Central Europe

VIENNA, 18 November 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, strongly condemned today the shooting of the journalist Mario De Michele, which took place on 14 November, in Italy.

According to reports, De Michele, the editor of the Campania Notizie news website, was shot at by two unknown individuals while driving his car in the town of Gricignano d’Aversa. Fortunately, the journalist escaped uninjured. The attack is believed to be related to his articles on the local municipality, which was dissolved a few days earlier, and activities of the Camorra, an organized mafia crime group.

“I strongly condemn this attempted murder of a journalist,” said Désir. “I welcome the investigation opened by the Italian authorities and urge them to find those responsible and bring them to justice. It is unacceptable that a journalist could face such threats, and an attempt on his life, for carrying out his work.”

Three days prior to this attack, De Michele reportedly received threats from, and was assaulted by, two individuals who physically attacked him and struck his car with an iron bar. They further warned him to stop writing about organized crime.

The Representative recalled the OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on Safety of Journalists, which urges participating States to “condemn publicly and unequivocally all attacks and violence against journalists such as killing, torture, enforced disappearance, arbitrary arrest, arbitrary detention and arbitrary expulsion, intimidation, harassment, and threats of all forms, such as physical, legal, political, technological or economic, used to suppress their work and/or unduly force closure of their offices, including in conflict situations”.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. He/she 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 facebook.com/osce.rfom.

Marina Živaljević

A four-day training course on business skills for women from vulnerable categories, organized by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, concluded on 14 November 2019 in Bar.

Empowering vulnerable categories of women means  building their skills and helping them enter the job market. It also means helping them to regain a sense of self-worth and motivate them to take proper steps in job finding. The training course aimed to support them by developing the specific skills needed in the business arena. Identifying their strengths, introducing themselves suitably when looking for a job, taking a confident attitude when performing before potential employers, establishing rapport and improving their social and communication skills were all part of the course. The participants were given the knowledge to create and fine-tune their own CVs and motivation letters.

“This training has connected me to women who have had a similar experience. It was helpful to hear how they cope with unemployment. I have a different perception of my self-worth after this training, because self-assessment tests and sessions made me realize that I still have much to offer and that I am worth more than I thought before the training. Now I feel more confident,” said Mirjana, one of the participants in the training.

The event concluded that economic empowerment of women is the basis for their full emancipation and participation in social, cultural and political life. Empowerment makes them less susceptible to violence.

439400 Communication and Media Relations Section

Fifteen representatives of civil society and OSCE field operations from across South-Eastern Europe participated in a regional train-the-trainer seminar for future facilitators of courses tailored for women leaders on preventing violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism. The seminar, held in Belgrade from 11 to 16 November 2019, was organized by the Action against Terrorism Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department.

The seminar prepared regional facilitators for the delivery of training courses, which are part of the OSCE’s Leaders against Intolerance and Violent Extremism (LIVE) initiative. This initiative seeks to promote context-specific efforts against violent extremism across the OSCE area developed and led by civil society at the grassroots level.

Participants strengthened their facilitation skills, knowledge and awareness of concepts covered by the LIVE curriculum and practiced its delivery.

“The OSCE Mission to Serbia welcomes the LIVE initiative; it underlines the importance of local ownership in preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism,” said Robert Kucharski, Head of Security Co-operation at the OSCE Mission to Serbia. “This train-the-trainer seminar will equip future facilitators with skills and knowledge that they will later employ to strengthen the resilience of local communities to violent extremism.”

The LIVE initiative is based on the recognition that civil society plays a crucial role in a whole-of-society approach to preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (P/CVERLT). Civil society actors are often well positioned, credible and experienced in working with specific groups to help identify and address the grievances that make individuals more vulnerable to the influence of violent extremist groups.

“I have previously been involved in the implementation of the LIVE youth leaders training,” said Valbone Dermaku, National Human Rights Adviser, OSCE Mission in Kosovo, who participated in the train-the-trainer seminar in Belgrade. “I have heard from multiple youth leaders how useful and relevant the LIVE training was for them”.

During the seminar, participants were acquainted with two of the OSCE’s handbooks on P/CVERLT: The Role of Civil Society in Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism: A Guidebook for South-Eastern Europe; and Understanding the Role of Gender in Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization That Lead to Terrorism: Good Practices for Law Enforcement.

