Central Europe

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It is with immense sadness that the Bureau and the members of the Court have learned that Robert Badinter, former Minister of Justice of France and a founding father of the OSCE Court of Conciliation and Arbitration, has passed away. 

A fervent advocate of law and justice, he was instrumental in the creation of the Convention on Conciliation and Arbitration (CCA) within the OSCE. Adopted at the OSCE Ministerial Council in December 1992, the CCA was created during a period of profound change in inter-European relations in order to anchor in a multilateral treaty the principles of good neigbhouring relations and friendly settlement of disputes between OSCE participating States. He was a dedicated president of the Court during several mandates, and served as an inspiration for his successors, delivering a vivid testimony addressed to the actual members of the Court in 2020. Before the creation of the OSCE CCA in 1995, Badinter was President of the Arbitration Commission of the Peace Conference on the former Yugoslavia in 1991.

Among his major achievements as Minister of Justice of France was the abolition of the death penalty in 1981 and the acceptance of the full competence of the European Court on Human Rights. Badinter furthermore contributed to the modernization of the French criminal code and to the adoption of Protocol n°6 to the European Convention on Human Rights. He presided over the Constitutional Council of France from 1986 to 1995.

He will be remembered as a bright orator and a great humanitarian, relentlessly engaged to promote law and justice, to fight against discrimination and to defend the dignity of any human being. Badinter’s legacy will transcend generations.

President Decaux, on behalf of the Court as well in his own capacity, expresses his heartfelt condolences to Badinter’s wife, family and relatives.

Read his full biography

Watch the video recording “Robert Badinter talks about the OSCE Court”

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 9 February 2024 - The OSCE Mission in Kosovo today published its latest report on the effects of the 2022 mass resignation of Kosovo Serb judges, prosecutors, and administrative staff working in the justice system in the Mitrovicë/Mitrovica region.

The report analyses publicly available statistical data from January 2022 to June 2023 concerning the capacity of the Mitrovicë/Mitrovica Basic Court and Basic Prosecution Office to administer justice in a timely and efficient manner before and after November 2022, when 20 judges, 10 prosecutors and 132 administrative staff resigned. In addition, four Kosovo Serb judges of the Mitrovica/Mitrovicë North Court of Appeals Division resigned. 

“These resignations were a major setback for the Mitrovicë/Mitrovica justice system, following the 2017 integration of Kosovo Serb judicial staff. This OSCE Mission report shows that this resulted in a reduced capacity of the court and prosecution to deliver justice, undermining the right to a trial within a reasonable time and impairing access to justice,” said Michael Davenport, Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.

Due to the resulting sudden and significant staffing shortage, the Mitrovicë/Mitrovica Basic Court and the Basic Prosecution Office experienced a noticeable decline in court proceedings and caseload clearance rates (a measure of court and prosecutorial efficiency) from 75% to 59% in the court and from 75% to 57% in the prosecution office.

Both the Kosovo Judicial Council (KJC) and Kosovo Prosecutorial Council (KPC) have attempted to address the situation by reallocating cases and judicial staff, while also discussing how to improve the recruitment of new judges and prosecutors from non-majority communities.

The report underscores the critical need for measures to address these issues and restore the efficient and fair functioning of the Mitrovicë/Mitrovica justice system. More generally, it is imperative to promote a multi-ethnic justice system.

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo has a mandate to support the protection of human and community rights, as well as to build capacity in the public safety sector and strengthen democratic institutions. The Mission also monitors the justice system for compliance with international human rights standards and offers recommendations on how to address issues identified. 

The full report is available here: https://www.osce.org/mission-in-kosovo/562500

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From 5 to 9 February, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities organized a workshop in Warsaw, Poland for Ukrainian supervisory agencies and regulators on addressing the most common risks associated with money laundering and supervisory processes governing Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs).

This 5-day event brought together more than 60 participants from Ukraine and Poland, joining both in person and online to discuss practical cases, regulatory frameworks, and innovative strategies for combating illicit activities within the virtual asset and cryptocurrency space.

"As the virtual asset landscape evolves, appropriate supervisory frameworks are essential to prevent its misuse for illicit activities," said Maksym Mishalov Dragunov, Assistant Project Officer at the OSCE. "This workshop fosters crucial collaboration between policymakers, supervisors, and industry professionals, empowering them to effectively address money laundering risks and promote a secure and compliant crypto market."

