Central Europe

KYIV, 10 December 2018 - A draft roadmap to enhance democratic control over the armed forces through the protection of military personnel rights, ensuring equal opportunities for women and men, and strengthening interaction between the military and civil society, is to be presented and discussed at a roundtable event organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine and the country’s Defence Ministry in Kyiv, on Wednesday, 12 December.

The event will bring together officials as well as local and international experts. Among them will be Jeffrey Erlich, Senior Project Officer of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator, Kateryna Levchenko, Governmental Commissioner for Gender Policy, Philip Fluri, Deputy Director of the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, Valeri Ratchev of the Centre for Security and Defence Management (Bulgaria) and Farangiz Zikryaieva of the NGO Human Rights Matter (Germany).

Journalists are invited to attend the roundtable discussion from 09:00 at the conference hall of the Rus Hotel (4 Hospitalna St, Kyiv, Ukraine), with registration starting at 08:30. They should confirm their attendance by sending an e-mail to Andrii Dziubenko, Programme Co-ordinator of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator, at andrii.dziubenko@osce.org by 17:00 on Tuesday, 11 December.

For more information about the event please contact Andrii Dziubenko at +38 050 676 77 34.

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This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 7 and 8 December, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Between the evenings of 8 and 9 December, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours.
• Small-arms fire was directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle near Bila Hora.*
• The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region.
• The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.
• Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted at a checkpoint in Novolaspa and close to Voznesenivka, a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region near the border with the Russian Federation.*
• The Mission observed a calm situation at the crossing point in Chonhar and other areas in the south-eastern part of Kherson region.

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, between the evenings of 7 and 8 December, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 50 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 30 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas north-east, east and south-east of Hnutove (government-controlled, 20km north-east of Mariupol) and north-west of the railway station in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk).

Between the evenings of 8 and 9 December, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 250 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south and south-west of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), south-west of Dokuchaievsk (non-government-controlled, 30km south-west of Donetsk) and, again, north-east, east and south-east of Hnutove. 

On 8 December, while conducting a mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight in Bila Hora (government-controlled, 54km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard 12 shots of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 400-500m north-east, assessed as aimed at its UAV. The SMM recalled the UAV, which landed safely.*

In Luhansk region, between the evenings of 7 and 8 December, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including two explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (no explosions). Between the evenings of 8 and 9 December, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 470 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas west of Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, non-government-controlled, 44km west of Luhansk) as well as in areas south of Orikhove-Donetske (government-controlled, 44km north-west of Luhansk) and south-south-east of Toshkivka (government-controlled, 60km north-west of Luhansk), including about 130 explosions of artillery rounds. 

Disengagement areas[2]

During the day on 8 December, positioned near all three disengagement areas, the SMM observed a calm situation.

During the day on 9 December, positioned on the eastern edge of Zolote-2/Karbonit (government-controlled, 62km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 36 undetermined explosions at an assessed range of 3-7km south-east (assessed as outside the Zolote disengagement area).

During the day on 9 December, positioned about 2km north of Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM heard nine undetermined explosions and about 40 shots and bursts of small-arms fire, all at an assessed range of 2-3km south-south-east (all assessed as outside the Petrivske disengagement area). [3]  

On the same day, positioned inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed a calm situation.

Withdrawal of weapons

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

In violation of the withdrawal lines

Non-government-controlled areas

8 December

• An SMM mini-UAV spotted:
  • three tanks (T-72) in Novohryhorivka (33km west of Luhansk); and
  • a mortar (type undetermined, 82mm) south of Donetskyi (49km west of Luhansk).

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

9 December

• Two surface-to-air missile systems (9K33 Osa) in Kasianivka (22km north of Mariupol), on road H-20 heading south
• 24 tanks (T-72) in a compound near Andriivka (61km south of Donetsk)

Non-government-controlled areas

9 December

• Five stationary tanks (type undetermined) at a training area near Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk)

Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[4]

Government-controlled areas

8 December

• An armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) near Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk)
• An infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) in Orikhove-Donetske
• An SMM mini-UAV spotted:
  • an IFV (BMP-1), four armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-2) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) in a residential area of Bila Hora.
  • Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel and trenches within yards of houses in a residential area of Bila Hora.

9 December

•  An IFV (BTR-4) near Kamianka (20km north of Donetsk)

Non-government-controlled areas

9 December

• An armoured personnel carrier (probable MT-LB) near the central railway station in Donetsk city (6km north-west of the city centre)

Unexploded ordnance

On 7 December, on Stratonavtiv Street, in the Kyivskyi district of Donetsk city, the SMM saw for the first time a piece of unexploded ordnance (UXO) embedded in the tarmac, assessed as the tail section of a multiple launch rocket system (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) rocket (see SMM Daily Report 8 December 2018).  

SMM facilitation of operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station

On 8 and 9 December, the Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk).

Border areas not under government control

On 8 December, while at a border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk) for about one and a half hours, the SMM saw six container trucks (four with Ukrainian, one with Russian Federation and one with Belarusian licence plates), a fuel tanker with Russian Federation licence plates, 54 cars (12 with Ukrainian, 26 with Russian Federation and one with Lithuanian licence plates, as well as 15 with “DPR” plates) and a bus (with a destination sign “Donetsk-Rostov” on it) exiting Ukraine. The SMM saw seven container trucks (five with Ukrainian licence plates and two with “DPR” plates), two buses (one with Ukrainian licence plates, a destination sign “Rostov-Donetsk” on it and about 40 passengers on board; the other with Russian Federation licence plates, a destination sign “Piatyhorsk-Donetsk” on it and about 40 passengers on board) and four cars (two with Ukrainian and two with Russian Federation licence plates) entering Ukraine.

On 8 December, while at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk) for about ten minutes, the SMM saw nine cars (six with Ukrainian and three with Russian Federation licence plates) and a covered-cargo truck with Ukrainian licence plates in a queue to exit Ukraine. The SMM saw two pedestrians (males, aged 40-50) exiting Ukraine and five pedestrians (three females, aged 25-40 and two males aged 30-40) entering Ukraine. About ten minutes after the SMM’s arrival, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*

On the same day, at the Chervona Mohyla railway station in Voznesenivka, the SMM saw about 80 stationary bulk cargo wagons and five tank wagons in front of the railway station (their spring suspensions were compressed and they were marked with a sign “Benzin”).   