In co-operation with OSCE field operations in South-Eastern Europe, the Action against Terrorism Unit has previously delivered two regional seminars as part of the LIVE initiative: a train-the-trainer seminar for youth leaders (held in Skopje) and a similar seminar for community leaders (held in Sarajevo).  

439388 Kunduz Rysbek

From 12 to 15 November 2019, fifteen Central Asian Youth Network (CAYN) alumni from Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan took part in a seminar on constructive dialogue and regional co-operation in Kosh-kol, Kyrgyzstan.

The seminar included some interactive sessions, led by experts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia, that helped participants build their capacities in implementing social projects and fundraising and enhancing their knowledge in environmental activism, gender equality, information security and public speaking.

The seminar provided a platform for youth to discuss contemporary regional security issues and the role of the OSCE in addressing them. The seminar also strengthened interpersonal and professional networking amongst Central Asia’s youth.

Since 2004, CAYN has been bringing together young leaders from Central Asia, Afghanistan and Mongolia. This has been to build and foster regional trust and connectivity to understand contemporary security threats and the OSCE’s role in responding to them.

The CAYN reunion was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek in co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan, within the framework of the OSCE’s commitment to promote the role of youth in building regional peace and security.  

439361 Marina Živaljević

A four-day in-house training course, organized by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro on converged newsroom for the Public Service Broadcaster (RTCG), concluded on 18 November 2019 in Podgorica.

The course supported RTCG in establishing co-operation and synergy amongst different journalistic departments. It provided journalists with training on how to record various types of footage and edit it by using a variety of available tools and apps. RTCG journalists also learned how to converge journalistic content and create infographics and storylines.

The training was conducted by Lamija Alečković, Media Consultant and partner in an ICT company for development of new media, Tena Perišin, journalist and professor of Journalism Studies at the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Zagreb and Dejan Oblak, assistant at the Faculty of Political Science in Zagreb and video and mobile journalist.

Daniel Blank, OSCE Media Programme Manager, said that journalists often think that converged newsrooms are a necessity because of the availability of new technical devices, or savings gained in production. “However, it is all about getting the story. In the end, it is all about audiences, their access to information, their engagement and their improved knowledge,” said Blank.

The experts agreed that public service broadcasters should serve as an example of democratic functioning of the public media. They should also be a leader in technological changes with the view to strengthen the quality of programming at the public service.

In August this year, the Mission organized a ten-day in-house training course on the topic for six media outlets. The Mission will continue with activities aimed at improving journalists’ reporting skills.

MINSK, 18 November 2019 – Fundamental freedoms were disregarded and the integrity of the election process was not adequately safeguarded in the early parliamentary elections in Belarus even as the number of registered candidates increased, international observers concluded in a preliminary statement published today.

The observation mission is a joint undertaking of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

Both early voting and election day were calm. While the opening and voting procedures at polling stations were mostly followed, significant shortcomings during vote counting gave rise to concerns about whether the results were counted and reported honestly.

The enjoyment of fundamental freedoms was hindered by obstacles to political party registration, fees and limited space for holding public gatherings, and criminal sanctions for defamation. At the same time, there was a lack of safeguards in the administration both of election day and early voting procedures, which negatively affected the integrity of the process amidst repeated expressions of distrust in the work and impartiality of the election administration at all levels.

“These elections have demonstrated an overall lack of respect for democratic commitments,” said Margareta Cederfelt, Special Co-ordinator and leader of the OSCE short-term observer mission. “In a country in which the power and independence of parliament is limited and fundamental freedoms are restricted for both voters and candidates, parliamentary elections are in danger of becoming a formality.”

The Central Election Commission (CEC) carried out an extensive information campaign, and took steps to make voting accessible for people with disabilities. At the same time, the domination of election commissions by the state limited their impartiality and independence, potentially undermining public confidence in the election process. Some 6.8 million voters were registered to cast their ballot, according to the CEC, but voter lists are not public, contributing to the overall lack of transparency.

The legal framework within which the vote took place provided insufficient guarantees for the conduct of elections in line with international standards. Shortcomings regarding the unbalanced composition of election commissions, restrictions on voter and candidate rights, and safeguards for voting and counting therefore remain unaddressed.