The workshop offered a platform for in-depth discussions on how supervisory authorities can effectively oversee VASPs and mitigate the risks of money laundering and terrorist financing. During the interactive sessions, participants from Ukraine and Poland examined practical VASP regulation cases, dissecting real-world examples to underscore key challenges and effective supervisory approaches. They analysed crypto-specific risks, exploring unique vulnerabilities within the crypto industry and developed tools for risk identification and assessment. Additionally, best practices for implementing Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures specific to VASPs were addressed, emphasizing the importance of compliance in this evolving landscape. Moreover, one of the experts explained the implications of the European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation on VASP supervision, providing valuable insights for Ukrainian regulators on how the legislative framework and regulatory compliance is developing in European landscape.

“This workshop paves the way for a more effective and collaborative approach to VASP supervision in Ukraine. Sharing practical insights and strategies with esteemed colleagues has equipped me with the knowledge and methodology to tackle the unique challenges of crypto-related money laundering,” said one of the participants.

This initiative demonstrates the OSCE's ongoing commitment to supporting regional cooperation on anti-money laundering, in particularly in the area of crypto-assets. By facilitating knowledge sharing and capacity building, the workshop equipped participants with the necessary tools and expertise to strengthen VASP supervision and uphold financial integrity within their respective jurisdictions.

The workshop is part of the OSCE extra-budgetary project on “Innovative policy solutions to mitigate money-laundering risks of virtual assets”. The project is designed to support the OSCE participating states in building national authorities’ capacities to mitigate criminal risks related to virtual assets and cryptocurrencies. The project is funded by the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland and Romania. The Ministry of Finance of Poland provided the venue for the workshop.

562512 OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities The Tallinn Guidelines on National Minorities and the Media in the Digital Age Guidelines on the use of Minority Languages in the Broadcast Media The Ljubljana Guidelines on Integration of Diverse Societies The Hague Recommendations Regarding the Education Rights of National Minorities The Oslo Recommendations regarding the Linguistic Rights of National Minorities

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) Kairat Abdrakhmanov visited Valletta on 7 February 2024 to discuss issues of mutual interest, in light of Malta’s Chairpersonship of the OSCE.

The High Commissioner met with Ian Borg, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta and OSCE Chair-in-Office (CiO), and the taskforce to express his support for Malta’s priorities as CiO, share the plans of his institution and discuss key areas of co-operation on matters related to his mandate.

The High Commissioner also used this opportunity to meet with various interlocutors to learn about Malta’s experience with diversity governance, particularly multilingualism in education and the media, with the aim to showcase positive examples throughout the OSCE region.

Towards this end, High Commissioner Abdrakhmanov met with Permanent Secretary in the Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation Ministry Matthew Vella to understand more about Malta’s experiences and best practices related to delivering high-quality bilingual education for all. The HCNM promotes multilingual education as a way to promote integration in diverse societies. 

Abdrakhmanov also met with Commissioner Renee Laiviera at the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE) to hear how Malta approaches the inclusion of ethnic and religious minorities, data collection, anti-discrimination, and the intersection between climate policy and ethnicity. The HCNM is currently exploring the separate areas of data collection and climate change, as they pertain to national minority issues, in order to broaden his understanding of the subjects and how they relate to his mandate.

Finally, the High Commissioner took the opportunity to visit the Broadcasting Authority, where he met with Chief Executive Joanna Spiteri and Chairperson Frank Farrugia. Abdrakhmanov learned about Malta’s long experience of consuming media in multiple languages, primarily Maltese, English and Italian. 

BAKU, 8 February 2024 – This was the first election to be held throughout the internationally recognized territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, an issue that dominated the campaign and was echoed in public sentiment. While preparations for the election were efficient and professional, it lacked genuine pluralism and critical voices were continuously stifled. Longstanding restrictions on freedoms of association and expression were reinforced by recent legal amendments and resulted in legislation not in line with international democratic standards, international observers said in a statement  today.

The joint observation mission from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) concluded that while the election code is detailed and regulates all aspects of the electoral process, recent amendments left previous ODIHR recommendations unaddressed.