The SMM observed a calm situation in Chonhar, south-east of Kherson

The SMM observed a calm situation at the crossing point in Chonhar (163km south-east of Kherson) and other areas in the south-eastern part of Kherson region.

The SMM continued monitoring in Odessa, Lviv, Kharkiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, UXO and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (for example, see below). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

• On 8 December, at a checkpoint on the eastern edge of Novolaspa (non-government-controlled, 50km south of Donetsk), two armed members of the armed formations denied again the SMM passage.  
• On 8 December, at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.

Other impediments:

• On 8 December, while conducting a mini-UAV flight in Bila Hora, the SMM heard 12 shots of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 400-500m north-east, assessed as aimed at its UAV.
• On 8 December, while the SMM was following up on reports of a woman injured by shelling, medical staff at a hospital in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk) told the SMM that it could not provide information without the permission of those in effective control in Horlivka.
• On 9 December, an SMM long range-UAV lost its GPS signal due to signal interference while flying over areas near Pivdenne (formerly Leninske, government-controlled, 40km north-east of Donetsk) and Kurdiumivka (government-controlled, 54km north of Donetsk).[5]

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. During the reporting period, the SMM camera in Hranitne and Krasnohorivka were not operational and mist and fog limited the observation capabilities of the majority of other SMM cameras.

[2] Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] Due to the presence of mines, including a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM’s access to its camera in Petrivske remains limited, and thus the SMM has not been able to access observations from the camera since 22 June 2018.

[4] This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

[5] The interference could have originated from anywhere within the radius of several kilometres of the SMM UAV’s position. 

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WARSAW, 10 December 2018 – The fundamental rights set out in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights 70 years ago are vital not only to the equal dignity and worth of every person, but also to achieving and maintaining peace and security, Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), said on today’s Human Rights Day.

“As we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration, the promotion and protection of the rights and fundamental freedoms it enumerates are crucial not only as core duties of states to every person inside their borders, but also to preventing violence and promoting peace within and across those borders,” Gísladóttir said. “The principles of equality, justice and freedom expressed in the Declaration match the commitments that OSCE participating States have made a pillar of the Organization’s concept of security.”

The ODIHR Director raised concern about instances across the OSCE region where governments have unduly used security concerns as justification to curb human rights and fundamental freedoms, including democratic rights and the freedom from discrimination.

“We’ve seen states limit these rights and freedoms on the basis of security concerns – whether ostensibly to prevent crimes, including terrorism, or in times of internal unrest or conflicts between countries. Whether or not these concerns were genuine, time and again the result has been an increase in the security challenges that states face in these areas,” she said. “The choice between security and human rights is a false choice, as the two are inextricably linked.”

Gísladóttir highlighted that her Office provides support to governments and civil society across the OSCE region in protecting and promoting human rights, including the equal rights of men and women, while ensuring security. This work includes efforts to improve the protection of human rights in the security sector, to support women’s participation in promoting peace and security, to strengthen democratic institutions and practices, including elections, and to bolster the rule of law.

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Marina Živaljević

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro organized two workshops on gender-responsive budgeting in Kolašin and Tivat, on 29 and 30 November and 3 and 4 December, respectively. The Mission engaged experts who delivered the training sessions and conducted a gender budgeting analysis for 14 participants representing municipalities in Kolasin and Tivat. The aim of the events was to help municipal institutions with gender mainstreaming. They were organized in partnership with the Ministry for Human and Minority Rights and its Department for Gender Equality.

The participants were familiarized with the concept of gender responsive budgeting, which ensures that gender equality obligations are reflected in the public budgets. The experts discussed concepts and principles related to gender responsive budgeting and explained how to apply gender mainstreaming to planning and budgeting processes at the municipal level.

They also discussed concrete initiatives relating to gender-responsive budgeting in their municipalities. The initiatives included creating additional funds for women’s sports clubs, providing financial support for a day care centre for school children and a health care facility with a gynecology chair for women with disabilities.

“Gender-responsive budgeting is taking into consideration social differences and structural inequalities for women and men and finding opportunities to eliminate them,” said Goran Ojdanić, Senior Programme Support Assistant at the OSCE Mission to Montenegro.

The Mission will continue to support capacity-building and awareness-raising activities in this area, both at the local and central levels, in the upcoming year.

Marina Živaljević

Maintaining international standards on identifying, collecting, handling, protecting and preserving electronic evidence is crucial for its admission in trials, was the conclusion from a two-day workshop organized by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro from 5 to 6 December in Danilovgrad.

The workshop, titled Handling Digital Evidence, gathered 18 digital forensics experts from  Danilovgrad, Sarajevo and Zagreb. Digital forensic evidence can be gathered from any electronic storage or communications media such as cellphones and computers.

The participants shared their experiences in the examination of mobile phones and the application of forensic techniques in digital imaging. They raised concerns on digital forensic evidence fragility: it can be easily damaged or changed due to improper handling, whether by accident or on purpose.

The participants in the event concluded that standardization of forensic examination approaches should be applied throughout the region, to enable more efficient comparison of results from cross-border investigations. They recognized the need to strengthen research and practice in the collection of digital evidence, and to address the increased demand for forensic analysis and reduce the growing backlog in processing of evidence. The participants also emphasized the need to update equipment and provide investigators with ongoing training.

The event closed with the Forensic Center from Sarajevo awarding a Certificate of Appreciation to the Forensic Center in Danilovgrad for the mentoring they provided in 2017 and 2018, which led to the accreditation of Sarajevo’s laboratory in 2018.

The workshop was part of the Mission’s long-term support to the Ministry of Interior and Police Directorate in implementing criminal justice reform and establishing the Forensic Center in 2008.  Since then, the Centre has worked with the Mission to enhance its institutional capacity, enabling it to obtain its International Standard of Quality ISO 17025 and membership in the European Network of Forensic Science Institutions (ENFSI).

