Central Europe

442276

Roundtable discussions on national and international good practices and challenges in engaging women in activities aimed at preventing violent extremism and other crimes among women took place in Tashkent and Ferghana on 10 and 12 December 2019, respectively. Members of the Senate of Oliy Majlis (parliament), representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, civil society organizations and international experts attended the events.

Effective national legislation combined with well-functioning policy measures is key to preventing female criminality, including radicalization of women. The debate focused on Uzbekistan’s experience in the re-integration of women returning from conflict zones and existing international practices. The Committee on Women and Gender Issues of the Senate of Oliy Majlis and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan in co-operation with the OSCE Secretariat organized the discussions.

“Ensuring the rights and interests of women and increasing their economic, social and political participation were identified as an important direction of Uzbekistan’s state policy. In recent years, specific measures have been taken to ensure an effective mechanism to advance women’s interests. At the same time, special attention is paid to the prevention of crime among women through the promotion and employment of women in difficult social situations, and addressing their housing problems”, said Svetlana Artikova, Deputy Head of the General Prosecutor’s Office.

John MacGregor, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, congratulated “female public servants – and so many of the other allies and partners here today who are doing invaluable work in establishing trust and relationships with the communities they serve in order to prevent crimes linked to violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (VERLT), drug- and human trafficking.”

International experts Dr. Tracy C. Ostertag, the Gender Adviser from the Canadian Police Mission in Ukraine, Seran de Leede, an independent researcher at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism in the Hague and Camilla Bognoe, a Counter Terrorism Officer, from the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department, presented international practices.  “The OSCE Gender Section strongly supports discussions providing guidance to police and tools to better understand gender dynamics in VERLT,” said Martin Dexborg, Adviser on Gender Issues at the OSCE Secretariat.

The OSCE Guidebook on Understanding the Role of Gender in Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization That Lead to Terrorism - Good Practices for Law Enforcement is a useful resource for representatives of national authorities, especially for police investigators, as well as for other stakeholders involved in crime prevention.

The roundtable discussions were part of the OSCE extra-budgetary project “Support to Women’s Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan” and received financial support from the Governments of Finland and Norway.  

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. It recorded an explosion in Luhansk region.
• The Mission continued to monitor the situation in the disengagement areas near Petrivske, Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska.
• It saw a tank in violation of withdrawal lines in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region.
• The SMM saw for the first time six anti-tank mines near a road leading from non-government-controlled Verkhnoshyrokivske to government-controlled Pyshchevyk.
• The SMM monitored adherence to a localized ceasefire to facilitate the drilling of water wells in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.
• Freedom of movement for the SMM continued to be restricted, including near Korsun, Staropetrivske and at a checkpoint close to Verkhnoshyrokivske, all in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region.*

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 none in Luhansk region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the situation in the disengagement areas near Petrivske, Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska.
• The SMM monitored adherence to a localized ceasefire to facilitate the drilling of water wells in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.
• The SMM saw two convoys of trucks with Russian Federation licence plates in non-government-controlled Donetsk and Luhansk cities.
• The Mission monitored border crossing points in non-government-controlled areas.
• Freedom of movement for the SMM continued to be restricted, including delays at checkpoints of the armed formations near Verkhnoshyrokivske and the disengagement area near Petrivske.*

VIENNA, 13 December 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his hope that the perpetrators of, and masterminds behind, the murder of the journalist Pavlo Sheremet will soon be identified and brought to justice, after the Ukrainian authorities declared five persons to be suspects.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed yesterday that “the probable murderers are detained”, after the deputy National police chief Yevhen Koval presented the names of five suspects involved in the crime, several of them being former volunteers or people with military experience.

“The truth about this horrendous crime must be known,” Désir said. “I hope the killers and those who organized the murder will now be identified. I call for an end of impunity in this murder.”

Sheremet, a journalist with Radio Vesti and the Ukrainskaya Pravda online media outlet, was killed in a car explosion on 20 July 2016, in Kyiv. Throughout his professional career, Sheremet worked as a journalist in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine.

