Central Europe

386229 OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan supported a four-day study visit of a government delegation from Uzbekistan to Japan to learn about policies and practices of open government data management. The visit, which concluded on 29 June 2018 in Tokyo, was organized in co-operation with the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Japan.

Five representatives from the Ministry for Development of Information Technologies and Communications, the Centre for Development of Electronic Government (e-Gov) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs met with stakeholders engaged in the development of open government. The discussions took place in the Cabinet Secretariat, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, University of Tokyo, Keio University, National Institute of Informatics and private sector companies.

During the meetings, Japanese stakeholders stressed that the major impulse for open data development in Japan was the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, which occurred in 2011 and led to thousands of casualties and injuries.

After these tragic events, the Japanese government realized the importance of accessible and open data on missing people; emergency centres; shelters; availability of infrastructure, energy, and levels of food pollution.  It adopted its Open Government Strategy in 2012. The strategy paves the way for central government institutions and local governments to make important data available to the public.

The Uzbek delegates presented Uzbekistan’s open government strategy at the University of Tokyo and exchanged views with the Japanese interlocutors. They agree to co-operate further with the University concerning the development of open data management systems in Uzbekistan.

The Project Co-ordinator supported the visit within the framework of its project to support Uzbekistan in development of open government data policies.

 

386253 OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan

A three-day workshop on sustainable mobility, co-hosted by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan and the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), concluded on 29 June 2018 in Tashkent. 

The event brought together some 30 representatives of the National Agency for Project Management under the President of Uzbekistan, the Tashkent districts (khokimiyats), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of Tashkent city, the State Planning Committee, civil society organizations and the private sector.

“Today’s environmental problems and in particular climate change bring new challenges to us as humans in terms of how we organize our consumption and our lifestyle in order to preserve our planet for future generations,” said Juergen Becker, OSCE Senior Project Officer. “We have to reflect on how we can bring a sustainability factor into urban sector development, in particular when it comes to transportation, and on how we can we reduce CO2 emissions through smart planning while at the same time making cities enjoyable for citizens, not only vehicles.”

The workshop was held within the framework of the OSCE’s efforts to support Uzbekistan in the implementation of green economy policies and focused on exchanging challenges and best practices in the field of sustainable mobility. The overall objective was to increase the capacity of municipal-level decision makers engaged in the urban development and implementation of  ‘smart city’ planning. A group of cycling activists also participated, sharing their experiences and providing feedback from the users’ side.

Jan Rickmeyer, GIZ Transport Policy Advisor, said: “To transform urban mobility to higher sustainability is one of the key challenges for city development. A lot of answers and solutions for sustainable mobility are already being implemented all over the world, and one of the most promising solutions for tackling mobility issues is to exchange knowledge and to train municipal experts and important stakeholders in the field of sustainable mobility.”

Participants were able to further familiarize themselves with the concept of sustainable mobility through case studies on the cities of Bremen, Moscow and Almaty, and by discussing potential projects in Tashkent. Moreover, throughout the various sessions, special attention was paid to the facilitation of bilateral and multilateral consultations in order to discuss current challenges and stimulate the development of co-ordinated follow-up projects.

 

VIENNA, 29 June 2018 – Representatives of the 57 OSCE participating States, civil society and international organizations will meet in Vienna on Monday for the two-day conference, Countering Violence against Women – Everyone’s Responsibility.

This meeting, organized by the Italian OSCE Chairmanship, with the support of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and in co-ordination with the Gender Section of the Office of the OSCE Secretary General, will offer participants a platform to discuss how to strengthen responses, monitor and assess progress and to promote efforts for preventing and countering violence against women in the OSCE area. It will provide an opportunity to look into concrete actions to support the implementation of OSCE commitments and national frameworks to combat violence against women.

The Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting will be an opportunity to discuss good practices from across the OSCE area, with a focus on the responsibility of the state to address violence against women, on countering violence against women in public spaces, and on the protection from violence and empowerment of women at work and at home.

Purna Sen, UN Women Executive Coordinator and Spokesperson on Sexual Harassment and Other Forms of Discrimination will deliver the keynote address at the event.

Journalists are invited to attend the opening of the conference from 15:00 to 16:00 on 2 July in the Neuer Saal of the Hofburg Conference Centre in Vienna. To register, please send an e-mail confirming your attendance to press@osce.org by 11:00, 2 July.

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VIENNA, 29 June 2018 - The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today expressed shock and strong condemnation following the shooting at the Capital Gazette newspaper office in Annapolis, Maryland in the United States of America.

On 28 June, a man opened fire inside the newspaper’s headquarters. Five people, including four journalists and one staff member were killed in the targeted attack on the newspaper. The perpetrator has been apprehended by the police.

"The shooting at the Capital Gazette is a shocking and horrific crime, and one of the deadliest attacks on journalists in the United States and the whole OSCE region,” Désir said. “The journalists were targeted for their work. An attack against the press is an attack against democracy. I stand in solidarity with the Capital Gazette staff and the entire media community in the USA.”

Emphasizing that the Capital Gazette had received threats in the past for their reporting, the Representative said: “Journalists are vulnerable because of their work and their mission to inform the public. The press must be respected and protected as an institution of democracy.”

The Representative welcomed the swift response by the authorities noting that an investigation is underway.

“My deepest condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of the victims of this terrible attack,” he said.

Veteran 59-year-old editor Robert Hiaasen, 61-year-old page editor Gerald Fischman, 65-year-old editor Wendi Winters, 55-year-old staff writer John McNamara, and 34-year-old sales assistant Rebecca Smith have been confirmed killed in the attack.