“The choice of political and electoral systems is the sovereign decision of Belarus. However, Belarus is a member of our European family, and we expect all members of our family to adhere to electoral international standards. We are disappointed that Belarus has not implemented the recommendations we made in 2016, thus depriving their citizens, both voters and candidates, of full involvement in the democratic process,” said Lord Blencathra, Head of the PACE delegation. “The Council of Europe believes that electoral law changes are essential for long-term stability in Belarus. Belarus participates in the Council of Europe Venice Commission, which sets the recommendations for election laws. We stand ready to work in partnership with them to effect lasting democratic change.”

The election campaign itself was low key, and characterized by a lack of engagement by both candidates and the public. No large rallies were held, and numerous candidates refrained from any campaign activities. While candidates were able to carry out limited campaign activities, the election administration’s use of discretionary powers to deregister opposition candidates on minor grounds compromised the integrity and inclusiveness of the registration process.

“Elections without freedom for debate and genuine participation, as we saw here in Belarus, are not the opportunity for the public that elections should be,” Ditmir Bushati, Head of the OSCE PA delegation. “Political actors were simply not working on a level playing field here, resulting in what were effectively non-competitive elections.”

The significant number of state-subsidized media outlets limits the space for independent media, reducing overall media pluralism. Few media outlets cover political issues, leaving voters uninformed about candidates and the campaign. Despite constitutional guarantees of freedom of expression and a prohibition of censorship, defamation remains criminalized and has been used to intimidate journalists.

“The high proportion of state-affiliated media outlets, as well as the pressure on independent media, bloggers and other independent commentators, have a chilling effect on freedom of expression,” said Corien Jonker, Head of ODIHR’s election observation mission. “It is hardly surprising that many independent journalists feel they have to practise self-censorship in order to avoid potential retribution.”

The international election observation mission for the early parliamentary elections totalled 437 observers from 45 countries, comprising 342 ODIHR-deployed experts, long-term, and short-term observers, 69 parliamentarians and staff from the OSCE PA, and 26 from PACE.

For more details, contact:

Nat Parry, OSCE PA: +375 296 417481 or +45 60 10 81 77, nat@oscepa.dk

Katya Andrusz, ODIHR: +375 296 339 743 or +48 609 522 266, katya.andrusz@odihr.pl

Bogdan Torcătoriu, PACE: +375 29 633 74 36, bogdan.torcatoriu@coe.int

439202 Marina Živaljević

The results of the project on prevention of early marriages among vulnerable groups were presented at an event organized by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro on 14 November 2019 in Podgorica.

The project was funded by the French Permanent Mission to the OSCE and implemented by the OSCE Mission together with its partner NGO “Centre for Roma Initiatives”. Starting in March, it included a series of training sessions for women activists, Roma and Egyptian women, as well as representatives of state and local institutions. The participants discussed prevention and suppression of early marriages, causes and consequences of domestic violence and services provided by confidential persons.

During the project implementation, more than 100 participants from institutions and communities, including 72 Roma and Egyptian women, showed a high level of interest in participating in thediscussions, but also pointed out the necessity for further and continuous work.

The participants emphasized that gender-based violence and early marriages were still present in their communities, and that it was necessary to continue with prevention and suppression.

Lia Magnaguagno, Democratization Programme Manager at the Mission, said that the project was in response to the 2012 to 2016 National Strategy for Improving the Position of Roma and Egyptians in Montenegro, where it identified that among the 850 Roma women interviewed, 90 per cent reported that they were married before their 16th birthday. “For those of you who participated in these training events, I hope you have the confidence to take the next step; to be role models in your communities. It is through your actions that others, particularly young women and girls, can follow you, building a stronger community together with more options and opportunities for Roma and Egyptian girls and young women,” said Magnaguagno

The project co-ordinator, Maja Šaćirović from the NGO “Centre for Roma Initiatives” said that the Institute for Social and Child Welfare and the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare accredited some of the training courses. “This means that this issue of child marriages is recognized in the field of social and child protection,” said Šaćirović.

The project followed the 2015–2017 OSCE-supported project to raise awareness about early marriages among vulnerable groups, in particular Roma and Egyptian communities.