"We have witnessed a historic moment in Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial integrity, in this first presidential election held across the entire territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan since independence,” said Artur Gerasymov, Special Co-ordinator and leader of the OSCE short-term observers. “The early presidential election was held in a restrictive environment, and while it was efficiently prepared, critical voices and political alternatives were largely absent. Regrettably, previous recommendations to bring the legal framework closer in line with international standards for democratic elections have remained unaddressed, and numerous restrictions in law and practice continue to exist.”

The campaign remained low key throughout, lacked any meaningful public engagement and was not competitive. While six other candidates participated in the campaign, none of them convincingly challenged the incumbent president’s policies in their campaigns, leaving voters without any genuine alternative. Civil society and opposition representatives noted that the legal framework and its implementation makes it difficult to enjoy their right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to hold public gatherings, both in the run-up to the election and outside the campaign period.

While the equal treatment of women and men is enshrined in law, there are no specific measures to promote women’s participation and women remain underrepresented in all aspects of public and political life. While women are well represented at the local level, no woman has run in a presidential election since 2013.

"In observing this election, I have noticed the strong absence of an engaged and informative public campaign between political alternatives, while the media environment remained extremely constrained, leaving voters without the possibility to meaningfully inform themselves about the options on voting day," said Daniela De Ridder, Head of the OSCE PA delegation. "Women remain vastly under-represented in political life, although they shoulder the majority of the organizational work on election day. This demonstrates the need to introduce laws that guarantee equal participation in politics."

Some 6.5 million voters were registered for yesterday’s election. Election day was calm and orderly overall but the observers noted significant shortcomings, mainly due to issues of secrecy of the vote, a lack of safeguards against multiple voting, indications of ballot box stuffing, and seemingly identical signatures on the voter lists. This raised serious questions about whether ballots were counted and reported honestly. Almost 80 per cent of the polling stations observed failed to provide independent access for disabled voters.

Highly restrictive media legislation as well as recent arrests of critical journalists have hindered the media from operating freely and led to widespread self-censorship, limiting the scope for independent journalism and critical debate. Minimal coverage of the candidates and campaign reduced the opportunity for voters to learn about the contestants and their programmes in order to make an informed choice on election day.

“In this important election for the country, none of the candidates challenged the incumbent convincingly, and some opposition parties did not take part at all, claiming a lack of adequate democratic conditions,” said Eoghan Murphy, who headed ODIHR’s election observation mission. “While preparations for the election were efficient and professional, including the training of precinct commissioners, on election day important safeguards were often disregarded and we observed substantial procedural errors throughout the day.”

The international election observation mission to the early presidential election in Azerbaijan totalled 335 observers from 42 countries, comprising 256 ODIHR-deployed experts and long-term and short-term observers, and 79 from the OSCE PA.

For more information, please contact:

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

Anzhelika Ivanishcheva, OSCE PA: + 45 60 10 80 30 or anzhelika.ivanishcheva@oscepa.dk  

562491 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

On 7 February 2024, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe donated two specialized boats to the country's Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defence to bolster Tajikistan's emergency response capabilities. As Tajikistan continues to grapple with the multifaceted impacts of climate change, the assistance provided by the OSCE serves as a demonstration of the importance of international solidarity in addressing environmental challenges and reaffirming the enduring partnership in pursuit of a safer and more secure future for all.

The boats are set to facilitate swift and effective emergency operations during floods, landslides, and other natural calamities that often afflict Tajikistan's vulnerable communities. With its ability to navigate the rivers and swiftly reach remote areas, the donated vessels are expected to enhance the authorities' capacity to save lives and provide timely assistance to those in need. The assistance is part of the Office’s ongoing support to the Government of Tajikistan in enhancing the operational capacity and providing timely and professional support to survivors.

Tajikistan, nestled in the heart of Central Asia, is highly susceptible to a range of natural hazards, including floods, mudflows, and earthquakes, which pose significant risks to lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure. The donation of the boats by the OSCE reflects the Organization's recognition of the urgent need to strengthen Tajikistan's capacity to mitigate and respond to such emergencies, thereby safeguarding the well-being of its population and promoting regional stability.

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Thirty representatives from state institutions and civil society organizations engaged in the first hackathon against trafficking in human beings in Albania – a learning-by-doing training where they worked together to detect online human trafficking and child sexual exploitation, on 6 and 7 February 2024. The event was organized by the OSCE Presence in Albania in co-operation with the Office of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings.