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

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386058 Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Astana

A five-day OSCE-supported training seminar on the detection of forged travel documents and identification techniques concluded in Aktau, Kazakhstan on 29 June 2018.

Twenty-six border guards from Kazakhstan’s Border Guard Service under the National Security Committee took part in the course led by experts from Austria’s Federal Ministry of the Interior Document Advisors Team. The seminar aimed to build capacity in ensuring international document security and identifying falsified travel documents during border control. Participants were familiarized with the processes of security paper production, the use of paper and polymer substrates in document security, conventional printing techniques, photo protection and secondary verification.

The curriculum included practical exercises with confiscated falsified documents and genuine travel documents of a multitude of countries, providing the participants with an opportunity to apply their newly learned skills.

The seminar was organized within the Travel Document Security Programme of the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department. It was conducted by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in co-operation with the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Office of the United States Embassy in Kazakhstan and the Border Guard Service under the National Security Committee.

The activity was part of the Programme Office’s long-term effort to promote the OSCE border security concept in Kazakhstan. 

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near and indications of new military presence in the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as at a border area outside government control in Luhansk region and in Markyne. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station, as well as repairs and maintenance works to other essential civilian infrastructure on both sides of the contact line. In Zakarpattia and in Lviv, the SMM monitored gatherings related to a recent attack against members of the Roma community in the latter. In Kyiv, it observed a gathering celebrating the Day of the Crimean Tatar Flag.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[1] including at least 550 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 170 explosions). About 80 per cent of the ceasefire violations were recorded at night time from the SMM’s forward patrol base in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk) and occurred in areas from south-east to south-south-east of Svitlodarsk.

On the evening and night of 26-27 June, while in Svitlodarsk, the SMM heard four explosions assessed as impacts of artillery rounds 7-8km south-east, as well as 460 explosions (23 assessed as artillery rounds and the remainder undetermined) and about 1,875 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-8km south-east and south-south-east. During the day on 27 June, while at the same location, the SMM heard an explosion assessed as an impact of an artillery round 1-2km east-south-east and 19 undetermined explosions 4-8km at directions ranging from east to south-south-east.

On the same evening and night, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, an undetermined explosion, five projectiles in flight from west to east and an undetermined explosion, followed by totals of 15 undetermined explosions and about 185 projectiles (about 155 of which from west to east) and an illumination flare in vertical flight, all 1-2km south.

On the night of 26-27 June, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded eight undetermined explosions, 200 projectiles in flight (the majority from south-south-west to north-north-east) two illumination flares and three muzzle flashes, all 1.5-6km east-north-east, east and east-south-east.

On 27 June, positioned 1km north-west of the entry-exit checkpoint in Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol) for about five hours, the SMM heard 15 explosions (13 assessed as outgoing rounds, including three of automatic grenade launcher fire, and two undetermined) and about 65 bursts and shots of small-arms fire, all 2-4km at directions ranging from north to south-south-east.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including 66 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 140 explosions).

On the night of 26-27 June, while in Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, non-government-controlled, 50km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 40 undetermined explosions 5-18km north. During the day on 27 June, positioned on the south-eastern edge of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two explosions assessed as outgoing rounds 5-8km south-west.

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), as foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016. The SMM’s access remained restricted, but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.*

On the evening of 2 June, the SMM camera in Petrivske[2] recorded 18 projectiles in flight from east-south-east to west-north-west 1-1.5km west-north-west, assessed as inside the disengagement area.

On the night of 26-27 June, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded 23 undetermined explosions, four projectiles in flight and three bursts and two illumination flares in vertical flight, all 2-10km at directions ranging from north-east to east-south-east (all assessed as outside the disengagement area).

On 26 June, an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted, inside the Zolote disengagement area, a newly dug trench (approximately 40m in length) located about 900m of the southern edge of the disengagement area and 950m from its eastern edge, near a previously observed footpath and trench (see SMM Daily Report 6 June 2018). It also spotted 27 craters assessed as impacts: two of 122mm artillery rounds and 25 of 82mm mortar rounds, all probably fired from a north-north-westerly direction) about 400m west of the newly dug trench (the new trench and craters were not visible in imagery from 7 June 2018). The mini-UAV also spotted 15 craters assessed as impacts: five of either 122mm or 152mm artillery rounds and ten of mortar rounds, (all probably fired from a north-westerly direction) about 800m from the disengagement area’s southern edge and 1.6km from its eastern edge (not visible in imagery from 7 June 2018) and two recently built firing positions (not visible in imagery from April 2018) about 220m from the southern edge and 2km from the eastern edge, all inside the disengagement area.

On the same day, an SMM mini-UAV spotted seven craters assessed as impacts: three of 122mm artillery rounds fired from a north-north-westerly direction (not visible in imagery from 18 June 2018); one as the impact of an 82mm mortar round; and three assessed as impacts of 120mm mortar rounds fired from a north-north-westerly direction (not visible in imagery from 7 June 2018), all inside the Zolote disengagement area about 600m from its northern edge and 1.5km from its eastern edge. The same UAV spotted a new 10m-long trench inside the disengagement area about 650m south of its northern edge and 1km east of its western edge.

On 27 June, positioned about 1km south-east of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 1-2km south-east, assessed as outside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. The SMM observed that some partial removal of vegetation had taken place on the road between the forward positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the armed formations and noted that some previously observed mine hazard signs had fallen down and were no longer readable.

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 withdrawal lines in a government-controlled area, an SMM long-range UAV spotted, on 26 June, a surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) near Trokhizbenka (32km north-west of Luhansk).

In violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw two stationary multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) about 3km north-west of Svobodne (73km south of Donetsk) and ten stationary MLRS (BM-21) near Khrustalnyi (formerly Krasnyi Luch, 56km south-west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, on 26 June, the SMM saw a tank (T-64) on a flatbed truck heading south near Volnovakha (53km south of Donetsk) and two self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) on military-type trucks: one stationary south of Maksymivka (53km west of Donetsk) and one near Velyka Novosilka (74km west of Donetsk). On 27 June, it saw a tank (T-64) on a flatbed truck near Novoselydivka (38km west of Donetsk) and a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) south of Novookhtyrka (55km north-west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in a non-government-controlled area, the SMM saw five stationary tanks (T-64) near Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk) on 27 June.

The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage did not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification from the SMM to the signatories of the Package of Measures on effective monitoring and verification of the withdrawal of heavy weapons. On 26 June, in storage sites beyond the respective withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas of Donetsk region, the SMM observed 34 tanks (T-64), including three present for the first time, as well as 12 MLRS (BM-21) and a surface-to-air missile system (9K35) present for the first time. It noted that the following weapons were again missing: 46 self-propelled howitzers (20 2S1 and 26 2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm), 23 MLRS (BM-21) and four surface-to-air missile systems (two 9K35 and two 9K33), including 12 MLRS and a surface-to-air missile system missing for the first time, 18 towed howitzers (D-20, 152mm), ten self-propelled mortars (2S9 Nona-S, 120mm), 12 mortars (six 2B11 Sani, 120mm and six M120-15 Molot, 120mm), six towed mortars (PM-38, 120mm), six anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) and 55 tanks (T-64).

The SMM revisited a heavy weapons permanent storage site whose location was beyond the respective withdrawal lines in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region and noted that six towed howitzers (one 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm; and five D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm), four MLRS (BM-21) and three self-propelled howitzers (2S1) remained missing. The SMM could not verify some of the weapons present as withdrawn as their serial numbers had been covered. At a permanent storage site in a government-controlled area of Donetsk region, the SMM noted that 13 anti-tank guns (MT-12) and a surface-to-air missile system (9K37) were again missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles, an anti-aircraft weapon[3] and other indications of military-type presence in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, an SMM long-range UAV spotted, on 26 June, two infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (a BMP-1 and a BMP-2) near Prychepylivka (50km north-west of Luhansk), an IFV (BMP-1) near Krymske (42km north-west of Luhansk) and an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR variant) near Trokhizbenka. On the same day, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted a probable APC (MT-LB) near Vershyna (63km north-east of Donetsk). On 27 June, the SMM saw an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) in Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) near Teple (31km north of Luhansk).

The SMM saw a new 250-300m stretch of trenches north-west of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk).

The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints. At the government checkpoint north of the bridge near Stanytsia Luhanska the SMM saw about 700 people in a queue to leave government-controlled areas. While on the bridge, the SMM saw several elderly people not being able to walk due to the heat and trying to rest in the shade. A woman and a man (about 80 and 70 years old) told the SMM that they were not able to continue walking due to the heat. A member of the Ukrainian Emergency Services told the SMM that ten people had fainted that day and received aid due to the high temperatures. A representative of the Ukrainian Border Guard Service told the SMM that on 26 June about 5,000 people had entered and about 5,600 people had left government-controlled areas.

The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS, including through monitoring adherence to the ceasefire. Positioned in areas near the DFS, the SMM heard ceasefire violations, despite explicit security guarantees (see above and table below for details). The SMM also continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to water pipelines near a coal mine near Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), a water pipeline in Novotoshkivske (government-controlled, 53km west of Luhansk), a Vodafone fibre optic line south-east of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area and at a water pumping station near Obozne (non-government-controlled, 18km north of Luhansk), and monitored repair works to a water pipe in Stanytsia Luhanska.  

The SMM visited two border areas not under government control. While at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk) for 15 minutes, the SMM saw three cars, a minibus and a motorcycle (all with Ukrainian licence plates) entering Ukraine. An unarmed female member of the armed formations approached and told the SMM to leave the area, stating that “a restriction on the SMM’s presence was still in place”.*

While at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (84km south-east of Luhansk) for half an hour, the SMM saw 11 covered cargo trucks, three cars and three buses (all with Ukrainian licence plates) queuing to exit Ukraine and three covered cargo trucks, two cars and a bus (all with Ukrainian licence plates) entering Ukraine.

In Zakarpattia region and in Lviv the SMM monitored gatherings related to the attack on members of the Roma community on 23 June in Lviv city (see SMM Daily Report 26 June 2018 and SMM Daily Report 27 June 2018). In Uzhhorod (182km west of Ivano-Frankivsk), Zakarpattia region, on 25 June, the SMM saw 20 people (16 men and four women, aged 20-50), some of whom were holding posters with “We are against racism” written on them in several languages, gathered in front of the Regional State Administration building. The SMM saw two police officers and a police car present.

In Lviv, the SMM saw 30 people (mixed genders and ages) marching from the Taras Shevchenko Monument at Svobody Avenue to the Regional State Administration building. Participants in the event told the SMM that they wanted to express their solidarity with the Roma community after the attack. About 100 police officers were present. Both events ended peacefully.

In Kyiv, on 26 June the SMM saw approximately 200 people (mixed genders and ages) marching and carrying a large Crimean Tatar flag (approximately 30m long) from Bessarabska Square to Maidan as part of the celebration of the Day of the Crimean Tatar Flag. The event ended without incidents.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, 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, 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 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 (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 Voznesenivka, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.
• An unarmed member of the armed formations stopped the SMM at a checkpoint west of Markyne (non-government-controlled, 94km south of Donetsk) and denied the SMM access through the checkpoint citing orders from superiors to prevent civilian traffic. The SMM saw a barrier on the road.  