439148 Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan

An OSCE-supported five-day training course on enhancing co-ordination among state authorities to counter corruption concluded on 15 November 2019 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan organized the event in partnership with the UN Development Programme in Kazakhstan, the Prosecutor’s Office of Almaty and the country’s Regional Hub for Countering Global Threats.

The course focused on co-ordinating actions among government entities to combat poaching. Participants were introduced to modern tools and methods of implementing patrolling, identifying violators and detaining poachers in line with existing legislation.

Some 40 representatives of the Forestry and Wildlife Committee, the Prosecutor General’s Office and protected areas administrations attended the course.

Local and international experts discussed practical examples in preventing illegal hunting and familiarized the participants with best international practices.  

As part of the course, attendees visited the Almaty State Nature Reserve in order to practice the theoretical aspects.

The training course is part of the OSCE Programme Office’s long-standing efforts to promote good environmental governance and assist the host country in combating corruption, with a focus on poaching.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations both in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• A man from non-government-controlled Donetsk city was injured by gunfire.
• The SMM continued to monitor the situation at the Petrivske disengagement area.
• The Mission observed personnel of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine dismantling positions and workers from non-government-controlled areas clearing vegetation inside the Zolote disengagement area.
• Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the Mission continued to observe construction works at the broken section of the bridge.
• The Mission continued to facilitate repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure on both sides of the contact line.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement continued, including at checkpoints near non-government-controlled Verkhnoshyrokivske and Kruta Balka.

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.
• The Mission saw deminers from government-controlled areas close to the Petrivske disengagement area.
• The Mission continued to observe demining activities inside the Zolote disengagement area.
• Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM continued to observe construction works at the broken section of the bridge.
• The Mission observed two convoys of trucks, including some reading “Humanitarian Aid from the Russian Federation”, in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The Mission continued to facilitate repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure on both sides of the contact line.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement continued, including at a checkpoint near non-government-controlled Verkhnoshyrokivske

Kunduz Rysbek

The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek supported a conference entitled Prospects to Develop the Green Economy through the Private Sector that took place on 14 November 2019. It was organized during the annual Green Economy Week held from 11 to 17 November. 

The event was organized by the Climate Finance Centre, the Union of Banks of Kyrgyzstan and the Green Alliance of Kyrgyzstan, with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek.

The purpose of the conference was to identify possible mechanisms for developing project proposals to provide financial support to businesses, as well as identify opportunities for the implementation of eco-certification in order to create sustainable market demand.

Participants took part in panel discussions to brainstorm ways the private sector can foster green development. They discussed the prospects of green financing in the financial and credit sector as well as the creation of market demand through eco-certification. Recommendations adopted at the conference will be included in the final resolution of the Green Economy Week.

In 2018, the Kyrgyz Parliament adopted a Concept on Green Economy aimed at improving the well-being of citizens and strengthening social justice while significantly reducing risks to the environment, preserving the country's natural ecosystems and increasing natural capital.

The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek is co-operating with the Kyrgyz Association of Microfinance Institutions (AMFI) to analyze the compatibility of Kyrgyzstan’s national legislation and other regulatory documents of the Kyrgyz Republic on environmental lending and financing. A series of training courses were conducted for the employees of the AMFI on development and provision of green loans.

The Programme Office continues to support the Government of Kyrgyzstan in mutual efforts towards the establishment of inclusive green economy.

MINSK, 15 November 2019 - International observers to the early parliamentary elections in Belarus will present their preliminary conclusions at a news conference.

What:

• You are invited to a news conference of the international observers to the early parliamentary elections in Belarus
• The news conference is open to all and no accreditation is required to enter, but questions will only be taken from journalists

Who:

Statement of preliminary findings and conclusions:

• Margareta Cederfelt, Special Co-ordinator and leader of the OSCE short-term observer mission

Followed by statements from:

• Lord Blencathra, Head of the PACE delegation
• Ditmir Bushati, Head of the OSCE PA delegation
• Corien Jonker, Head of the ODIHR election observation mission

When:

•  15:00 on 18 November 2019

Where:

• Beijing Hotel, Style Room, 36 Krasnoarmeiskaya Street
• If you cannot attend in person, follow the livestream on: www.facebook.com/osce.odihr and www.oscepa.org

The international election observation is a joint mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). The observation mission totals 437 observers from 45 countries, including 342 ODIHR-deployed experts, long-term, and short-term observers, 69 parliamentarians and staff from the OSCE PA, and 26 from PACE.