“Pavel Sheremet was a courageous journalist who reported on human rights violations, journalists’ disappearances and corruption cases,” Désir said. “He received many awards, but also many threats because of his work. His assassination was a shock in Ukraine and in Europe. All those involved, all perpetrators and masterminds, must face justice.”

Désir has publicly called on the Ukrainian authorities numerous times in the past to step up their efforts in investigating Sheremet’s murder, most recently at the Moscow Conference on Freedom of the Media and Safety of Journalists in the Russian Federation and in the OSCE region on 6 November 2019. See https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/438065?download=true.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. He provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.

VIENNA, 13 December 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, raised his concerns today at the disproportionate damages of more than 320,000 US dollars demanded in a defamation suit against the Kyrgyzstan media organizations Azattyk (the Kyrgyz-language service of the international broadcaster RFE/RL), Kloop.kg and 24.kg.

“I am highly concerned that today these media in Kyrgyzstan have to fight a legal battle which will cast a shadow upon their very existence,” Désir said. “Disproportionate damages in civil defamation cases have a chilling effect on media freedom. It may bring about the closure of outlets and endanger media pluralism. I call for respect for journalists who reported on this case, including investigative journalists, who play a key role in press freedom and democracy,” the Representative said.

A number of plaintiffs lodged the defamation suit against the three media organizations following the publication of investigative reports concerning money-laundering schemes up to 700 million US dollars involving senior officials in the Kyrgyz customs service. A source for the story was shot dead in Istanbul in early November this year. The sums of damages demanded amount to 22 million som, approximately 320,000 US dollars. Journalist Ali Toktakunov of Azattyk is being sued in person for 10 million som, around 142,000 US dollars.

On 12 December, the Sverdlov district court of Bishkek ordered the freeze of the three media organization’s bank accounts. Following public outcry in Kyrgyzstan and abroad the plaintiffs wrote to the court on 13 December, asking for a repeal of the decision.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. He provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/

442174 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

Following the early parliamentary elections in Greece on 7 July 2019, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has published its final report. The report notes that the elections were competitive and offered voters a wide choice of political alternatives, with fundamental freedoms largely respected. Although certain aspects of electoral legislation could be improved, the report notes that the elections were effectively administered and enjoyed a high level of public confidence.

Key recommendations include:

• Reviewing the legal timeframe and related deadlines for early elections, in particular to allow more time for the printing and distribution of ballots.

• Undertaking joint additional efforts to help all voters to participate, by ensuring that polling stations can be independently accessed by voters with disabilities, and providing voters with the right to choose the people who will assist them.

• Introducing effective mechanisms to counter intolerant rhetoric, including xenophobic and inflammatory language that incites to hatred and violence.

• Ensuring the regulatory authority for campaign finance has adequate resources to monitor compliance with regulations, and that it publishes information of public interest quickly, to enhance the transparency of its work.

ODIHR deployed an election assessment mission on 24 June 2019 to observe the elections. All 57 countries across the OSCE region have formally committed to following up promptly on ODIHR’s election assessments and recommendations.

442177 Communication and Media Relations Section

A two-day expert workshop on “Strengthening Security and Inter-operability along Euro-Asian Inland Transport Corridors” took place in Tbilisi on 12 and 13 December 2019.  The event was organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) jointly with the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and in partnership with the Transport and Logistics Development Policy Department of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia.

Over 40 experts and officials from relevant agencies as well as railway transport operators, private sector associations and representatives of research institutions and think tanks from across many countries in the Euro-Asian region attended.  Participants discussed a wide range of issues related to the current state of affairs in the Euro-Asian region’s inland transport networks and ways to address existing challenges. Among the solutions discussed were establishing unified regulatory regimes and international coordination mechanisms for efficient management of inland transport systems.

Participants also discussed the use of new technologies and development of intelligent transport systems, such as corridor-based tracking and tracing of shipments. The measures to mitigate cyber threats to transport links on a national and international level were also part of the discussion.

“Connectivity is not only about physical infrastructure, regulatory and administrative barriers. It is also about addressing safety and security issues in order to ensure uninterrupted international transport and trade,” said Ketevan Salukvadze, the Head of Transport and Logistics Development Policy Department of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia. “We should also not forget the importance of modern technologies. Application of e-documents, IT solutions, corridor management systems including in-time tracking and tracing is key for effective and efficient supply chain management." 