YEREVAN, 10 December 2018 – The 9 December early parliamentary elections in Armenia were held with respect for fundamental freedoms and enjoyed broad public trust that needs to be preserved through further electoral reforms, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today. Open political debate, including in the media, contributed to a vibrant campaign, although cases of inflammatory rhetoric online were of concern, the statement says.

The general absence of electoral malfeasance, including of vote buying and pressure on voters, allowed for genuine competition, the observers said. Despite the shortened timeframe, the elections were well administered, although the integrity of campaign finance was undermined by a lack of regulation, accountability and transparency.

“Democracy cannot proceed without trust, so I am pleased that broad public trust was the central characteristic of this election,” said Peter Osusky, Special Co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observer mission. “Now that voters have delivered their message, it is up to the political leadership of Armenia to ensure that this momentum is maintained, and that further reforms are implemented to fully consolidate the positive assessment we are making today.”

Contestants were able to campaign freely, and fundamental freedoms of association, assembly, expression and movement were fully respected, the statement says. The official campaign period was very short, but campaigning started earlier, which is not prohibited by law. Election day proceeded calmly and free of pressure on or intimidation of voters, and voting, counting and tabulation were assessed positively by almost all observers.

“I congratulate the Armenian people. The 2018 peaceful so-called ‘Velvet’ revolution, in conjunction with the political will of the current authorities, enabled the holding of democratic elections,” said Aleksander Pociej, Head of the delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. “PACE has observed every election in Armenia since 1995 and, despite the complex electoral system and reported instances of intimidation via social media, the recurring electoral irregularities, which tainted many elections in the past, were absent. It is up to Armenia’s elected representatives to launch legal reforms to consolidate the democratic process in the country.”

The CEC conducted a comprehensive voter education campaign to encourage voting, explain voting procedures and warn against vote-buying. To prevent pressure on public employees and the misuse of state resources, the authorities ran an awareness-raising campaign on these issues for local officials, school principals, health workers and others. Officials, contestants and voters themselves expressed their commitment to discouraging the selling and buying of votes.

“These elections were very well organized, with minimum irregularities and free of pressure on voters. I am very happy that, as a result, public trust in the electoral process was high,” said Heidi Hautala, Head of the delegation from the European Parliament. “We congratulate the Armenian authorities and participants in these elections and encourage the government and the National Assembly to further improve the legislation ahead of future elections. The European Union, including the European Parliament, will continue to assist in this process.”

Amendments to the Election Code in May expanded the list of those prohibited from active campaigning, lifted restrictions on media observers, and increased penalties for electoral offences, including by making it a crime to force individuals to take part in campaigns or to facilitate vote-buying. While this addressed previous recommendations, others related to campaign finance, the submission of complaints, candidacy requirements and the threshold alliances must reach to win seats remain unaddressed, the observers said.

The media environment is diverse and the freedom of expression, guaranteed by the Constitution, was respected. Television is the primary source of political information, while the use of online media and social networks is also significant. Media monitoring showed that the broadcasters made an effort to cover all contestants, contributing to a diversity of information allowing voters to make an informed choice. Many private outlets appear to be strongly associated with political parties, with some demonstrating a clear preference, while public television provided reasonably balanced coverage, the statement says. Public television organized genuine debates that included candidates from all the contestants.

Despite the limited timeframe, the Central Election Commission (CEC) conducted its work professionally and met all legal deadlines, and there was general confidence in it and in territorial commissions. Voters were identified on election day by devices containing electronic copies of voter lists. The devices scanned their IDs to confirm they were registered at the polling station and to prevent multiple voting. Despite data privacy concerns, the CEC is required to scan and publish online lists of those who have voted that contain personal data and their signatures, in order to prevent impersonation.

Campaign funds may include contributions from voters, candidates and political parties, with limits set on the levels of both contributions and spending. Reporting requirements for contributions and spending prior to the official start of the campaign are ambiguous. In addition, some candidates confirmed they were directly financing their campaigns, which bypasses official campaign funds, in contravention of the law. Organizational expenses such as office space, communications, transportation and staff are not considered election related and may, therefore, remain unreported, undermining transparency, the observers said.

All candidate lists met the 25 per cent gender quota requirement and 32 per cent of the 1,444 candidates were women. This quota does not, however, ensure the same proportion of women’s representation in parliament, partly because half of the seats are distributed according to preferential votes. Parties rarely featured women candidates in their campaign – women only occasionally campaigned on their own and rarely appeared as speakers in rallies observed. Some women candidates were targets of disparaging gender-based rhetoric.

“Politics has historically been a man’s world but, as women are more than half of the population, this should be reflected in politics as well,” said Nahima Lanjri, Head of the delegation from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. “I hope to see reforms that will encourage more women in politics and to ensure that the next elections are fully representative of both men and women.”

The statement also highlights that, while there was general confidence in the accuracy of voter lists, those declared incapacitated by courts are not entitled to vote, contrary to international standards on the political rights of persons with disabilities. Contrary to previous recommendations, the right to file election-related complaints is largely limited to party proxies and commission members. The statement also notes that the prohibition of those holding multiple citizenship from being candidates is in contradiction to OSCE commitments and case law of the European Court of Human Rights.

“Our assessment of these elections highlights that fundamental freedoms were respected, along with many other positives,” said Ambassador Urszula Gacek, Head of the election observation mission from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights: “The confidence invested in the authorities brings responsibility to ensure that these positives are safeguarded. ODIHR stands ready to help Armenia address remaining shortcomings so that good elections become the norm."

For further information, contact:

Andreas Baker, OSCE PA, +45 60 10 81 26 or +374 (0)99 903 713, andreas@oscepa.dk

Thomas Rymer, OSCE/ODIHR, +374 (0)99 903 832 or +48 609 522 266, thomas.rymer@odihr.pl

Bogdan Torcatoriu, PACE, +374 (0)44 999 075 or +33 6 50 39 29 40, bogdan.torcatoriu@coe.int

Julien Crampes, EP, +374 (0)43 062 570, julien.crampes@ep.europa.eu

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405860 Anna Vorobeva OSCE Mission to Moldova

The OSCE Mission to Moldova enhanced the capacities of 100 legal professionals to effectively defend the rights of minorities and contribute to a more inclusive society at four training sessions from 14 November to 7 December 2018. The events took place in four different regions of Moldova, including the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia. They were organized in co-operation with the Lawyers’ Training Centre of the Moldovan Bar Association.