Guided by international experts, mentors in information technology and cyber security, the participants coming from police, social services, the National Authority on Electronic Certification and Cyber Security (AKCESK) and civil society organizations engaged in developing tools to detect online trafficking and sexual exploitation.

“Technology can also be developed and deployed to help combat human trafficking in the online environment. That is why we have to see opportunities beyond challenges and this is exactly the scope of this innovative training”, said Clarisse Pasztory, Acting Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, who addressed the opening session alongside AKCESK director Igli Tafa.

The goal of the hackathon was to increase awareness of the ways in which technology is misused in Albania to exploit victims, especially children. It also aimed to identify platforms and websites that are particularly exposed to human trafficking risks and to provide insight into how traffickers exploit them.

In addition, the hackathon served to build a network of expertise to address technology-facilitated human trafficking, by employing a “learning-by-doing” methodology, prioritizing the learning process over theory, and testing participants knowledge and capacities in a live online environment to detect websites and social media platforms that recruit victims for sexual exploitation.

WARSAW/VIENNA, 7 February 2024 – The decision of Kyrgyzstan’s parliament, the Jogorku Kenesh, to proceed towards the adoption of the so-called “foreign representatives” bill is of great concern, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Matteo Mecacci and OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) Teresa Ribeiro said today.

“Protecting freedom of association and other human rights is fundamental to every democracy,” said ODIHR Director Matteo Mecacci. “If this legislation is adopted, I am worried it would have an overwhelmingly negative impact on civil society, human rights defenders, and the media in Kyrgyzstan. We call on the Parliament to reconsider this bill and stand ready to provide our support.”

The draft law introduces additional reporting obligations on non-commercial organizations that receive foreign funding and are engaged in broadly defined ‘political’ activities, alongside wide oversight powers by public authorities and potential criminal sanctions for vaguely outlined criminal offences. Media rights groups receiving external funding as well as non-profit organizations that run news outlets would also fall within the scope of the draft law.

“The introduction in this draft law of burdensome reporting requirements is likely to prove unsustainable for small and medium-sized media organizations, and will pose significant risks to media freedom and open debate on issues of public interest in Kyrgyzstan,” noted Media Freedom Representative Teresa Ribeiro. “It is especially concerning that the amendments in question aim at introducing nearly total government control over the right to free expression of civil society and media actors. The mere possibility of criminal sanctions in case of non-compliance with the proposed legislation will have a significant chilling effect on media freedom and freedom of expression in the country.”

At the request of Kyrgyzstan’s Ombudsperson, the Akyikatchy, ODIHR provided an ODIHR Interim Urgent Opinion on an earlier version of the draft law in late 2022. While some of the concerns raised in the opinion have been partially addressed, the “foreign representatives” draft law, as it is remains incompatible with international human rights standards and OSCE commitments.

All OSCE participating States have committed to respecting the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of association and political participation. These standards and commitments are cornerstones to any vibrant, pluralistic and participatory democracy.

562398 For Media inquires

From 30 January to 1 February, the OSCE Programme Office in Astana conducted a three-day workshop on digital rights and dialogue facilitation between State officials and civil society organizations. The event was carried out in co-operation with European Union Delegation in Kazakhstan, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights' (OHCHR) Regional Office for Central Asia (ROCA), and local NGOs “Erkindik Qanaty”, “Human Rights Consulting Group”, and “Civil Expertise”.

It provided a platform for both relevant State bodies and civil society organizations to present and elucidate policies concerning the regulation of digital rights. Participants representing the Supreme Court, Ministry of Culture and Information, Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry, digital rights experts and civil society organizations discussed topics related to personal data as property rights, utilization of civic technologies by vulnerable groups, Internet and media freedom, as well as gender aspects in personal data protection. The sides paid attention to the search for an added-value balance between increasing digitalization and international human rights standards. This unique platform created an opportunity for the exchange of diverse perspectives, fostering dialogue and collaboration among stakeholders with different backgrounds and interests.

Increased digitalization underscores the paramount importance of enhancing resilience of society through safeguarding digital rights, foster innovation, and uphold democratic principles in the rapidly evolving technological landscape.