“We assist our participating States in addressing specific transit transportation challenges and provide a platform for positive discussions on trade and connectivity that can be used  for building trust and security, in the area” said  Programme Officer at OCEEA Kurban Babayev.

Konstantinos Alexopoulos, Chief of the Transport Facilitation and Economics Section at the Sustainable Transport Division of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNICE) said: “The UNECE’s Euro-Asian Transport Links project brings together over 38 countries from Europe and Asia. It shows that road and rail transportation along Euro-Asian corridors is supplementing rather than competing with maritime transport. In particular, road and railway networks provide a solution for high value and time-sensitive cargo, especially in the context of growing e-commerce.”

This event is a follow-up activity to the joint OSCE-UNECE Inland Transport Security Discussion Forum on “Strengthening Security on Inland Freight Routes“ organized in September of this year in Geneva.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

VIENNA, 13 December 2019 - The commitment undertaken at the Normandy Four Summit in Paris to achieve a full and comprehensive implementation of the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine by the end of 2019 is encouraging, said OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) Chief Monitor, Yaşar Halit Çevik, in his address to the OSCE Permanent Council yesterday in Vienna. 

“Progress on the ground is visible,” said Çevik. “The work done on the bridge and the surrounding areas near Stanytsia Luhanska has improved the conditions for the thousands of civilians crossing the contact line on daily basis.”

“In the Zolote and Petrivske disengagement areas, forces and hardware were withdrawn and the SMM has observed efforts for demining and dismantling of fortifications,” said Çevik.

The Chief Monitor stated that through enhanced presence, monitoring, reporting and dialogue facilitation, the SMM has been an integral element ensuring the progress achieved.

442105 Željka Šulc

SARAJEVO, 13 December 2019 –The Environmental Legal Clinics Programme, organized by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Aarhus Centre Sarajevo, concluded today in Sarajevo. Twenty students from the universities of Sarajevo and Istočno Sarajevo were awarded certificates for their participation.

From September to December 2019, law students from the two universities had the opportunity to enhance their knowledge on environmental law, through a combination of expert-led lectures and workshops focusing on the Aarhus Convention and its application in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).

“Strengthening legal expertise on the environment is vital to addressing serious issues, including toxic air pollution, poor waste management and illegal construction, as well as for strengthening access to justice and ultimately for building a safe and sustainable future for all BiH citizens,” said Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina. “I am proud to award certificates to BiH’s future lawyers, certain that they will continue to further enhance their knowledge and skills on this essential topic and contribute to improving the quality of life, health, and security of the people of this country.”

After the completion of the project, successful students will have a chance to apply for volunteer opportunities with the Aarhus Centre Sarajevo to gain further practical experience on environmental cases and to give back to the local community.

“Environmental lawyers are a true ray of hope at a time when pollution and devastation of the environment and natural resources are threatening the very survival of human civilization," said Emina Veljović, Executive Director of Aarhus Centre Sarajevo. “That is why the Aarhus Centre advocates for the introduction and strengthening of environmental law studies at universities in BiH. The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the City of Sarajevo have recognized the value of this initiative, and, with their support, we have educated a new generation of young lawyers, in the hope that this knowledge will inspire them to launch their initiatives for the benefit of all citizens in BiH.”

Sunčica Kovačević, a Law student at the University of Istočno Sarajevo, said: “The Environmental Legal Clinic, as one of the best extracurricular activities I have undertaken, offered us an opportunity to gain knowledge on Environmental Law, through interactive workshops and the ideal ratio of theory and practice. This precious experience will shape my future engagement as a lawyer, but also as an environmentally conscious citizen.”

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina will continue to support the Aarhus Centres in BiH in implementing activities aimed at promoting and strengthening both access to justice and environmental protection in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

COPENHAGEN, 13 December 2019 – More than 50 observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly are deploying to Uzbekistan for the 22 December parliamentary elections. It is the first time for the OSCE PA observing an election in the country.