For more details, contact:

Nat Parry, OSCE PA: +375 296 417481  or +45 60 10 81 77, nat@oscepa.dk

Katya Andrusz, ODIHR: +375 296 339 743 or +48 609 522 266, katya.andrusz@odihr.pl

Bogdan Torcătoriu, PACE: +375 29 633 74 36, bogdan.torcatoriu@coe.int

439277 Communication and Media Relations Section

Representatives from the private sector, chambers of commerce, and business associations from South-East European countries stressed the importance of attracting foreign investment as a crucial factor for stability in low and middle-income economies as a two-day workshop, organized by the OSCE and the Southeast European Cooperation Initiative (SECI), concluded on 15 November 2019 in Vienna.

During the seminar, participants discussed the perspectives of the private sector and obstacles faced while conducting business in South-Eastern Europe. Experts from different international and regional organizations also highlighted economic governance issues that are integral to a healthy investment climate such as legal and regulatory frameworks, and integrity and transparency, among others.

“A public sector based on integrity, openness, transparency and accountability is a major factor that enables sustainable economic growth and the strengthening of the investment and business climate in line with the Berlin Process in the region, contributing to security and stability in South-East Europe’’, said Deputy Co-ordinator of the OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, Ermelinda Meksi.

Executive Co-ordinator of SECI, Michael Fazekas, said: ”The promotion of a positive business and investment climate in South-East Europe requires an efficient fight against corruption, which is not only a prerequisite for the stability of democratic societies and the rule of law, but also for a sustainable economic development of the countries of the region.”

The workshop concluded with a set of recommendations and examples of good practices for the private sector, business associations, and international and regional organizations to consider in promoting a positive investment climate in the region.

439094 Composition of the Bureau of the Court

The new Bureau of the Court of Conciliation and Arbitration within the OSCE met in Vienna on 6 November 2019, for the handover of current affairs by the outgoing President, Christian Tomuschat to his successor, Emmanuel Decaux.

Addressing members of the Bureau, Tomuschat reflected on achievements over the past six years and thanked the Bureau’s former members for their work and commitment. The Court has gained a specific profile thanks to two colloquia organized in 2015 and 2018, which resulted in academic studies focusing on conciliation. States should realize that conciliation or arbitration under the Stockholm Convention constitute an option to their advantage and not a threat, he concluded.

President Decaux expressed a warm welcome to the new members and highlighted the Court’s solid legal framework and the flexibility of the mechanisms: “We are the ‘Swiss army knife’ of conciliation and arbitration,” he said. In times where unilateralism is seemingly marking international relations, he added, it is essential for States to be offered institutional spaces for negotiations, conciliation and arbitration.

The meeting was also the first exchange among members of the recently elected Bureau. They reflected on the current situation of the Court and worked on a strategy and action plan for the coming years.

Furthermore, the members of the Court elected Judge Erkki Kourula (Finland) as Vice-President according to the provisions of Article 9 of the Rules of Procedure.

The Bureau of the Court elected in October 2019 by the appointed conciliators and arbitrators to a new mandate of six years is composed of: Emmanuel Decaux (President), Erkki Kourula (Vice-President); Riccardo Pisillo Mazzeschi, Vasilka Sancin, Christian Tomuschat (members of the Bureau) as well as Mats Melin, Anne Ramberg, Verica Trstenjak and Silja Vöneky (alternate members of the Bureau).

The Court of Conciliation and Arbitration within the OSCE, which is based in Geneva, provides a set of mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of disputes between States. The Court was established by the Convention of Stockholm which entered into force on 5 of December 1994. To date, 34 States have ratified the Convention.

439139 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

On 14 and 15 November 2019, the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat provided a platform for regional dialogue on the best practices and standards in use of innovative water management technologies. Representatives of the State Committee of Water Economy, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) and other Turkmenistan agencies were joined by their counterparts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

International experts focused on Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM), presenting innovative solutions ensuring sustainable water supply for irrigation, sustainable urban water management, innovative renewable energy technologies for the water industry and the use of Information and Communication Technologies within the field of sustainable water management.