During the training, the participants learned about international and national legal standards in the area of national minorities’ rights. They also enhanced their capacity to deal with complainants and provide effective remedies for persons belonging to minority groups. 

The lawyers worked on case law and gained practical experience in promoting and protecting rights related to minorities’ access to justice, information and employment. They were familiarized with the competences, practices and decisions of the key National Human Rights Institutions. These included the OSCE-facilitated Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Agency for Interethnic Relations, the People’s Advocate (Office of the Ombudsperson) and the Council for Preventing and Eliminating Discrimination and Ensuring Equality on 15 November 2018.

The OSCE Mission to Moldova supports the efforts of the Moldovan Government to implement the National Strategy for Consolidation of Interethnic Relations for 2017‒2027. The Strategy, developed with the participation of the Mission and the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, seeks to promote inclusivity and tolerance in Moldova, which are important preconditions for achieving the end state of the Transdniestrian settlement process.

COPENHAGEN, 9 December 2018 - Parliamentarians from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly have expressed their sorrow over the death of Lyudmila Alekseyeva of Russia, who died today at the age of 91. President George Tsereteli (Georgia) and human rights committee Chair Margareta Kiener Nellen (Switzerland) and Vice-Chair Michael Link (Germany) praised Alekseyeva as an inspirational figure for human rights advocates world-wide.

“Alekseyeva spent her life fighting for principled and respectful treatment for all people and I hope her legacy will serve as a reminder to all that we need to continue this work,” said President Tsereteli. “Her continuous struggle for justice and against repression, first in the Soviet Union and more recently in Russia, should inspire us all.”

Alekseyeva co-founded the Moscow Helsinki Group human rights organization in 1976, which Tsereteli noted was closely linked to the OSCE process.

Margareta Kiener Nellen noted that Alekseyeva’s work with the Moscow Helsinki Group had served as model for modern human rights advocates globally. “As we celebrate International Human Rights Day tomorrow, we will particularly honour Alekseyeva and her strength, which have been inspiring so many people for decades now.”

“At this time of serious challenges to human rights principles, Alekseyeva's courage to challenge the powerful Soviet government reminds us of the power of strong will and determination,” said Michael Link, Vice-Chair of the OSCE PA General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions. “We can best honour her by continuing to fight for the vital human rights principles that she championed throughout her life.”

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405593 Kunduz Rysbek

Young policy advisers from Central Asian ministries, state administrations, parliaments and academic and research institutions completed an OSCE-organized intensive four-day Young Policy Advisers Course on 30 November 2018 in Cholpon-Ata, Issyk-Kul. The course aimed to contribute to a better understanding of the role of policy professionals, while facilitating networking of young officials from Central Asia.

Organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek in close co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe and with the support of other OSCE field operations in Central Asia, the course brought together 26 participants from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to enhance their skills in policy advising and planning by applying techniques of analysis, negotiation, communication and public speaking.

“This training course contributed to enhancing the capacity of young policy advisers from Central Asian states in decision-making processes and facilitating their professional networking and communication”, noted Yuri Fenopetov, Senior Policy Adviser of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek.

The course built on the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) Political Adviser’s Handbook which was used as the main reference material. The training was delivered by three prominent international mentors from Poland and Russia, and was based on active participation, engagement and practical exercises.

“This was a very interesting and useful course for professional growth and development”, said Mr. Azizjon Karimov, one of the participants in the course. “Also noteworthy is the active participation of young advisers from all Central Asian states, which helped to improve mutual understanding and constructive dialogue among them.”

The training course was conducted within the framework of the implementation of the OSCE project “Enhancing the awareness and capacity of young men and women to address issues of CVE.”

Communication and Media Relations Section

Recent advances in the OSCE’s pioneering preventive work against violent extremism and terrorism (VERLT) was the topic of a side event at the 2018 OSCE Ministerial Council in Milan on Tuesday, 6 December 2018.

Speakers at the event were Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajčák and representatives of the OSCE Secretariat and field operations.

Foreign Minister Kneissl stressed the importance of taking a whole of society approach to countering VERLT. “No country is immune to this threat, and people who are radicalized are not necessarily the losers in our societies,” she said. “Human rights and rule of law have to be at the forefront of any strategy against VERLT.”

Foreign Minister Lajčák likened VERLT to a virus that attacks societies from within. This makes the preventive work of the OSCE all the more valuable, he said, citing the Organization’s convening power and the expertise of its Transnational Threats Department and field operations.

The work of the OSCE in preventing and countering VERLT has shifted in recent years from a policy agenda to a growing community of practice, said Georgia Holmer, Senior Adviser on Anti-terrorism Issues in the Action against Terrorism Unit (ATU) of the TNT Department. She noted an increase among participating States in political appetite to embrace preventive measures, the development of national action plans, the co-ordination of governmental and non-governmental actors and demand for OSCE support.

Holmer highlighted the OSCE’s Leaders against Intolerance and Violent Extremism (LIVE) Initiative, a comprehensive training and coaching programme for youth, women and community leaders designed to enable civil society actors to take action against VERLT. A regional LIVE train-the-trainers programme for Youth Leaders will be launched next week in South-Eastern Europe, she said.

She also introduced the audience to a series of technical guidebooks being developed by the ATU to address specific challenges in the implementation of P/C VERLT policies. The Role of Civil Society in Preventing and Countering VERLT was published this year and three further publications are scheduled for 2019.

Innovative practices

The work of two OSCE field operations in assisting their host countries with the prevention of VERLT were highlighted at the event. Fejzo Numanaj, Head of the Politico-Military Department at the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, spoke about the support his Office provides to Tajikistan in the implementation of its national action plan against VERLT and the training courses it organizes for parents and teachers in communities throughout the country.

Numanaj stressed the usefulness of conducting gender-disaggregated analysis of the feedback received from the training, revealing different ways in which the dangers of VERLT affect mothers and fathers. Women typically cite the lack of adequate knowledge of the Internet, where much of the recruitment to violent extremism takes place, as well as labour migration to the Russian Federation, where their children are vulnerable to recruiters, as their top concerns, he said. 