OSCE PA President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) will serve as Special Co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observer mission, following an appointment by the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak. Tsereteli has led a number of observer missions in the past, including to Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Moldova, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

“We note that a wave of changes have been undertaken recently in Uzbekistan, including revisions of its legal and electoral framework. As we are deploying for the first time a full-fledged observation mission to the country, this is also the first time that its new reforms are really put to the test. We hope to see good-faith implementation in line with OSCE election-related commitments,” said President Tsereteli.

Tsereteli has appointed OSCE PA Vice-President Kari Henriksen (MP, Norway) to lead the OSCE PA observer delegation. Vice-President Henriksen has extensive experience in politics in her home country and as an election observer with the OSCE PA, having led the OSCE PA delegation of observers to the parliamentary elections in Moldova earlier this year.

“As observers, we will look at all aspects of the election system, as well as the media environment and political climate, and will offer a fair and balanced assessment,” said Henriksen. “Our election observation is a check on progress and part of a larger process in supporting democratic development across the OSCE area. This is critical to ensuring that all parts of society – including both men and women – can effectively take part in the governing of their country.”

For the 22 December parliamentary elections, the OSCE PA will work closely with observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. They will deliver the post-election statement of preliminary findings and conclusions at a press conference in Tashkent on 23 December.

The elections will be assessed for their compliance with commitments found in the 1990 OSCE Copenhagen Document. For background on OSCE PA election observation, please click here.

442126 Communication and Media Relations Section

An OSCE regional training workshop dedicated to proactive and intelligence-led approaches to targeting transnational organized crime groups took place on 12 and 13 December 2019 in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Some 60 senior law enforcement professionals from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Moldova, and Ukraine attended the workshop organized by the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department/Strategic Police Matters Unit, in co-operation with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine and the Internal Affairs Ministry of Ukraine.

The workshop included case studies showing proactive approaches to combating organized crime by experienced practitioners from the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States, State Police of Italy, National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine as well as briefings by experts from INTERPOL, EUROPOL and the European Union Advisory Mission Ukraine.

Participants discussed latest trends and developments as well as challenges, good practices and lessons learned in the fight against organized crime in Baltic, Eastern European and South Caucasus regions.

“Ensuring a safe environment for our citizens is a top priority of the Ukrainian Government. A proactive approach to policing aimed at disrupting and preventing criminal activities plays an indispensable role in these efforts,” said Tetiana Kovalchuk, Deputy Internal Affairs Minister of Ukraine.

“Growing complexity, sophistication and the transnational nature of organized crime groups calls for innovative ways of combating this threat. Intelligence-led policing has proved to be an effective method in dismantling these actors,” said Arnar Jensson, the OSCE Intelligence-Led Policing Project Manager.

The event was a part of a series of national and regional training workshops organized by the Strategic Police Matters Unit under its extra-budgetary project on Intelligence-led Policing (ILP). The OSCE Guidebook on Intelligence-Led Policing presents a common and coherent approach to implementing ILP in the OSCE area.

442129 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

To discuss means of putting democracies across the OSCE region back on track as intolerance increases and pressure grows on the independence of the judiciary in many places, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) together with the Office of the Polish Ombudsman are holding the third annual Civil Rights Congress.

“This year we were marking the 30th anniversary of the peaceful revolutions that brought down the Berlin Wall, which brought Europe together after so many years of division,” said ODIHR Director Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir. “But although this year is a time of celebration, the foundations of our human rights system are under unprecedented attack. We must push back against those who seek to undermine democracy from within.”

The velvet revolutions that swept Central Eastern Europe 30 years ago gave rise to a time of optimism that has been lost as threats to democracies grow. In the face of increasing conflict across the OSCE region and a lack of solidarity with communities who find themselves excluded and discriminated against, respect for human rights and the rule of law are under threat. This makes it all the more important to discuss and demonstrate their essential role in developing and sustaining flourishing democracies.

Since the first Civil Rights Congress in Poland took place in 2017, the event has brought together more than 5,000 people to exchange views and experiences and seek to develop effective ways of protecting human rights and freedoms. It was conceived as a platform for both frank discussion and deeper reflection, helping those who work in the area of human rights, from activists through to legal experts, to find new and effective solutions.

