supports joint efforts and initiatives in the field of countering transnational organized crime and terrorist financing. The implementation of the OSCE-UNODC multi-annual training programme will help relevant national authorities to be more effective in achieving common goals and addressing common threats such as the financing of terrorism.”    

SUMMARY

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

OPERATIONAL REMARKS

The OM is currently operating with 20 permanent international staff members, including the Chief Observer (CO). 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 applying a self-isolation regime between the shifts at the border checkpoints and adherence 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 fulfill its mandate without any limitations in its observation and reporting activities.

OBSERVATIONS AT THE BORDER CROSSING POINTS

Persons crossing the border                                                                                                                                                                               

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

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

The average number of entries/exits increased from 686 to 873 per day at both BCPs compared to last week[1].

During the reporting period, the majority of border crossings were to Ukraine, with an average net flow of eight 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 suspended.

Persons in military-style outfits

During the reporting period, the number of persons in military-style outfits crossing the border was nine compared to eight last week, eight of them crossed into the Russian Federation and one into Ukraine at the Donetsk BCP. 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, one family was observed crossing into the Russian Federation and one family was observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when two families were observed crossing to the Russian Federation, while four families crossed into Ukraine.

Bus connections                                         

Regular local and long-distance bus connections between Ukraine (mostly from/to the Luhansk region) and the Russian Federation were stopped from 10 April. During the reporting period, no buses were observed at the two BCPs.

Trucks

During the reporting period, the OTs observed a slight decrease in the overall number of trucks crossing the border at both BCPs (994 compared to 1001 during the previous reporting week); 458 at the Gukovo BCP and 536 at the Donetsk BCP, 575 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 419 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 week, the number of tanker trucks increased from 49 to 70.  These trucks were observed crossing the border at both BCPs. The trucks had the words “Propane” and “Flammable” written across the tanks in either Russian or Ukrainian. The majority of tanker trucks had hazard signs, indicating that they were transporting propane or a mix of propane and butane.

All trucks underwent systematic inspection by the Russian Federation officials, which could include an X-ray check. Due to the unfavourable observation position at the Gukovo BCP, the OTs continued to be unable to observe any X-ray checks.

Compared to the previous week, the total number of X-ray checks at the Donetsk BCP increased from 162 to 193. Of the total number of trucks scanned, 156 trucks (81 per cent) were bound for Ukraine: the remaining 37 trucks (19 per cent) crossed into the Russian Federation.

Minivans

The OM continued to observe passenger and cargo minivans[2] 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. Compared to the previous week, the number of cargo minivans increased from 76 to 82 vehicles; 42 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 40 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 35 occasions; the OTs assessed that 18 trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and the remaining 17 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.

For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 28 April to 2 June 2020, please see the attachment here.

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

[2] 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).

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Compared with the previous 24 hours, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region.
• On two separate occasions, small-arms fire was assessed as directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), flying over and near the disengagement area near Petrivske.   
• An SMM mini-UAV spotted recent damage and craters caused by shelling in Kamianka, Donetsk region.
• Members of the armed formations continued to deny the Mission passage at checkpoints along official crossing routes in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.*
• The Mission continued monitoring all three disengagement areas. Inside the disengagement area near Petrivske, it recorded ceasefire violations and observed persons inside former positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and of the armed formations.
• The Mission continued following up on measures taken amid the COVID-19 outbreak, including at entry-exit checkpoints and checkpoints in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Members of the armed formations continued to restrict the SMM’s freedom of movement.*

COPENHAGEN, 2 June 2020 - Following reports of the detention of numerous political activists engaged in activities related to the upcoming presidential election in Belarus, the leaders of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's human rights committee, Chair Kyriakos Hadjiyianni (Cyprus), Vice-Chair Michael Link (Germany), and Rapporteur and Kari Henriksen (Norway), released the following statement:

“With an important election just two months away, it is crucial that the authorities in Belarus do all they can to enable a thorough and open campaign environment. We are very concerned that the detention of prominent political activists not only inhibits the work of potential campaigns, but has a chilling effect on society. We therefore call on the authorities to exercise utmost restraint in the run-up to the important 9 August presidential election, and hope for a more free environment than we have previously witnessed.”

Election observation missions deployed by the OSCE PA and partners have previously expressed concern about restrictions on fundamental freedoms of assembly, association and expression.

Media reports indicate that activists were detained on 29 and 30 May in several cities around Belarus in conjunction with their efforts to collect signatures in support of potential presidential candidates.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is comprised of 323 parliamentarians from 57 countries spanning Europe, Central Asia and North America. The Assembly provides a forum for parliamentary diplomacy, monitors elections, and strengthens international co-operation to uphold commitments on political, security, economic, environmental and human rights issues.