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The SMM was prevented from accessing parts of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, with the exception of the main road, due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.[4]
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads in the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM by phone that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.4
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. An armed formation member positioned on the southern side of the Zolote disengagement area told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed.

[1]     Please see the annexed table for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations as well as a map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report. The SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Marinka was not operational during the reporting period.

[2] Due to the presence of mines, including those on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM’s access to its camera in Petrivske remained limited; therefore, the review of the camera footage may take place days later.

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

[4]    The SMM informed Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC. Russian Federation Armed Forces officers of the JCCC have withdrawn from the JCCC as of 18 December 2017.

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LONDON, 28 June 2018 – To achieve their goals and objectives, the countries of South East Europe must focus on their common interests, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli (Georgia) said at a meeting of the European Leadership Network at the House of Lords in London today.

The meeting was focused on the Western Balkans and featured the participation of a number of OSCE PA members, including Fatmir Mediu (Albania), Peter Bowness (United Kingdom), and Mark Pritchard (United Kingdom), as well as PA Secretary General Roberto Montella.

In his remarks at a roundtable focused on the region’s security and economic conditions, President Tsereteli stressed the importance of continuing reform efforts and strengthening democratic institutions. He noted that he visited Tirana at the end of May to reaffirm the region’s significance for the OSCE and its determination to pursue our engagement with Albania and the rest of South East Europe.

“We must continue our efforts to ensure a relevant European enlargement by providing expertise and help to the Western Balkans, so they reach the necessary standards required to be part of the European Union,” Tsereteli said. “What is needed is strong political leadership willing to set aside differences and the divisions of the past in order to advance the common aspirations of the people of this region. I am confident that this leadership exists.”

The President also described the OSCE PA’s engagement, including recent activities such as the visit in early May to Bosnia and Herzegovina by members of the OSCE PA Ad Hoc Committee on Counter-Terrorism. Members of the OSCE PA Ad Hoc Committee on Migration were in Serbia from 10 to 12 June, he said, to learn more about how Serbia welcomes migrants and refugees, as well as the resources deployed to answer the needs of the unaccompanied minors.

Secretary General Montella said: “The fight in South East Europe is not between ethnic groups or nations, but between a very well organized and multiethnic crime and corruption network and those who support the rule of law.”

He noted that the OSCE PA strongly supports every OSCE mission in South East Europe, which have performed invaluable work in advancing the region’s democratic aspirations.

The OSCE PA has been particularly engaged in the region through election observation, including in Albania last June, as well as the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Montenegro in 2016. The PA also plans to observe elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina this autumn, the Secretary General said.

The topic of South East Europe will also be discussed at the OSCE PA’s 27th Annual Session, taking place in Berlin on 7-11 July.

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Karen Gainer

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro, in co-operation with the Agency for Electronic Media, organized two workshops for representatives of local public broadcasters on the promotion of tolerance and the prevention of hate speech in media, on 27 June 2018 in Budva and 28 June in Kolasin.

The goal of the workshops was to emphasize the significance of the occurrence of hate speech in media, provide participants with an opportunity to study concrete hate speech cases, and increase their awareness of the serious consequences of hate speech and intolerance targeting minority and vulnerable groups.

Topics discussed at the workshops included the jurisprudence and practice of the European Court of Human Rights and the Montenegrin legal framework in the area of combating hate speech, including online hate speech, specifically users' comments. Participants also examined relevant cases from Montenegro and the region.

“Prevention of hate speech and promotion of tolerance in the media is one of the OSCE Mission priorities,” said Samra Čampara, OSCE Media Programme Manager. “Good and effective co-operation with the Agency for Electronic Media and media outlets in the country is of crucial importance. Together we will continue to fight deliberate and violent hate speech through awareness-raising projects, education and regular meetings with media outlets, editors and journalists.”

Elvira Ceković, Head of Public Relations and General Affairs at the Agency of Electronic Media said that media literacy is of paramount importance in preventing hate speech: “Professional reporting and finding the right balance between freedom of expression and the protection of the right to privacy is of great importance and must always be taken into account.”

Dragan Popadić, Director of Radio Tivat, said: “Editors and media outlets have one of the most important roles: being responsible for preventing and combating hate speech.”

Đorđe Vujnović, Advisor to the Director of the Agency for Electronic Media, emphasized that consequences of hate speech leave a mark on vulnerable groups: “The Agency pays special attention to media literacy, which represents the foundation for improving media skills in dealing with and preventing occurrences of hate speech.”

 

 

 

This report is for the general public and the media. 

SUMMARY

On 28 June 2018 at 06:19 (Moscow time), the seventy-sixth[1] Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 17 vehicles were checked by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers prior to their crossing into Ukraine. All 17 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 13:25 on 28 June.

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 28 June at 06:19, the Observer Mission observed the arrival of a Russian convoy at the gate of the Donetsk BCP. A Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) team co-ordinated and led the movements of the convoy. The convoy consisted of eleven cargo trucks and six support vehicles, including one ambulance. All cargo trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian help from the Russian Federation”, while support vehicles bore the sign of MES on the side doors.

At 06:19, the vehicles entered the customs control area and queued in three lines. Once the convoy arrived, the vehicles were visually checked from the outside by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers. The Russian MES staff rolled up/opened the tarpaulins of the trucks and the border guards and customs officials performed a visual observation from the outside.