“Both human rights activists and the general public need to be empowered to think and act when they witness intolerance, hatred, or any other human rights abuse,” said Polish Ombudsman Adam Bodnar. “A frank discussion about the current dangers to our democratic systems and the principles on which they are founded is crucial to finding sustainable solutions.”

Participants will discuss urgent challenges to human rights, from the move by some governments around the OSCE region to increase their control over judicial appointments and promotions, through to the use of hate speech in political or election campaigns. While fuelling prejudice against the most vulnerable in society can bring short-term political gain, European history has shown many times that the consequences of xenophobia and polarization leading to a breakdown in dialogue can be fatal.

Almost 2,000 participants registered for the 2019 Congress, demonstrating the high degree of interest by activists and the public in working to protect civil society, strengthen judicial independence, fight for gender equality and support those whose rights are often threatened on an everyday basis.

442051 Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan

An OSCE-organized week-long simulation exercise on countering drug-related money laundering concluded on 13 December 2019 in Almaty. It took place at the Central Asian Regional Information and Co-ordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors (CARICC).

Some 20 police officers, prosecutors, representatives of the Financial Monitoring Committee from Kazakhstan’s southern regions, along with representatives of a private entity, took part in the live-action training.

The simulation exercise was developed for law enforcement officers involved in investigating, prosecuting and adjudicating cases related to the laundering of proceeds derived from illicit drug trafficking and trade. The participants studied the specificities of co-operating with private entities, whose online instruments are used by criminals to hide their illegal activities. Professional actors were involved in producing the video for participants to analyse. The actors portrayed members of a transnational criminal group, which organized illicit trafficking of drugs and their sale. International experts from Belarus and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, who participated in the development of the scenario for the exercise, monitored and evaluated the work of the participants throughout exercise.   

The simulation was organized in co-operation with the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Programme of the US Embassy in Nur-Sultan, the Law Enforcement Agencies Academy under the General Prosecutor’s Office and the CARICC.

The event is part of the Programme Office’s multi-year effort to promote good governance, combat money laundering and terrorism financing, as well as illicit trafficking and trade of drugs, including using online instruments. 

442051 Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

An OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultane-organized week-long simulation exercise on countering drug-related money laundering concluded on 13 December 2019 in Almaty. It took place at the Central Asian Regional Information and Co-ordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors (CARICC).

Some 20 police officers, prosecutors, representatives of the Financial Monitoring Committee from Kazakhstan’s southern regions, along with representatives of a private entity, took part in the live-action training.

The simulation exercise was developed for law enforcement officers involved in investigating, prosecuting and adjudicating cases related to the laundering of proceeds derived from illicit drug trafficking and trade. The participants studied the specificities of co-operating with private entities, whose online instruments are used by criminals to hide their illegal activities. Professional actors were involved in producing the video for participants to analyse.

The actors portrayed members of a transnational criminal group, which organized illicit trafficking of drugs and their sale. International experts from Belarus and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, who participated in the development of the scenario for the exercise, monitored and evaluated the work of the participants throughout exercise.   

The simulation was organized in co-operation with the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Programme of the US Embassy in Nur-Sultan, the Law Enforcement Agencies Academy under the General Prosecutor’s Office and the CARICC.

The event is part of the Programme Office’s multi-year effort to promote good governance, combat money laundering and terrorism financing, as well as illicit trafficking and trade of drugs, including using online instruments. 

442039 Communication and Media Relations Section

How to combat human trafficking and the smuggling of migrants through a multi-disciplinary approach and multi-level co-operation was the focus of a regional workshop for government and law enforcement officials held in Valletta on 9 and 10 December 2019.

The workshop was organized by the Strategic Police Matters Unit of the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department (SPMU), in joint co-operation with the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section of the Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking Branch of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the International Organization for Migration-the UN Migration Agency (IOM).

Representatives of 16 countries - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Egypt, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Montenegro, Morocco, North Macedonia, Serbia, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine, as well as host Malta – shared their experiences in this area.