Selma Zekovic, Acting Head of Security Co-operation at the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, outlined the Mission’s longstanding partnership with the BiH government in the fight against VERLT and its work in communities, including a project assisting over 1,000 Muslim imams in delivering counter narratives to violent extremism.

Young people are highly vulnerable to recruitment to radicalization; at the same time, they can offer unique insights from the perspective of their particular groups, Zekovic said. She presented a video documentary shot as part of an innovative project in which education students created a theatre play about the radicalization of a young woman.  The students are performing the play in the hope that it will help others in similar situations to recognize the dangers of being drawn into violent extremist groups.

Effective prevention of VERLT requires sensitivity to the uniqueness of the local context, participants concluded during the discussion at the event. At the same time, sharing of ideas is important. The OSCE’s successful social media campaign #UnitedCVE, launched in 2016, serves as a platform for sharing ideas and reinforcing good initiatives across the OSCE region.

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to water infrastructure on both sides of the contact line, as well as to enable repair works to damaged houses in Marinka. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.
• Restrictions to the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted in Izvaryne.*
• In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a peaceful protest during which it heard participants expressing views critical of the Russian Federation and calling for banning Russian-owned businesses in Ukraine.

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including 32 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 130 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations, including the majority of explosions, were recorded in the Avdiivka-Yasynuvata-Donetsk airport area.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations (no explosions), compared with the previous reporting period (ten explosions).

Disengagement areas[2]

Positioned in areas close to the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed a calm situation.

Withdrawal of weapons

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

In violation of the withdrawal lines

Government-controlled areas

7 December

• A surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) in Lebedynske (16km north-east of Mariupol)

Non-government-controlled areas

7 December

• Two self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and four towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) near Bile (22km west of Luhansk)

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

7 December

• Two surface-to-air missile systems (9K33) near Kasianivka (22km north of Mariupol)

A permanent storage site beyond the respective withdrawal lines in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region

7 December

• Five tanks (four T-64 and one T-72) and two self-propelled howitzers (2S1) remained missing. The presence of some weapons could not be verified.*

Indications of military presence in the security zone[3]

Government-controlled areas

7 December

• An armoured personnel carrier (BTR-70) near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk)

Unexploded ordnance and new mine hazard signs

In a residential area in the Kyivskyi district of Donetsk city, on Avdiivska Street, the SMM saw for the first time four pieces of unexploded ordnance (UXO) embedded in the ground, assessed as the motor sections of Grad missiles.

The Mission saw for the first time an improvised mine hazard sign, consisting of a wooden pole with a piece of red cloth attached on top, on Stratonavtiv Street in the Kyivskyi district of Donetsk city. It also saw for the first time three new mine hazard signs (“Stop Mines” written in Russian on paper) in a residential area of Spartak (non-government-controlled, 9km north of Donetsk) on the side of a road leading to Donetsk airport.

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to the Petrivske water pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk) and to water pipelines in Zaitseve (50km north-east of Donetsk), as well as to damaged houses in Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk). It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.

 

Border areas not under government control

At a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area after five minutes. During its presence, the SMM saw no traffic crossing the border in either direction.*

While at a border crossing point near Verkhnoharasymivka (57km south-east of Luhansk) for about 25 minutes, the Mission saw 11 people (eight men, three women, mixed ages) exiting Ukraine.

While at a border crossing point near Sievernyi (50km south-east of Luhansk) for about 45 minutes, the SMM saw 39 people (24 men and 14 women, mixed ages, and a boy, about 5 years old) entering Ukraine and three women (mixed ages) exiting Ukraine.

Protest in Kyiv

The SMM observed a peaceful protest organized by National Corps and Natsionalny Druzhyny in Kyiv. On Independence Square, the Mission saw about 650 people (mostly men, aged 20-30), about one-third of them dressed in camouflage clothing with Natsionalny Druzhyny insignia, who later started walking in columns on Instytutska Street towards the Presidential Administration building at 11 Bankova Street. There the SMM heard some of the protestors expressing views critical of the Russian Federation and calling for banning Russian-owned businesses in Ukraine. It saw about 100 law enforcement officers present.

Other observations

In Uzhhorod (182km west of Ivano-Frankivsk), the SMM observed 15 children (boys and girls, aged 8-15) participating in a flash mob on the occasion of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Kharkiv, Dnipro and Chernivtsi.

*Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, UXO and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (for example, see below). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

• At a border crossing point near Izvaryne, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.
• North of the bridge in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk), a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that no demining activities had taken place in the past 24 hours and that the road south of the bridge was still mined.

Conditional access:

• At an armed formations’ checkpoint near Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 42km north-east of Donetsk), two armed members of the armed formations allowed the SMM to proceed only upon inspecting the boots of both SMM vehicles.
• The SMM could not verify the presence of some weapons that were in a locked container at a permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region (see above).

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. During the reporting period, the SMM camera in Hranitne and Krasnohorivka were not operational and mist and fog limited the observation capabilities of the majority of other SMM cameras.

[2] Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

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WASHINGTON, 7 December 2018 – Wrapping up a visit to the United States, Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Ad Hoc Countering Terrorism (CCT) Makis Voridis (MP, Greece) said today that effective counter-terrorism measures require a multifaceted approach, including a robust role for parliamentarians and the OSCE.

Beginning the week at the UN headquarters in New York and holding a series of meetings in Washington, DC, Voridis heard from a range of experts and policymakers working on counter-terrorism strategies on the international and domestic fronts in the United States. Participating in a briefing at the U.S. Helsinki Commission in Washington on Tuesday, Voridis was joined by U.S. Congressman and Vice-Chair of the CCT Richard Hudson, who discussed the contribution of the PA in advancing co-ordination on border control and information sharing.

Voridis emphasized the power of 323 members of the OSCE PA asking specific questions of their governments about what they are doing to implement international obligations.