Three Ukrainian border guards and two customs officers were observed accompanying their Russian counterparts; they also performed a visual observation of the vehicles from the outside (without entering the trucks’ cargo space). The Ukrainian officials had clipboards in their hands and were taking notes. This time, no service dog was present during the procedure. By 07:04 all of the vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 13:10, the convoy returned and queued in the customs area. The tarpaulins of the trucks were opened and Russian Federation border guards and customs officers visually checked the returning convoy from the outside. Two service dogs were present and used by Russian Federation border guards to check the vehicles from the outside. Ukrainian representatives – three border guards and two customs officers – were present during this check. The Ukrainian officials also performed visual checks of the opened trucks from the outside. By 13:25 all 17 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation.

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[1]According to the statement of the Russian Federation officials, this convoy is considered to be the seventy-eighth Russian convoy which was sent to Ukraine. As two of these convoys did not cross through the “Donetsk” or “Gukovo” border crossing points, the Observer Mission did not record them. Hence, based on the Observer Mission’s counting, this convoy is considered the seventy-sixth convoy that has crossed into Ukraine.

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Communication and Media Relations Section

Some 40 officials and experts from eight OSCE participating States in South-Eastern Europe gathered in Bucharest on 27 and 28 June 2018 for a sub-regional training course organized by the OSCE and Romania’s Foreign Ministry on the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the context of regional and international security.

The course was the third event of a series of sub-regional training courses organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department. Like in the previous courses, held in Tashkent and Astana, participants discussed practical measures to enhance cyber stability between States, including effective national interagency co-operation, private-public partnerships and dedicated communication lines on the policy level between States to avoid possible misunderstandings in the cyber sphere.  

“Europe is facing a major security crisis and we have to enhance trust in cyberspace in order to prevent future conflicts by kinetic means and their further escalation,” said Ambassador Victor Micula, General Deputy Director for Strategic Affairs at Romania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  “The OSCE’s position is unique in this sense with its sixteen ground-breaking cyber confidence-building measures.”

Ambassador Karoly Dan, Permanent Representative of Hungary to the OSCE and Chair of the OSCE Informal Working Group established by Decision 1039 of the OSCE Permanent Council, said: “Cyber does not know borders, therefore co-operation between states is indispensable. To exchange information and best practices about issues related to cyberspace and the threats resulting from it is a great start to enhancing co-operation and creating trust between countries facing the same challenges.”

The training course is part of a project which aims to enhance effective implementation and awareness of the OSCE cyber/ICT security confidence building measures, taking into account sub-regional differences in this field. 

386097 Ioanna Lachana, OSCE Mission to Skopje Mirvete Islam, OSCE Mission to Skopje

The OSCE Mission to Skopje hosted a workshop for the country’s Ministry of Interior representatives on how to improve Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) security within the Border Police Service.

Through the workshop, they were able to define their roles in developing a project to upgrade both the physical and IT security for 15 border police stations and a regional centre for border affairs.

“Security and safety of communities depends on the ability of government authorities to ensure appropriate physical security and stockpile management of their small arms and light weapons,” said Gabor Kemeny, OSCE Project Co-ordinator.

The project contributes to the Interior Ministry’s capacities in this field, thus reducing the risk of illicit SALW proliferation on the territory of the country and across its borders.

The extra-budgetary project, implemented in co-operation with the Interior Ministry, and financially supported by the European Union Delegation in Skopje and the German Federal Foreign Office, aims to assist the country in its efforts to implement its international commitments in the politico-military field.

 

Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Montenegro, Presidential Election, 15 April 2018: Final Report

The final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on the 15 April 2018 presidential election in Montenegro recommends a comprehensive and inclusive reform of the election legislation. The aim of the reform should be to harmonize provisions in different election-related laws so as to avoid legal collisions.

The report also recommends that the election administration, including the State Election Commission, increase the transparency of its work, in order to earn public trust, and that further measures be introduced to safeguard the integrity, impartiality and professionalism of the election administration. 

The report also recommends limiting the number of supporting signatures required for candidates to stand for office to no more than one per cent of the voters. Developing clear instructions for verifying the signatures is another recommendation.

The report calls on authorities to investigate all allegations of electoral violations and take necessary measures to discourage vote-buying and prevent pressure on citizens to participate in campaign events or vote for a particular candidate.

The report further recommends that authorities strengthen the independence of the public broadcaster and the media oversight body.

For election day observation, the ODIHR Election Observation Mission joined efforts with the delegations of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament.

386271 ODIHR Director Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir addresses meeting participants, as Alexander Shlyk (l), Head of ODIHR Elections Department, and Richard Lappin (r), Deputy Head of the department, listen. Warsaw, 28 June 2018 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

Good practices related to the secondment and deployment of election observers was the focus of a meeting with national focal points for election observation held by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Warsaw on 28 and 29 June 2018.

The meeting – the first of its kind organized by ODIHR – brought together the focal points responsible for seconding observers to ODIHR election observation missions. The main topics of discussion were the selection and training of observers, the conduct and professional behaviour of observers, and options to evaluate long-term observers.

“Our Office has a long history of working with OSCE participating States to facilitate the secondment of observers to our election missions,” said ODIHR Director Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir. “With this meeting, we hope to build on these effective relationships and ensure that all observers are fully prepared for their work and exercise the highest levels of professional behaviour when carrying out their important duties.”

OSCE participating States have tasked ODIHR to ensure the independence, impartiality and professionalism of its election observation activities, while also emphasizing that participating States play an important role in contributing to the integrity of electoral processes by seconding observers.