Throughout the event, interested civil society organizations, academia, business, media representatives, and digital rights experts, including lawyers,  also had the opportunity to analyze challenges and exchange insights into the regulation of digital rights in Kazakhstan and other countries. Further, participants formulated recommendations as to privacy and personal data protection; Civic Tech and decision-making; media and Internet freedom for the interaction and co-operation between State bodies and civil society in this sphere.

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana remains committed to continue its efforts to foster dialogue between the State and civil society, and conduct capacity building in relevant spheres for government bodies and civil society in Kazakhstan.

BAKU, 5 February 2024 – International election observers will hold a press conference to present their findings following the early presidential election in Azerbaijan.

What:

• A press conference of the international election observation mission to the early presidential election in Azerbaijan
• Journalists can attend the press conference in person or via Zoom (details below)
• Those unable to attend in person can follow the livestream here

Who:

• Artur Gerasymov, Special Co-ordinator and leader of the OSCE short-term observers
• Daniela De Ridder, Head of the OSCE PA delegation
• Eoghan Murphy, Head of the ODIHR election observation mission  

When:

• 15:00 local time (GMT +3) on 8 February 2024

Where:

• Landmark III Rotunda hall, Khagani Rustamov Street, 4C Khatai District, Baku

Registration:

• To take part via Zoom, please register by 11:00 local time on 8 February using the following link

The international election observation is a joint mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE (OSCE PA). The observation mission totals 335 observers, composed of 256 ODIHR-deployed experts, long-term, and short-term observers, and 79 from the OSCE PA.

For more information, please contact:

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

Anzhelika Ivanishcheva, OSCE PA: + 45 60 10 80 30 or anzhelika.ivanishcheva@oscepa.dk  

562365 Marina Živaljević

With the support of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, the Ballistic Laboratory of the Forensic Centre has been officially accredited in line with international standards – ISO 17025, enhancing the credibility and reliability of forensic analysis.

The Forensic Centre is dedicated to achieving the highest professional standards in its work, with international accreditation of its chemical laboratoryies for drug testing, the DNA laboratory, fingerprint and gunshot residues (GSR) laboratories, and now for ballistics.

Supporting regional co-operation and exchange of experience and good practices, the Mission engaged ballistic experts from the Forensic Centre of North Macedonia to support Montenegrin counterparts in the accreditation process.

Upon receiving this official accreditation, Dr. Sandra Kovačević, Head of the Forensic Centre, stated that it provides police and the law enforcement agencies with tools needed to more effectively address security challenges.  “The support of the OSCE Mission has not only improved our capabilities, but has also contributed to the broader goal of enhancing regional security through more effective forensic practices,” said Dr. Kovačević.

Dominique Waag, Head of OSCE Mission, congratulated the Head of the Forensic Centre, Dr. Sandra Kovačević, for this important achievement and underscored the Mission’s partnership with the Centre, which has been forged over the years, and said she is keenly aware of the pivotal role that Forensic Centre plays in ensuring the proper gathering and analysis of evidence for effective law enforcement and the fair adjudication of cases in courts as he final instance. “The meticulous work carried out by the Forensic Centre significantly contributes to the strength and integrity of the criminal justice system. Properly handled and scientifically validated evidence not only enhances the credibility of investigations but also upholds the principles of justice and the rule of law,” said Ambassador Waag.

The OSCE has supported the Forensic Centre since its inception in 2008, both in terms of providing equipment and professional training and mentoring to its scientists, including the accreditation processes. In 2024, the Mission will help the Forensic Centre to fill a gap in its experts by training a new ballistics examiner in the newly certified ballistics laboratory, and in order to acquire knowledge of best practice.

KYIV, 3 February 2024 - The OSCE Chair-in-Office, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta Ian Borg, completed his visit to Ukraine.

In Kyiv, the Chair-in-Office Minister Borg met with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba.

“My first visit as Chair-in-Office reinforces our unequivocal and unwavering commitment to support Ukraine and to keep Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine at the top of the OSCE agenda. Every death is a tragedy and too many lives have been lost in this senseless war,” Borg said.

Throughout the Chairpersonship, Malta will continue to place strong emphasis on the urgent need to bring this war to an end, while at the same time find practical solutions to assist Ukraine and its people. The Chair-in-Office reiterated that the Organization remains engaged and committed to support the government, civil society and people of Ukraine, including through the OSCE’s extra-budgetary Support Programme for Ukraine (SPU), as the magnitude of the destruction caused by Russia’s war against Ukraine continues to worsen.