“In addressing terrorism and violent extremism, parliamentarians can promote innovative legislation and provide effective oversight of governmental activities in all the OSCE participating States, ultimately bridging the distance between our constituencies and the organization,” Voridis said. “Further, by bringing citizens’ concerns to the OSCE’s attention and by monitoring that its commitments are properly implemented at the national level, OSCE parliamentarians can contribute to make the work of the OSCE more focused and relevant.”

Hudson stressed that U.S. engagement in the OSCE PA is making contributions to border control and information sharing in the context of preventing and countering terrorism and violent extremism.

“This Assembly is a valuable forum where my congressional colleagues and our counterparts in countries ranging from Canada to Russia get together and have frequent discussions about the issues of the day and try to find common solutions to the benefit of all our citizens. In recent years I have been pleased to see that the Assembly has responded to our citizens’ needs by paying increasing attention to one of my absolute priorities, which is tackling terrorism,” Hudson said.

He stressed that the CCT offers an important opportunity to make a difference in the international effort to address the principal threat to international peace and security posed by terrorism.

Hudson presented to Voridis the U.S. response to the OSCE PA’s initiative on border control and information sharing, a practical approach to combating the threat posed by returning and relocating foreign terrorist fighters spearheaded by the CCT to promote best practices.

In Washington, Voridis met with members of the U.S.’s OSCE PA delegation, as well as representatives of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, the U.S. Institute of Peace, and leading experts from civil society and academia.

The sides explored ways to strengthen the PA’s co-operation with actors on the domestic level in the United States. Voridis stressed that the OSCE PA is working to leverage its strengths to promote more informed and co-ordinated actions at the parliamentary level across the OSCE area.

For the press release on the New York leg of the visit, please click here.

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MILAN, Italy, 7 December 2018 – Decisions and declarations all across three of the OSCE’s security dimensions – the politico-military, economic and environmental, and human dimensions – were agreed by OSCE participating States at close of the 25th OSCE Ministerial Council in Milan today.

On cross-dimensional issues, there was a declaration on enhancing security and co-operation in the Mediterranean, decisions on preventing and combating violence against women, and countering the trafficking of children, particularly unaccompanied minors, and a declaration recognizing the contribution of youth to peace and security efforts.

There was also a declaration supporting the continuing progress in the negotiations on the Transdniestrian Settlement Process in the ‘5+2’ Format.

In the politico-military dimension, states agreed to further their support for the OSCE’s work in addressing the threat posed by small arms and light weapons and stockpiles of conventional ammunition.

In the economic and environmental dimension, there was a declaration recognizing the digital economy as a driver for co-operation, security and growth, and a decision on how to develop human capital in the digital era.

The decision on enhancing the safety of journalists became the first decision to be adopted by states in the human dimension since 2014.

Earlier during the Ministerial Council it was agreed that Albania will chair the OSCE in 2020.

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MILAN, 7 December 2018 - The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, welcomes today’s adoption of a decision on the safety of journalists by all 57 participating States at the 2018 OSCE Ministerial Council in Milan.

“At a time when journalists are attacked, threatened and killed for their work, this is a major step forward and a strong signal of support to all journalists exposed to difficult and often dangerous conditions in the OSCE region,” said Désir.

The decision, which recognizes “that the work of journalists can put them, and their family members, at risk of violence, as well as of intimidation and harassment”, calls on the participating States to “take effective measures to end impunity for crimes committed against journalists”.

It also urges “political leaders, public officials and/or authorities to refrain from intimidating, threatening or condoning – and to unequivocally condemn – violence against journalists”.

Désir underlined that the decision is timely and necessary, and strongly reaffirms that “independent media are essential to a free and open society and accountable systems of government”.

The decision also acknowledges the need to “refrain from arbitrary or unlawful interference with journalists’ use of encryption and anonymity technologies and refrain from employing unlawful or arbitrary surveillance techniques.”

Désir highlighted that the decision urges for “the immediate and unconditional release of all journalists who have been arbitrarily arrested or detained, taken hostage or who have become victims of enforced disappearance”.

It recognizes “the importance of investigative journalism…, including in holding public institutions and officials accountable” and “the crucial role of journalists in covering elections”.

It calls on the participating States to “condemn publicly and unequivocally attacks on women journalists in relation to their work, such as sexual harassment, abuse, intimidation, threats and violence, including through digital technologies”.

“This is a clear demand to ensure safety of female journalists online, which is one of my main priorities,” said Désir. "This decision is a result of strong engagement by all 57 OSCE participating States today in Milan. I look forward to working with all governments to ensure effective implementation of this landmark decision adopted today."

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This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM continued to observe hardships faced by civilians at checkpoints along the contact line and followed up on reports that civilians had remained after closing hours in the area between the checkpoint of the armed formations and the entry-exit checkpoint of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Maiorsk.
• It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure on both sides of the contact line, as well as to damaged houses in Marinka. The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.
• The Mission followed up on reports of vandalism in a Polish Military Cemetery in Lviv.
• The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and at a checkpoint near Novolaspa.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including, however, more explosions (about 130), compared with the previous reporting period (about 110 explosions). About two-thirds of the explosions were recorded in areas south-east and south-west of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including ten explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 630 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations, including all ten explosions, were recorded at southerly and south-westerly directions of Kriakivka (government-controlled, 38km north-west of Luhansk).

Disengagement areas[2]

Inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), at the broken section of the bridge, the SMM saw that a small plank of wood had been nailed down to cover over the hole which had been previously observed on 3 December in one of the wooden ramps (see SMM Daily Report 4 December 2018).

Positioned in areas close to the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk), the SMM observed a calm situation.

Withdrawal of weapons

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

6 December

- A surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) near Volnovakha (53km south of Donetsk)

Indications of military presence in the security zone[3]

Government-controlled areas

6 December

• Five infantry fighting vehicles (BMP-1) (four stationary and one heading west) in Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk)
• Two armoured personnel carriers (type undetermined) south-west of Artema (26km north of Luhansk)
• Three armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-2) near Kamianka (20km north of Donetsk).

Presence of mine hazard signs

On a road leading to the entrance of an abandoned agricultural compound on the northern edge of Syhnalne (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM saw for the first time one red mine hazard sign with a skull and crossbones and the inscriptions “Stop, Mines” in Ukrainian and Russian languages. The sign was attached to a chain obstructing passage to the aforementioned compound.