COPENHAGEN, 28 June 2018 - The Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's human rights committee today expressed her deep concern about a recent deadly attack on a Roma community in western Ukraine. Isabel Santos (MP, Portugal), who also serves as a Vice-President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, offered sincere condolences on behalf of the Assembly to the families of the victims, and called for a thorough investigation into this apparent hate crime.

"This shocking crime should be a wake-up call to all of us that intolerance and discrimination are still far too prevalent in our societies," said Santos. "This brutal crime must be thoroughly investigated and those guilty brought to justice without delay. But perhaps even more importantly, politicians in Ukraine and across the OSCE must redouble their efforts to counteract the intolerance that appears to be behind such acts.”

The attack, on a community on the outskirts of Lviv, reportedly left one dead and four others – including a 10-year old child – injured. Santos noted that there have been several such attacks in Ukraine in recent months and cautioned that the perpetrators must be brought to justice promptly to avoid creating a climate of impunity.

Santos called on political leaders across the OSCE to actively speak out against all forms of violence motivated by racial hatred or xenophobia. She noted that a history of discrimination and persecution has pushed Roma and Sinti to the margins of society in many OSCE countries, and that they face a worrying rise of hate-based violence.

Santos urged all OSCE countries to actively engage with the OSCE Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues at the OSCE/ODIHR to promote protection of Roma and Sinti human rights.

Isabel Santos was appointed as Chair of the OSCE PA’s General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions recently by President George Tsereteli following the departure from the Assembly of previous Chair Ignacio Sanchez Amor.

Members of the OSCE PA will be meeting in Berlin from 7-11 July, where issues related to intolerance and discrimination are expected to feature in debates among the gathered parliamentarians.

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The Bolzano/Bozen Recommendations on National Minorities in Inter-State Relations National Minorities in Inter-State Relations The Ljubljana Guidelines on Integration of Diverse Societies Diversity management in multi-ethnic societies Управление разнообразием в многонациональных обществах Thematic Recommendations and Guidelines

The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Lamberto Zannier, met with Vasyl Bodnar, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, on 27 September in The Hague. They discussed matters related to interethnic relations in Ukraine and Ukraine’s bilateral relations with its neighbours in the context of the current and planned legislative initiatives pertaining to national minorities.

With regard to the 2017 Law on Education, Zannier encouraged efforts to extend the transition period for its implementation until 2023. “It is crucial to ensure that efforts aimed at strengthening the role of the state language for successful integration are balanced by measures to preserve and promote minority languages,” said Zannier. He also called for the Law on Education to be introduced in a progressive and efficient manner and within a realistic timeframe.

The High Commissioner also confirmed his offer of assistance to the government of Ukraine with the upcoming initiatives that will have implications for national minorities. In this context, Zannier stressed the need to ensure that a thorough consultation framework is in place. “Such a framework would allow all relevant groups, including all national minorities, to have an opportunity to express their views, with the objective of strengthening their ownership of the process striving to promote a balanced and inclusive policy,” said Zannier.

VIENNA, 28 June 2018 - The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir welcomed yesterday’s initiative by the Prime Minister of Poland, Mateusz Morawiecki, to amend the ‘Holocaust law’ and the swift decision by the lower house of Poland’s parliament to remove criminal penalties for ascribing any responsibility to the Polish nation for the Holocaust, including suggestions regarding its complicity. 

“It is very positive that Poland has decided to amend the law and responded to international concerns and criticism of the law expressed by civil society organizations, intellectuals and also my Office,” said Désir. “History must remain a matter of independent academic research and free debate, not to be regulated by law.”

The criminal penalties – which would impose a fine or a three-year prison term on Polish citizens or foreigners for using terms such as “Polish extermination camps” – had been enacted under the Act on the Institute of National Remembrance on 26 January 2018.

While welcoming the decision to remove the criminal law provisions of the ‘Holocaust law’, the Representative also cautioned that some provisions of the law remain problematic from a freedom of expression perspective.

“Through civil defamation, the Holocaust law still targets speech that criticizes and may damage Poland and the Polish state. The protection of the reputation of a state as such is not a legitimate basis for any civil defamation law. Defamation laws are there to protect the reputations of individuals – not states. Accordingly, Poland should also repeal any civil defamation laws protecting Poland or the Polish state,” he concluded.

The earlier statement by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Désir on Poland’s ‘Holocaust law’ is available here: https://www.osce.org/fom/369221

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

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ALMATY, 28 June 2018 – A two-day regional seminar on countering the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes for Central Asian judges, prosecutors, investigators and lawmakers began today in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The event is organized by the Action against Terrorism Unit (ATU) of the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department in close co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Astana.

Over 50 experts from Central Asia, international organizations, academia and the private sector participate in the seminar together with representatives from the OSCE Secretariat and OSCE field operations in Central Asian region. The sessions of the seminar aim to facilitate discussions on areas such as legal frameworks on countering the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes, the use of open source intelligence, and the protection and recovery of forensic data in investigations of crimes related to misuse of the Internet by terrorists and violent extremists groups.

The Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, Gyorgy Szabo said that the threat of terrorism and its activities online is by its nature transnational: “Only a transnational solution will demonstrate any effect in countering this scourge online. The OSCE supports the efforts of all Central Asian countries to develop new effective ways to co-operate on this front in the public and private sector.”

Participants will exchange experiences with each other and international experts from Belarus, Belgium, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Regional Anti-terrorism Center of Shanghai Co-operation Organization, and the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED).