Communication and Media Relations Section Ilona Kazaryan

Seventeen young men and women from across North Macedonia participated in an online capacity-building training course for youth leaders on preventing violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (P/CVERLT). The OSCE Mission to Skopje organized the course, held from 19 May to 2 June 2020, with technical support provided by the Action against Terrorism Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department. The course builds on a module delivered in February.

This second module focused on the online dimension of preventing and countering violent extremism, and media literacy. It was designed to expand youth leaders’ skills gained from the first module, which explored topics such as understanding and addressing violent extremism and human rights.

The training, co-funded by the EU, forms part of the OSCE’s Leaders against Intolerance and Violent Extremism (LIVE) initiative, which seeks to promote efforts against violent extremism across the OSCE area developed and led by civil society at the grassroots level to address local specifics.

"The OSCE’s LIVE initiative is one of the rare projects that offers lifetime learning,” said Risto Saveski, participant of the LIVE Project. “Perhaps one cannot change the water current, but drop by drop one can make a change. LIVE focuses on those local initiatives, which together can bring a new wave. By putting youth leaders at the helm against radicalization and extremism in our society, a domino effect can be initiated, that will one day in the future break the chain in the ecosystems of violence and extremism."

The Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje Clemens Koja said that the Mission is committed to contributing to prevention and countering violent extremism in North Macedonia.

“I strongly believe there is no better investment in building community resilience to violent extremism than empowering young people, the best advocates and promoters of the ideas of peace, tolerance and mutual understanding. And that is what the LIVE Project stands for - investing in young people’s knowledge and building trust,” he said.

453534 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized a two-day online presentation of expert recommendations for the digital transformation of print media in Turkmenistan, which started 2 June 2020.

The presentation was facilitated by international experts from the Russian Federation who developed a comprehensive set of recommendations for the digitalization of print media. The event brought together representatives from national media and institutions involved in the process of media digitalization.

Discussion topics included digital economy of the media, audience and digital content, newspaper websites in the digital environment as well as the transformation of editorial offices and the challenges for managers and journalists.

Natalya Drozd, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, referred to the 14th Central Asia Media Conference “From traditional to online media: best practices and perspectives”, held in Ashgabat in 2012, which welcomed the fact that online media allows for more diversity and pluralism.  

“Indeed, while the internet offers broad opportunities for the media, the new technological environment places a great responsibility on media managers and journalists as well as on governments, which should contribute to ensuring media pluralism,” Drozd said.

“The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat initiated the development of recommendations to provide expert support to the government of Turkmenistan in the process of the digital transformation of print media and we stand ready to continue our partnership in the area of media reform,” added Drozd.

The event offered the participants an opportunity to get insights into multimedia formats and digital instruments and to discuss optimal models of the digital subscription, monetization and funding of newspaper websites. The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the development of online media was also discussed.

On 28 and 29 May 2020 in Tirana, the OSCE Presence in Albania, in co-operation with the Law Faculty at the University of Tirana, organized a workshop with the academic staff of the new Master Programme in Criminology, aimed to improve capacities of professionals, academics and policy-makers to identify root causes of crime.

Professor Kimberly McCabe, an international expert in criminology, University of Lynchburg, Virginia, shared her experiences with some 30 academics from the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Social Sciences. Professor McCabe also held an open lecture in Victimology on 20 May with the participation of about 90 students from the Master’s Programme in Criminal Justice, from the Law Faculty.

The activity aims to assess the needs and challenges of the lecturers and provide concepts, tools and skills for the new master programme. It also shaped future training sessions for the same target group scheduled to take place September - October 2020.

“Well-planned crime prevention strategies not only prevent crime and victimization, but also promote community safety and contribute to the sustainable development of countries,” said Claudio Pala, Head of the Presence’s Rule of Law and Human Rights Department.

Prof. Dr. Artan Hoxha, Dean of the Law Faculty, said: "We are all involved in the process of establishing this master programme, a challenging commitment, but we have had constant support from the OSCE Presence and the academic staff itself. Thanks to the long and continuous preparation, we will implement this programme successfully."

Professor Vasilika Hysi, a veteran criminology expert and part-time lecturer, shared how she feels responsible for the Master’s programme. “I have been dreaming about it for 20 years now.”