Hardships faced by civilians at checkpoints along the contact line

At the checkpoint of the armed formations south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, at 10:40, the SMM saw about 500 people queuing to travel toward government-controlled areas and about 40 queuing in the opposite direction. The Mission saw another 120 people queuing at a nearby bus stop. About three hours later, the SMM saw about 600 people queuing to travel towards government-controlled areas and about 400 people queuing in the opposite direction.    

At the entry-exit checkpoint north of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, at 12:05, the SMM observed about 200 people queuing to exit government-controlled areas and about 500 people queuing in the opposite direction. About one hour later, the Mission saw 250 people queuing to exit government-controlled areas and 350 people queuing in the opposite direction. It also saw about 100 people (mostly elderly, mixed gender) queuing in front of a cash machine in an adjacent parking lot. A representative of an international organization told the SMM that they had treated four people for injuries caused by falls due to the slippery surface of the bridge. The SMM observed that the wooden ramps at the broken section of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge remained wet and slippery.

On the evening of 6 December, the SMM followed up on reports that 17 cars with 44 people, including two children, had remained in the area between the checkpoint of the armed formations and the entry-exit checkpoint of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk), after closing hours. Following the SMM’s facilitation, at about 22:00, a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer to the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) told the SMM that all people had been allowed entry into the entry-exit checkpoint area and, at 00:35, they had been able to continue their journey into government-controlled areas.   

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to the Petrivske water pumping station near Artema, to water pipelines near Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk) and near Holubivka (formerly Kirovsk, non-government-controlled, 51km west of Luhansk), to power lines in Zolote-4/Rodina (government-controlled, 59km west of Luhansk), as well as to damaged houses in Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk) and to the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne (formerly Artemove, government-controlled, 42km north-east of Donetsk). The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.

Reported vandalism to a Polish Military Cemetery in Lviv

In Lviv, the SMM followed up on reports that unknown individuals had vandalized a monument located in the Polish Military Cemetery on the territory of Lychakiv cemetery in the early hours of 5 December. At 33 Mechnykova Street, the Mission saw that plywood boards covering the two Lion statues of the monument were cracked on one side. The director of the cemetery told the SMM that the plywood board was damaged around 02:00 on 5 December. According to the police, criminal proceedings had been initiated under Article 296 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Kharkiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that the JCCC should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (for example, SMM Daily Report 3 December 2018). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denials of access:

-  Two armed members of the armed formations at a checkpoint on the eastern edge of Novolaspa (non-government controlled, 50km south of Donetsk) again denied the SMM access to the village, citing “security risks for the SMM”.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. The SMM camera in Hranitne and Krasnohorivka were not operational during the reporting period.

[2] Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

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An award ceremony marking the completion of the Open Data Challenge 2018, a digital information competition organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) in co-operation with the Ministry for Development of Information Technology and Information of the Republic of Uzbekistan, took place today in Tashkent.

The competition, the fourth of its kind in Uzbekistan, consisted of several events held over the course of four days. It opened with a conference on the importance of open data for the socio-economic development of countries, which familiarized participants with international practices in the field. The conference was followed by a so-called ‘hackaton’ on 1 and 2 December; a multi-day workshop in which teams competed to develop the winning concept for a public, socially significant and innovative application based on data publically available through the Open Data Portal of Uzbekistan. The Open Data Portal is an OSCE-supported portal providing citizens with all means of publically available government data in order to bridge the gap between the state and its citizens and to increase transparency. Today’s ceremony awarded the creators of the best concept the opportunity to participate in the Digital Business World Congress in Madrid in the spring of 2019.

This year’s winning concept, developed by a group of four students from the Tashkent region, consists of an application that can be used to track the quality of mobile Internet in any specific region in Uzbekistan, thus enhancing the access to data in remote areas by allowing consumers to make a more informed decision as to their data provider. Overall, more than 500 people participated in this year’s Challenge, of which around a quarter were women, making it the most successful edition of the competition yet.

The Open Data Challenge 2018 was supported by the PCUz as part of its ongoing efforts to promote transparency and public access to information in Uzbekistan, and in partial fulfillment of its commitments under the project Support Uzbekistan in Improvement of Open Data Management.

405659 Belarusian prosecutors participate in the seminar on international standards and national legislation for the prevention of domestic violence. Minsk, 6 December 2018. Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

International rule of law standards related to the prevention of domestic violence were the topic of a seminar organized on 6 December 2018 in Minsk for participants from across Belarus.

The seminar was organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Institute for Re-training and Continuing Education of Judges and Personnel of Prosecutor’s Offices, Courts and Justice Institutions (IRCE) at the Belarusian State University.  It was the fourth in a series of seminars on rule of law issues organized as part of the two-year, European Union-funded project “Promoting Democratization and Human Rights in Belarus”.

The event engaged 31 participants (18 women and 13 men), including prosecutors from across Belarus, in discussions on international standards and good practice examples on preventing and countering domestic violence. The participants also considered good practice for incorporating international standards into national laws, policies and practice.

“Prosecutors play a crucial role in addressing domestic violence,” said Carolyn Hammer, Rule of Law Officer at ODIHR. “Effective investigation and prosecution is fundamental to the rule of law and protection of human rights.”

Vladimir Moroz, the Institute’s Deputy Director, said: “We consider the seminar an important element of the implementation of the National Action Plan for Gender Equality in the Republic of Belarus for the period from 2017 to 2020. The Action Plan draws attention to the need to include prevention of domestic violence in the training programs for law enforcement officers, lawyers, judges and prosecutors. International seminars like this are an integral part of the advanced training system implemented at the Institute.”

The presentations by ODIHR experts “were highly useful for prosecutors from across Belarus,” he said. “Equally important was the participation of national experts because it introduced the participants to the national dimension in applying international standards and to linking the issues under consideration directly to the activities of prosecutors.”

The rule of law-related activities within the ODIHR project include training some 200 legal professionals through thematic seminars and exchange visits on rule of law and other justice-related issues.