Discussions will cover good practices in public-private partnerships, in particular a UN-mandated initiative implemented within a framework of the Tech against Terrorism project that helps tech companies prevent their platforms from being exploited by terrorists while respecting human rights.

The seminar aims to strengthen national capabilities and sustain inter-regional counter-terrorism responses by assisting practitioners to effectively investigate and prosecute the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes in compliance with international human rights standards.

 

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MINSK, 27 June 2018 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG ‎and its Working Groups in Minsk on 27 June 2018:

“Today, the TCG and its Working Groups focused on security issues in the conflict zone.

Based on the extensive discussions in the Working Group on Security Issues, the TСG adopted a Statement in relation with the beginning of the harvesting period:

Statement by the Trilateral Contact Group on a “Harvest Ceasefire”

“The Trilateral Contact Group, with the participation of representatives of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, stressing the importance of ensuring peace and calm for the population in the conflict area:

• Re-affirm their full commitment to a comprehensive, sustainable and unlimited ceasefire, starting from 1 July 2018 at 00 h 01 mn, Kyiv time;
• Re-assert their joint and firm commitment to the full implementation of the Minsk agreements”.

The Economic Working Group continued its discussion of further steps to restore and improve the mobile communication network of Vodafone-Ukraine in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (CADR and CALR). The issues of water deliveries in the supply systems "Karbonyt" and "Voda Donbasa", as well as pension payments, were also considered.

The Working Group on Humanitarian Issues continued its discussion on the exchange of detainees and search for missing persons.

Another topic for the Working Group was the improvement of conditions for crossing the contact line, including possibilities for proper repairs of the pathway to the bridge in Stanytsia Luhanska.

The Working Group on Political Issues further considered the implementation of the so-called ‘Steinmeier formula’, amnesty and modalities of local elections in CADR and CALR.”

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This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations in the Petrivske and Zolote disengagement areas and also observed military personnel in the latter. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as in Komar and Zaichenko and at a heavy weapons holding area in a government-controlled area of Donetsk region. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station, as well as repairs and maintenance to a water pumping station near Artema. In Mukacheve and Lviv, the SMM continued following up on an attack on members of the Roma community in Lviv.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[1] including, however, fewer explosions (about 170), compared with the previous reporting period (about 190 explosions).

During the evening and night of 25-26 June, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions and about 80 bursts and shots of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 3-5km south and south-east. The following day, while at the same location, the SMM heard 32 undetermined explosions 2-4km south-east.

During the day on 26 June, positioned on the south-eastern edge of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) for about six hours, the SMM heard nine undetermined explosions and about 600 bursts and shots of small-arms fire, all 2-3km south-east, as well as three shots of small-arms fire 300-500m south-east.

During the day on 26 June, positioned near Lomakyne (government-controlled, 15km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard about 40 undetermined explosions and 24 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all at undetermined distances north-east.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 140 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 25 explosions).

During the day on 26 June, positioned in Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions 4km south-south-east as well as 40 undetermined explosions and 15 bursts and shots of undetermined weapons 7-8km south-south-west.

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), as foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016. The SMM’s access remained restricted, but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.*

On the night of 25 June, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded five projectiles in flight (two assessed as inside the disengagement area, the remainder outside), one burst of an undetermined weapon (assessed as outside the disengagement area), five flares (three assessed as inside the disengagement area, the remainder outside) and five tracer rounds in flight (assessed as outside the disengagement area), all 1.5-8km at directions ranging from east to south.

On 26 June, positioned on the north-eastern edge of Katerynivka (government-controlled, 64km west of Luhansk), the SMM observed about twenty soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces as well as three cars with Ukrainian military licence plates in Katerynivka, inside the Zolote disengagement area, entering and exiting the village.

On 2 June, the SMM camera in Petrivske recorded two tracer rounds in flight 1-1.5km north-north-east (assessed as flying from inside the disengagement area).

While present at the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area on 26 June, the SMM observed a calm situation.

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 withdrawal lines, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted three towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) about 2.5km south-east of Dokuchaievsk (non-government-controlled, 30km south-west of Donetsk) on 25 June. On 26 June, near Sopyne (government-controlled, 16km east of Mariupol), the SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in a non-government-controlled area, aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed on 21 June 49 tanks (type undetermined) in a training area about 3km west of Manuilivka (65km east of Donetsk). On 26 June, the SMM saw two tanks (type undetermined) in the same area. The same day, in government-controlled areas, the SMM saw two tanks (T-64): one near Donske (57km south of Donetsk) and the other near Hranitne (25km north of Mariupol).

The SMM revisited a permanent storage site whose location was beyond the respective withdrawal lines in a government-controlled area of Donetsk region and noted that 13 anti-tank guns (MT-12) were again missing and that additional weapons were present. At a second such site in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region, the SMM noted that six tanks (four T-64 and two T-72) were again missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles, an anti-aircraft weapon[2] and other indications of military presence in the security zone. In government-controlled areas on 25 June, an SMM long-range UAV spotted three infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (two BMP-1 and one BMP-2) near Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk). The same day, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted three armoured personnel carriers (APC) (two BTR variants and one MT-LB), an IFV (BMP-1) and 50m of recently dug trenches near Novotoshkivske (53km west of Luhansk). On 26 June, the SMM saw an APC (BTR-70) near Karlivka (25km north-west of Donetsk) and a self-propelled anti-aircraft system (ZSU-23-4 Shilka, 23mm) near Sopyne.