“The OSCE will continue to support Ukraine in addressing multiple and unprecedented challenges the country is facing due to the ongoing war against it. The OSCE has tools such as the Moscow Mechanism to establish facts on the violation of the OSCE’s core principles and can contribute to the accountability of the perpetrators. I am convinced that our Organization has a pivotal role to play in Ukraine. We commend the important work of the Support Programme for Ukraine’s team and pledge our support for even more engagement,” Minister Borg said.

During his visit, Chair-in-Office Borg was accompanied by the Special Representative of the CiO – Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, Ambassador Marcel Peško. Minister Borg also met SPU staff to express his appreciation for the dedication and hard work each of them brings to the Organization.

“One issue that weighs heavily on our collective conscience is the unjust and illegal detention of the three staff members of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission. Our thoughts are with them and their families during this challenging time. We are concerned about their health and safety and join the Secretary General in her call on Russia for their immediate release,” Minister Borg stressed. 

Chair-in-Office Minister Borg underscored the need to continue demonstrating unity as an organization to advocate for their immediate release while standing in absolute solidarity with them and their families.

Above all, Minister Borg emphasised that the OSCE must remain anchored in the principles and commitments to which all the participating States agreed to, with a view to restoring peace and security in our region.

The OSCE’s extrabudgetary (ExB) Support Programme for Ukraine (SPU) was launched on 1 November 2022 in order to address the immediate challenges to civilians posed by the war against Ukraine and to support the long-term democratic and social resilience of the country’s institutions and civil society.

The Programme comprises projects that build on the OSCE’s prior work with its long-standing partners and covers a wide range of areas, such as humanitarian demining, addressing chemical threats, monitoring of environmental damage from the war and supporting the reform efforts of the Ukrainian government.

VIENNA/BELGRADE, 2 February 2024 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, and the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Jan Braathu, expressed their dismay over today’s verdict of the Belgrade Appellate Court. In this verdict, all defendants were acquitted, leaving the 1999 murder of Serbian journalist Slavko Ćuruvija unresolved. This latest verdict significantly deviates from the two previous first-instance court decisions, which had resulted in extensive prison sentences for the defendants.

“The fact that this case still remains unresolved, almost 25 years after this courageous journalist was murdered, is very disturbing,” stated Ribeiro. “Impunity for this heinous crime is not only extremely painful for Ćuruvija’s family and colleagues, but also deeply disappointing for the whole of Serbian society. The true test of a rule-of-law based society is how it delivers justice, especially to those who put themselves at risk to uphold the values of a free press.”

Today’s announcement of the verdict comes after years of intensive work by the Government of Serbia-appointed Commission for the Investigation of Unresolved Murders of Journalists, established in 2013, and of the Prosecutor's Office, to finally bring a resolution to this crime in the pursuit of justice.

“Impunity for crimes against journalists in any society undermines the safety of journalists and media freedom. It also creates a negative public perception of the delivery of justice and due process. The Mission has always been steadfast in working with all our partners – Government authorities, the Permanent Working Group on Safety of Journalists, law enforcement, media and journalist associations, civil society, and academia – on upholding OSCE commitments and implementing the Government of Serbia’s Media Strategy 2020-2025 and legislation in line with international standards that would improve the safety of journalists and media freedom in Serbia,” added Braathu.

Ribeiro and Braathu recalled the commitment undertaken by all 57 OSCE participating States, including Serbia, in the 2018 OSCE Milan Ministerial Council Decision on the Safety of Journalists, to “take effective measures to end impunity for crimes committed against journalists”.  Today's verdict raises serious rule of law questions, leaving the country without accountability and justice for the murder of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija.

562290 Annie Engstroem

Together with the Association of Journalists (AJM) and our other partners, the OSCE Mission to Skopje remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting high-quality journalism. This includes a focus on strengthening independent reporting, advancing investigative journalism, and promoting a diverse media environment in North Macedonia.

Our continuous partnership with AJM features the annual summer camp designed for young journalists, with a primary emphasis on enhancing investigative journalism skills and fostering proficiency in both digital and physical self-protection. The activity has evolved into a valuable platform for the professional development of emerging journalists and serves as a hub for editorial networking.