“Addressing human trafficking requires co-operation among several stakeholders,” said Michael Farrugia, Malta’s Minister for Home Affairs and National Security, opening the event. “Malta enhanced such co-operation through the creation of a high-level monitoring committee, involving representatives of different ministries, that focuses on policy issues, and the creation of a stakeholder taskforce that focuses on an operational level.”

Malta’s Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms, Citizenship and Simplification of Administrative Processes Julia Farrugia Portelli also addressed participants on the importance of involving non-government actors and the private sectors. 

Over the course of the discussion, participants explored community-based approaches and cross-border community co-operation, where both law enforcement officials and civil society organizations work in partnership to conduct assessments and collect preliminary information on both victims and perpetrators. Participants noted that both approaches have the potential to effectively prevent the incidence of future crimes.

They acknowledged the need to establish professional multidisciplinary teams, which should address migrants’ vulnerabilities in a more effective manner as well as allow for the conduct of joint investigations that support the effective prosecution of criminals.

Participants also highlighted the importance of assessing the vulnerability of individuals or groups of people on the move at an early stage, which requires a holistic evaluation of the risk and protection factors.

The event is a continuation of the partnership established in 2014 between SPMU, IOM and the UNODC in the area of countering multi-disciplinary organized crime.

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 more in Luhansk region.
• The SMM continued monitoring the situation in the disengagement areas near Petrivske, Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska. It recorded ceasefire violations near the Petrivske disengagement area.
• It monitored adherence to localized ceasefires to facilitate the drilling of water wells in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at checkpoints of the armed formations near Verkhnoshyrokivske and the disengagement area near Petrivske.*

VIENNA, 12 December 2019 – The OSCE Secretariat today launched a new online resource containing help and information pages to support efforts to prevent and combat violence against women. Available in six languages, www.stopvawnow.org is designed as a practical tool for officials, law enforcement agencies, NGOs and the wider public in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia as well as Moldova and Ukraine.

The webpage is arranged simply so that users can find the information they need quickly, with information, guidance and key contact telephone numbers relevant to each country.

Under the “I need help” section, women who experience violence can find information about who they can contact if they require support, such as the telephone numbers of local NGOs and helplines.

Under the “I want to help” section, the OSCE has compiled a number of steps that concerned citizens can take to diffuse critical situations, support women and raise awareness.

The “I want information” section provides further details on the results and recommendations of the OSCE-led Survey on the Well-being and Safety of Women, which were published earlier this year. It found that 70% of women across South-Eastern and Eastern Europe have experienced some form of violence: sexual, physical, psychological, stalking or sexual harassment, but reporting of incidents remains low. Only 15% of women reported the most serious incident of severe current partner violence to the police.

“This online resource builds on the outcomes of the OSCE-led Survey on the Well-being and Safety of Women, which found that what women who have experienced a violent incident want the most is moral support and someone to talk to,” said Serani Siegel, the Survey’s project manager. “The Survey also underlined the importance of speaking up and providing women with the resources to report incidents of violence. The webpage will help in this regard and allow women to find a number of alternatives for reporting the violence and getting support.” 

The webpage is also designed to serve as a resource for government officials, law enforcement agencies, NGOs, academia and the media to gain a better understanding of the scale of the problem and to guide the implementation of policies and practices. By providing information on these issues, the webpage aims to combat victim-blaming attitudes that contribute to the silencing of survivors.

The launch of the webpage coincides with the end of the OSCE’s “End the Silence” campaign on 10 December, which was held during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence international campaign. The “End the Silence” campaign focused on changing mindsets and attitudes among the public that contribute to gender inequality and therefore to violence against women.

As part of this campaign, posters were printed and distributed to police stations in the survey locations that underlined the important role that police officers and other employees of police stations can play in supporting survivors of violence.

Social media users and influencers throughout the whole region supported the campaign and shared information on violence against women and on the OSCE-led Survey. The campaign engaged a large number of people in the region through the OSCE social media channels, with over 39,000 people reached on Facebook as well as over 57,000 impressions on Twitter and 16,000 on Instagram. The dedicated Instagram filter, specifically developed for the campaign, resulted in over 83,000 impressions over the course of the 16 days. The campaign was also widely supported by media and influencers, with a combined reach of over 20 million people.