On 25 June, an SMM long-range UAV spotted four men in camouflage clothing – two of whom were carrying what appeared to be rifles – exit a military-type truck on the eastern edge of Zalizne (formerly Artemove, government-controlled, 42km north-east of Donetsk), walk about 2.3km east and enter a house on Zarichna Street in the Chyhari area of Pivdenne (formerly Leninske, government-controlled, 40km north-east of Donetsk). (The SMM had previously observed damaged houses on the same and nearby streets in the area. See SMM Daily Report 8 June 2018.)

The SMM observed mine hazard signs. The SMM saw ten red-and-white signs with a skull-and-crossbones and the words “Beware mines” in Russian printed on them on a fence near a checkpoint of the armed formations in Betmanove (formerly Krasnyi Partyzan, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Donetsk) on 26 June. These signs were not observed when the SMM visited this location the previous day.

The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) as well as demining activities around the station, including through monitoring adherence to the ceasefire. Positioned in areas near the DFS, the SMM heard over 1,100 ceasefire violations, despite explicit security guarantees (see above and table below for details). The SMM also continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk).

The SMM visited a border area not under government control. While at a border crossing point near Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk) for one hour and 40 minutes, the SMM saw 43 cars (18 with Ukrainian, 14 with Russian Federation and one with Georgian licence plates; ten with “DPR” plates), three covered cargo trucks (two with Ukrainian and one with Belarusian licence plates) and three pedestrians exiting Ukraine, as well as 30 cars (11 with Ukrainian, ten with Russian Federation and one with Georgian licence plates; eight with “DPR” plates), eight buses (four with Ukrainian, two with Russian Federation and one with Polish licence plates; one with “DPR” plates) and five pedestrians entering Ukraine.

The SMM continued to follow up on the attack on members of the Roma community on 23 June in Lviv city (see SMM Daily Report 26 June 2018). In Mukacheve in Zakarpattia region (157km west of Ivano-Frankivsk), the SMM spoke with a boy (ten years old) who had stab wounds to his hip and thigh; the SMM saw that he had difficulties walking. The boy told the SMM that on the night of 23 June, a group of people wearing balaclavas had entered the settlement where he was staying with his family and began setting their shelters on fire, stabbing the people in the settlement and shouting that they would “kill all the Roma.” Medical staff at the Lviv Children’s hospital told the SMM that a boy (ten years old) had been admitted to the hospital at 00:30 on 24 June with knife wounds to his hip and released shortly after. A doctor from the hospital told the SMM that the boy and his mother (30 years old), who was also injured in the attack, were then transferred to the Lviv Clinical Municipal Communal Emergency Hospital.  

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Kharkiv, 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 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 (see SMM Daily Report 19 June 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.

Denial of access:

• A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM it could not conduct a mini-UAV flight near Komar (government-controlled, 78km west of Donetsk).
• Members of the armed formations stopped the SMM at a checkpoint near Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol) and said that the SMM was not permitted to access Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol) and Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol) due to “specific orders” prohibiting the SMM from visiting these locations. (The SMM has conducted impact sites in Pikuzy on four occasions in the past week (see SMM Daily Report 26 June 2018, SMM Daily Report 25 June 2018, SMM Daily Report 23 June 2018, and SMM Daily Report 19 June 2018).)
• A Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier denied the SMM access to a heavy weapons holding area in a government-controlled area of Donetsk region.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The SMM was prevented from accessing parts of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, with the exception of the main road, due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.[3]
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads in the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM by phone that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC. [3]
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. An armed formation member positioned on the southern side of the Zolote disengagement area told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed.

[1]     Please see the annexed table for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations as well as a map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report. The SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Marinka was not operational during the reporting period.

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

[3]     The SMM informed Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC. Russian Federation Armed Forces officers of the JCCC have withdrawn from the JCCC as of 18 December 2017.

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386034 From left to right: Asadullo Zikrikhudoev, Chairman of the National Association of People with Disabilities of Tajikistan; Friederike Behr, Human Rights Officer at the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe; and Amu Urhonen, Chair of the Disability branch of the Finnish Green Party. Dushanbe, 27 June 2018. Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

Experts from ten countries across the OSCE region joined representatives of disabled people’s organizations (DPOs) at two events in Dushanbe on 26 and 27 June 2018 to exchange information and opinions on recent developments in the field of disability rights and share experiences on the inclusion of persons with disabilities in political and public life.

The events – an expert meeting and a meeting with local DPOs – were organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe.

Some 50 experts and politicians with disabilities, representatives of DPOs, international organizations, embassies, civil society and the media contributed to the discussions.

“Close consultations with persons with disabilities and their involvement in the development of legislation and policy is an underlining principle of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,” said Anete Erdmane, Associate Democratic Governance Officer at ODIHR. “It is a great opportunity to discuss these questions in Tajikistan, which has recently signed the Convention.”

During the expert meeting, participants discussed the ODIHR Guidelines on Political Participation of Persons with Disabilities, which will be published in early 2019. The Guidelines are intended for parliaments, political parties, civil society organizations and other stakeholders.  

“This meeting of international experts with disabilities in Dushanbe is a great motivational platform for activists of the disabled people’s movement in Tajikistan,” said Asadullo Zikrikhudoev, the Chairperson of the National Union of People with Disabilities of Tajikistan.

Ambassador Tuula Yrjölä, the Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, said: “The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe is privileged to host this distinguished group of experts as part of our work on advancing the rights of persons with disabilities. We appreciate the contribution of experts to the discussions that we have with local disability rights organizations in Tajikistan. The input of the experts helps us improve our assistance in this area, with the ultimate goal of contributing to a more secure, stable and equal society.”

The events were part of the ODIHR project “Our right to participate – Promoting the participation of persons with disabilities in political and public life.”