A collection of papers on the protection of victims of crime, the role of the state in human trafficking; factors that influence adolescent criminal behavior, and the impact of alternative criminal punishment measures in Albanian can be found here: https://www.osce.org/presence-in-albania/453195

The United States Government financially supported these activities, implemented in close co-operation with Tirana’s Law Faculty, and the support of the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Ministries of Justice and Internal Affairs.

COPENHAGEN, 29 May 2020 – Addressing the leaders of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in an online forum today, OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger discussed the challenges that COVID-19 is posing to multilateral diplomacy and highlighted how the OSCE has responded with flexibility and resilience in the face of the crisis.

Stressing that the lessons learned from this experience can help ensure that the OSCE is well prepared to deal with future crises, Greminger pointed out that COVID-19 has demonstrated the need to revitalize multilateralism and build a co-operative international order.

“It is now clear that the COVID-19 pandemic is a major geopolitical event of historical proportions,” Greminger said. “A pandemic is never welcome, but this one has arrived at a very delicate juncture. The multilateral system was already under enormous strain, with tensions and mistrust already growing for quite some time.”

Greminger regretted that despite UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s call for a global ceasefire, the window of opportunity for peace is quickly closing.

“In our region, the pandemic is having an impact on conflicts, on the civilian populations affected by them, and on the various formats attempting to address them. Conflict resolution has become harder, and progress has slowed,” he said.

Nevertheless, he noted that the organization has adapted well to new realities, with videoconferencing continuing to provide a platform for inclusive diplomatic dialogue. OSCE field operations have also quickly adapted to the new situation, offering both a range of short-term and medium-term support to their host countries, he said. Emerging themes for support include crisis management and preparedness, corruption prevention, gender-related impacts of the crisis; increased focus on combatting human trafficking, and in Central Asia, border management issues related to COVID-19.

In his remarks, OSCE PA President George Tsereteli (Georgia) noted that the OSCE has demonstrated its effectiveness during the pandemic, highlighting in particular the areas in which the institutions of the OSCE have collaborated. He said that going forward, the OSCE must be even more united. He also noted that COVID has highlighted the need to consider reforms of rules and working procedures in order to adjust for possible crises in the future.

Members raised numerous issues in the discussion with SG Greminger, with questions posed about connectivity, protracted conflicts, fake news, and how to ensure that the OSCE remains relevant through the promotion of an approach to COVID-19 based on the three dimensions of security.

Greminger said that the pandemic has highlighted gaps in digital connectivity, which the OSCE is addressing through a number of projects, including in the Caspian Sea basin. Regarding mediation efforts on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Secretary General said that the sides in the conflict are participating in online meetings, but it is important to resume in-person meetings for real progress to be made. Greminger discussed how the OSCE is working to determine a multidimensional approach to addressing the COVID-19 crisis, including by ensuring that any restrictions governments take on fundamental freedoms are proportionate and time-bound.

Taking note that the OSCE budget was adopted yesterday, PA Secretary General Roberto Montella pointed out that the OSCE does an extraordinary amount of work with limited financial resources.

Lord Peter Bowness, OSCE PA Vice-President and Chair of the Sub-Committee on Rules of Procedure and Working Practices, made a presentation on the advisability of reviewing the OSCE PA’s Rules of Procedure, including finding ways to ensure the continuity of Assembly functions during times of crisis.

In the general discussion, OSCE PA leaders agreed that the COVID-19 crisis offered a good opportunity to make a general review of the OSCE PA’s working procedures.

COPENHAGEN, 1 June 2020 – Today, the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Georgian parliamentarian George Tsereteli, issued the following statement on the situation in the United States:

“I have been following the protests taking place in cities across the United States and the at times heavy-handed police response with concern. While incidents of criminal behavior on the part of certain protesters cannot be tolerated, I emphasize that the police have a duty to exercise restraint and to respect the rights of citizens voicing their grievances. Especially considering that the protests were initially motivated by anger over police brutality and the tragic death of George Floyd in Minnesota, overzealous policing of demonstrations may only serve to fuel the anger and could lead to more violence and unrest.

“Rather than responding with force, it is important that authorities listen to the message of the protesters, particularly their demands for accountability and an end to violent policing tactics, especially in minority communities.

“I’ve also been concerned by reports of journalists covering the demonstrations being arrested or hit with less-lethal munitions such as rubber-coated bullets. The press has a right – and indeed a responsibility – to cover any demonstrations and police must refrain from targeting these individuals who are providing a vital service to the public.”

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is comprised of 323 parliamentarians from 57 countries spanning Europe, Central Asia and North America. The Assembly provides a forum for parliamentary diplomacy, monitors elections, and strengthens international co-operation to uphold commitments on political, security, economic, environmental and human rights issues.