Representatives of Central Asian countries shared their experiences in developing relevant national strategies, adapting regional programmes and implementing projects on innovative water management technologies.

“It is impossible to ignore the reality of the 21st Century, the age of ‘high technology’, in which innovative decisions and technological know-how, digital and robo-technology are an essential prerequisite for technological progress in any field”, said Natalya Drozd, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

Drozd mentioned a number of OSCE’s successful initiatives in the environmental sphere, including supporting Turkmenistan within the framework of its IFAS chairmanship.

“We consider this seminar a timely initiative that enabled regional governmental authorities to engage in the discussion and exchange the practices of Central Asian countries in the development and adaptation of innovative technologies in water management as well as getting acquainted with international experiences in IWRM,” she said.

Experts facilitated discussions and the exchange of information on national experiences in the area of water management and practical applications of technological solutions in the Central Asia region.

439166 Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan

The fourth National Forum of Defence Lawyers took place on 15 November 2019 in Nur-Sultan. The event was jointly organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan, the NGO Legal Policy Research Centre, and the National Bar Association.

Some 200 lawyers from regional bar associations, Parliament, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Interior Affairs, the Supreme Court, academia, as well as local and international legal experts discussed the effective implementation of the right to defence in Kazakhstan.

Participants discussed the implementation of the principle of adversarial procedure and equality of the parties in criminal proceedings as well as the development of the right to defence in criminal procedure legislation.

They shared their views on the existing challenges in ensuring the guarantees of the legal profession, and enhancing its autonomy and self-regulation. Particular attention was paid to the development of a jury trial and its impact on access to justice.

“Effective implementation of the right to defence and the powers of defence lawyers in criminal proceedings are among the concerns that need to be discussed at different levels,” said Kadyrzhan Baimukhanova, the Chairperson of the National Bar Association of Kazakhstan.

The Deputy Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan, Diana Digol, said: “The right to a fair trial is directly related to the role of lawyers and their ability to provide qualified legal aid. Therefore, the procedural rights of defence lawyers require effective mechanisms of implementation.”

A representative of the Federal Chamber of Lawyers of the Russian Federation shared experiences of using digital technologies in providing legal assistance.

The forum is part of the Programme Office’s long-standing efforts to strengthen the rule of law and support criminal justice reform in the host country.

439112 Communication and Media Relations Section

Policing public order based on democratic principles was the focus of a roundtable discussion organized by the Strategic Police Matters Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department in Yerevan on 14 November 2019 for 11 high-level Armenian police officers and five Members of Parliament from the Standing Committee on Defence and Security.

The discussion introduced a concept for Public Order Management known as dialogue policing, and is considered to be the first step towards a reform of Public Order Management in Armenia.

Dialogue policing places emphasis on oral and informal communication with the aim of preventing confrontations and violence connected to events like demonstrations or football matches.

The concept was presented by two experts on dialogue policing from Sweden and a police officer from Ukraine who talked about the reform experience in her country. Representatives from the Delegation of the European Union to Armenia and the Swedish Embassy also attended the discussion.

“We highly appreciate the support offered by the OSCE since 2012 in advancing police reforms in Armenia and look forward to renewing and expanding this co-operation,” said the Deputy Head of International Relations Department of Armenia’s Police, Armen Sedrakyan. “This event comes at a very important period when the Armenian Police conceptualizes a new policy reform strategy to further the adherence to the principles of democratic policing.”

Addressing the event participants, the head of the Police Public Order Department, Georgi Aivazyan stressed: “The police is at the frontline of demonstrating the government’s efforts in democracy-building, strengthening rule of law and improving the delivery of public service. In this context, we welcome the OSCE’s initiative of presenting the Swedish model of dialogue policing, which has internationally been recognized as a tool for effectively shifting policing approaches towards a knowledge-based and people-centered service”.

The roundtable discussion was organized as part of the Armenian Co-operation Programme, in the project on Strengthening Police-Public Partnership in Armenia. The activity was developed in close consultation with national institutions.

The next step could be to explore the possibility of implementing the concept where policies are adopted and then providing training courses for relevant police officers.

WARSAW, 15 November 2019 – Marking the International Day for Tolerance on 16 November with the publication of its annual hate crime dataset, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) urges countries to implement hate crime legislation that has existed on their law books for many years.