MILAN, 7 December 2018 – The escalation of tensions in the Kerch Strait, election observation methodology, counter-terrorism, strengthening the OSCE, confidence-building measures, civil society and democracy were among the topics of discussion over two days of bilateral meetings between the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President and high-level diplomats on the margins of the OSCE Ministerial Council taking place this week in Milan.

PA President George Tsereteli addressed the opening of the Ministerial Council and met with the foreign ministers of Turkey, Russian Federation, Albania, and Moldova and the Head of Delegation from Morocco. He also held a number of informal conversations on the sidelines of the Ministerial Council with ministers and ambassadors, including representatives from Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Azerbaijan, Montenegro, Sweden and France.

The OSCE PA will always insist on the full implementation of international agreements such as the Helsinki Final Act and the Minsk Agreements, President Tsereteli said to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. In a discussion that focused largely on the crisis over the Kerch Strait, Tsereteli reiterated the statement issued by the PA, which stressed that disputes must be settled by peaceful means so as not to endanger international peace and security, as stated in the Helsinki Final Act.He urged the Russian Federation to release the detained Ukrainian service members, emphasizing that this would be a powerful gesture of goodwill. He also pressed for humanitarian relief and the opening of checkpoints in occupied territories of Georgia.

A meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu focused on Turkey’s relations with the OSCE, including issues such as civil society participation in OSCE meetings and election observation methodology. Tsereteli recalled the OSCE PA’s excellent working relationship with the Turkish government and the recently appointed Turkish delegation to the PA.

He noted the ongoing efforts to overcome critical issues through constructive dialogue. He highlighted the OSCE’s tools that could contribute to increasing confidence, in particular the invitation of international monitors to some of the politically sensitive court trials, including that of Selahattin Demirtaş, a Turkish member of parliament who has been detained since November 2016.

In a meeting with Albanian Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati, Tsereteli congratulated Albania on its successful candidacy to assume the OSCE Chairmanship in 2020, offered the Assembly’s support for Tirana’s priorities, including its focus on the Mediterranean and reiterated the Assembly’s readiness to assist with the implementation of internal reforms.

Meeting with Moldovan Foreign Minister Tudor Ulianovschi, Tsereteli stressed that the progress in the Transdniestrian settlement process is setting a positive example for the rest of the OSCE, proving that local ownership and political will can produce results. He also underlined the importance of the upcoming parliamentary elections for democratic consolidation in Moldova, in particular in light of the annulment of the Chisinau local elections in June.

President Tsereteli also spoke with Mounia Boucetta, Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Morocco, about the OSCE PA’s upcoming Autumn Meeting set to take place in Marrakech in October 2019 and welcomed the Moroccan government’s support for this initiative. He stressed importance of enhancing co-operation with the Mediterranean Partners on challenging issues.

Photos from the PA’s participation at the Ministerial Council are available on Flickr.

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405743 Communication and Media Relations Section Giovanni Davoli

The OSCE’s role as a key partner in implementing a new roadmap for controlling small arms and light weapons (SALW) in the Western Balkans was the topic of a side event held on 7 December 2018 during the OSCE Ministerial Council in Milan, Italy.

The roadmap is the core element of a Franco-German initiative for integrated and coordinated action to achieve a sustainable solution to the possession, misuse and trafficking of SALW and their ammunition, which continue to constitute a threat to the citizens of the Western Balkan region.

Building on years of work by national institutions and international organizations including the OSCE, the roadmap sets out a reliable, transparent and trackable process that aims to achieve the control of SALW in the region by 2024.

With seven goals in the areas of legislation, policies, export control, education, collection, physical destruction and stockpile management, 14 key performance indicators, a scoreboard for tracking progress and a yearly review mechanism, the roadmap charts a course that goes beyond the deactivation of SALW to ensure their comprehensive and sustainable control.

High-level participants from Germany, France, Montenegro and Albania as well as the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre and the OSCE Transnational Threats Department stressed the holistic, output-oriented nature of the roadmap. They highlighted its encouragement of both national and regional ownership and commended the co-operative, transparent approach to working with partners such as the OSCE, with due respect to their mandates. They also noted the importance of mainstreaming gender aspects into the work of controlling SALW, as the issue concerns women and men equally.

Marcus Bleinroth, Director of Division, Conventional Disarmament, Preventive Arms Control, German Federal Foreign Office, explained that while in the past the main focus in controlling SALW had been on physical security and stockpile management, this initiative takes a comprehensive approach, addressing the need to strengthen border control to prevent the illegal proliferation of SALW and also the need to enhance the criminal justice response to their illicit trafficking and possession.

Ambassador Jean-Claude Brunet, President of the Third Review Conference of the UN Programme of Action on SALW, drew attention to upcoming activities planned under the Franco-German Initiative, including a the High Level Meeting on the Franco-German Initiative on Small Arms and Light Weapons in the Western Balkans to be held in Paris on 11 December 2018. He stressed the importance of the OSCE’s involvement in the implementation of the roadmap with its current and future projects.

The side event was organized by Germany, France and the OSCE Conflict Prevent Centre’s Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) Support Section.

On the basis of the OSCE Document on SALW and other OSCE documents, the OSCE provides assistance upon request to participating States with the collection and destruction of SALW and conventional ammunition, helps to improve legislation to effectively control SALW and assists in improving stockpile management. The OSCE also has a funding mechanism, the Comprehensive SALW and Stockpiles of Conventional Ammunition (SCA) Repository Programme, which serves as a funding stream for supporting relevant activities, including in partnership with the Franco-German Initiative.

405746 Communication and Media Relations Section Giovanni Davoli

Several foreign ministers, high-level government representatives and experts gathered for a discussion on promoting economic connectivity in the OSCE area on Thursday, 6 December 2018 during the 25th OSCE Ministerial Council in Milan.

In view of the growing global interdependence in the digital era, the need for strengthening economic co-operation as part of a comprehensive approach to promoting international and regional security, stability and prosperity is increasingly urgent, participants agreed. They stressed the continued relevance for participating States of the OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on Strengthening Good Governance and Promoting Connectivity taken in Hamburg in 2016.

The event was organized by the OCEEA and the Republic of Kazakhstan in its capacity as Chair of the OSCE Economic and Environmental Committee.