441985 Željka Šulc

The establishment of special departments for fighting corruption within the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) Supreme Court and Prosecutor’s Office was the focus of a peer-to-peer meeting of entity and cantonal level judges, prosecutors, police and representatives of the FBiH Government, held on 12 December 2019 in Sarajevo.

The meeting was organized by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), as a follow up to its report “Trial Monitoring of Corruption Cases in BiH: Second Assessment”, which, inter alia, recommended that the plans to establish the special departments at the FBiH level should be reappraised by the FBiH political and judicial authorities based on all relevant factors.

The report also identified the lack of political willingness to improve the effectiveness of the judicial response to corruption. “The failure of the FBiH institutions to implement the Law on Fighting Corruption and Organized Crime in FBiH, which entered into force in February 2015, is a prime example of this. The special departments envisaged under that Law exist only on paper, reinforcing this pernicious culture of impunity. Political institutions, in co-operation with the judiciary, have to take responsibility for tackling this situation so that legal certainty can be re-established,” said Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH.

Participants agreed that the establishment of such departments is a strategic decision that must be based on a detailed assessment of possible benefits and detriments taking into account the necessary resources, foreseen jurisdiction, and the case-load that would, accordingly, be transferred from cantonal to the FBiH level.    

The meeting was held within the project “Assessing Needs of Judicial Response to Corruption through Monitoring of Criminal Cases”, implemented by the OSCE Mission to BiH and supported by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. 

Communication and Media Relations Section

A two-day expert meeting on how to address the digital dimensions of violent extremism in Central Asia opened on 12 December 2019 in Dushanbe for some 70 experts from all the Central Asian states and Afghanistan. The participants include representatives of law enforcement agencies, relevant state institutions, the ICT industry, civil society, youth organizations, academia, and the media.

The meeting is organized by the Government of Tajikistan in co-operation with the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, the “Civil Initiative on Internet Policy”, and the Action against Terrorism Unit of the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department.

“The very essence and the added value of the internet stems in large part from the fact that it was developed outside of any governmental regulation or interference,” said Gerrit Zach, Acting Deputy Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe. “Therefore, governments should bear in mind that regulation may be ineffectual, or even counterproductive, if it fails to respect international human rights and freedoms, including the freedoms of expression, association and religion or belief, and the rights to privacy, due process and to a fair trial.”

“Terrorist groups are increasingly using communication technologies to advance their agendas across the entire Central Asian region,” said Sulaimon Davlatzoda, Chairperson of the Committee on Religion, Regulation of the National Traditions, Celebrations and Ceremonies under the Government of Tajikistan. “Therefore we should be able to develop new and effective ways to co-operate on this front at the regional level.”

The experts meeting will include presentations on best practices from Central Asian experts and international experts from Canada, Israel, Russia, the United States and OSCE. They will highlight relevant best practices on effectively addressing the threats posed by the exploitation of the internet by terrorists while respecting privacy and freedoms of expression, association, peaceful assembly, and religion or belief, as well as the need to preserve global connectivity and the free and secure flow of information.

An outcome document summarizing the key findings of the panel discussions and how to strengthen sustainable and realistic co-operation and co-ordination in the Central Asian region on issues related to preventing and combating violent extremism online will be produced.

This is the third expert meeting organized on the topic of addressing the digital dimensions of violent extremism in Central Asia and is a follow-up to the previous meetings held in 2017 and 2018 in Kyrgyzstan.

This report is for the media and the general public.

SUMMARY

On 12 December at 06:35 (Moscow time), the ninety-third[1] Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of ten vehicles were checked by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers prior to their crossing into Ukraine. All ten vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by12:18 on 12 December.

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 12 December at 06:35, the Observer Mission observed the arrival of a Russian convoy at the gate of the Donetsk BCP. The convoy consisted of ten vehicles: one escort car and nine civilian cargo trucks. Out of the nine cargo trucks, only one bore the inscription “Humanitarian aid from the Russian Federation” (in Russian). At 06:35, 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 was videoing 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 06:58, all of the vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 12:06, 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. Two dogs were present and used by Russian Federation border guards to check the vehicles from the outside. By 12:18, all ten vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation.

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