“Legislation that remains without any practical application is of no more value than the paper it’s printed on,” said ODIHR Director Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir. “We must be clear that bias-motivated crime is not a phenomenon that affects minority communities only, but on the contrary is a direct attack on our democracies and the human rights principles on which they are based.”

While 53 out of the 57 countries that make up the OSCE region have laws prohibiting hate crime for a variety of bias motivations, far fewer apply these laws in practice. In particular, many countries do not have mechanisms for police to record hate crimes as a separate category, which means the bias motivation is lost sight of and is much less likely to appear in any final sentence handed down by a court.

In its hate crime reporting, ODIHR continually underlines the fact that the vast majority of bias-motivated crimes go unreported. Many victims do not go to the police because they doubt the authorities will take action, while others fear lengthy court cases and meetings with insensitive law enforcement or judiciary officials that exacerbate the trauma they have already suffered.

Much of ODIHR’s hate crime work therefore focuses directly on the needs of victims. At the same time, the Office works to counter bias-motivated crime by strengthening the role of criminal justice systems through toolkits and improving systems for monitoring and collecting data on hate crimes.

In recent years, there have been a number of improvements in combating hate crime in the OSCE region. In some countries, bias-motivated crimes have been added to national legislation and heavier sentences introduced. This is a vital step to make clear that hate crimes affect the security not only of individuals and their communities but society more widely, and ensuring perpetrators are aware their actions will not be treated with impunity.

ODIHR’s hate crime database is the largest of its kind worldwide. It is updated each year with information from both official and civil society sources and includes data on hate crime legislation, recording, prosecution and sentencing, as well as best practices from throughout the region. This year’s civil society data shows that more than 4,500 people were victims of physical violence or direct threats in 2018.

These and other findings were presented earlier this week at an annual meeting of official representatives from across the OSCE responsible for reporting hate crime data to ODIHR.

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 fewer in Luhansk region.
• The SMM was notified by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and by the armed formations in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region that the withdrawal of forces and hardware in the Petrivske disengagement area was completed. The Mission saw demining activities inside and near the disengagement area.
• The Mission continued to observe demining activities inside the Zolote disengagement area.
• Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM continued to observe construction works at the broken section of the bridge.
• The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of and repairs to critical civilian infrastructure on both sides of the contact line.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement continued, including at checkpoints near non-government-controlled Zaichenko, Nova Marivka, Starolaspa and Shevchenko.*

439079 Communication and Media Relations Section

The OSCE Mobile Training Team delivered an interactive training course on the identification of foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) for 25 first- and second-line Serbian border officers as well as officials of the country’s Security Information Agency from 12 to 14 November 2019 in Belgrade.

The three-day course was held at the facilities of the Academy of Criminal and Police Studies and provided interactive training to the participants on international, regional and national legal frameworks, the effective use of INTERPOL databases, Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record Systems, and travel document security. Sessions explored risk analysis and management in the identification of potential FTFs at borders as well as behavioral indicators of FTFs and interviewing techniques.

“This training is one of three planned courses with the OSCE aimed at expanding border security co-operation and enhancing the capacity of police officers in identifying and detecting counterfeit documents, and identifying and detecting foreign terrorist fighters at the borders,” said Slobodan Copic, Head of the Compensatory Measures Unit of the Border Police Directorate at Serbia’s Ministry of Interior. “Considering the complexity of this topic, this training will deepen knowledge and skills of border officers in this area, which they will apply in their daily work.”

Albina Yakubova, Programme Management Officer at the Border Security and Management Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, said: “A famous politician once said that success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts. When it comes to the identification of FTFs at the borders, it is crucial to learn from our lessons and apply new and innovative methods to prevent cross-border movement of FTFs and other criminals. This training provides such an opportunity.”

The Mobile Training Team was represented by national border officers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece and North Macedonia as well as international experts from INTERPOL, the OSCE and the United States of America.

The OSCE Mobile Training Team was established by the Border Security and Management Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department in 2016. It is composed of 17 selected border and counter-terrorism experts from OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation.  

This is the twelfth deployment of the Mobile Training Team organized by the Border Security and Management Unit. The training in Belgrade was organized with close support of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the Serbian Border Police Directorate.