The Mission is committed to expanding the reach and impact of our joint efforts, fostering increased cooperation among journalists within the country and the wider region. Building on past achievements, intensified collaborations aim to inform and empower young journalists through regional events and training programs.

Underlining the critical need to support education and encouragement in this area, discussions are underway for the establishment of an Academy for young journalists. The goal is to enhance reporting skills, foster high-quality journalism, and create a robust network that facilitates knowledge exchange and professional growth. Ultimately, the aim is to better equip the next generation of journalists with the tools needed to navigate the evolving media landscape and contribute to an informed and independent press.

In our discussions on future initiatives, emphasis was also given to AJM's proposal for a fund supporting media pluralism. The establishment of this fund seeks to ensure equal access to resources for all media and journalists, contributing to a more balanced and diverse media landscape in the country.

Ensuring journalistic independence and prioritizing public interest in the media space remains a key focus of the Mission. Collaborating with AJM, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and other partners, the Mission consistently works on the protection of journalists, placing special emphasis on the safety of female journalists.

In March, the Mission will support trainings for the youth wings of political parties, also focusing on monitoring and combating hate speech against journalists. This initiative aims to raise awareness of the detrimental effects of such speech, particularly in the context of political activities and electoral campaigns this year.

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Ten representatives from civil society organizations, Local Safety Councils, Ministry of Interior and Albanian State Police were on a visit to Zagreb, Croatia, on 30 and 31 January 2024, to exchange best practices and strategies when designing and implementing local and national awareness raising initiatives on firearms. The visit was organized by the OSCE Presence as part of its project “Assisting the national authorities of the of the Republic of Albania to decrease the risk of weapon proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons (SALW)”, funded by the European Union, Germany and France.

The Albanian delegation had the opportunity to learn from Croatia’s extensive experience and sustainable strategies on raising awareness on the risks and misuse of firearms. They met with representatives of the Croatian General Police Directorate, Centre for Forensic Examinations, Informative Centre for Prevention, and Velika Gorica Police Station. They also visited the Red Cross Zagreb and its centre for volunteers and youth, where they were introduced to various youth-focused awareness raising and prevention initiatives on the risks of firearms.

“The exchange visit was a useful experience for us to see how awareness raising campaigns on the firearms are implemented in the context of Croatia. After this visit, in co-operation with the OSCE Presence’s project, we will develop a plan for the implementation of outreach activities in our communities,” said Ervin Muço, General Director of Elbasan Municipality’s Protection and Social Inclusion Directorate.

The recently developed Awareness Raising and Communication Strategy on the Misuse of Small Arms and Light Weapons highlighted that the Local Safety Councils and civil society organizations are well-implanted partners, especially among hard-to-reach target groups. The selected Local Safety Councils and civil society organizations that were part of the visit to Croatia have played an important role in the conceptualisation process of the strategy. They have also expressed their willingness to co-operate with the Ministry of Interior and the Albanian State Police on local and national awareness-raising outreach activities in Albania to be implemented as part of OSCE’s SALW project.

“This is assessed to be an exceptional platform to bring together representatives of Local Safety Councils, civil society, Interior Ministry and State Police when implementing such activities. We believe that this is a first milestone in strengthening co-operation amongst these important stakeholders in the process of enhancing the government awareness raising efforts in the benefit of Albanian citizens”, said Xhenis Ballço, the project’s national officer at the OSCE Presence in Albania.

The organization of the visit was supported by the General Police Directorate of Croatia’s Interior Ministry and the Red Cross in Zagreb.

THE HAGUE, 2 February 2024 – OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov today launched a call for nominations for the 2024 Max van der Stoel Award. The award of 50,000 euros recognizes extraordinary and outstanding achievements in improving the position of national minorities in the OSCE participating States. The deadline for nominations is 31 March 2024.

Eligible candidates include international organizations, non-governmental organizations, research institutes, government bodies or individuals with a record of excellence in the field of improving the position and rights of national minorities in the OSCE area.

OSCE field operations and institutions, and delegations of the OSCE participating States may nominate candidates directly. Anyone else can propose an eligible candidate by contacting an OSCE institution, including the office of the HCNM, their local OSCE field operation or their delegation to the OSCE who will then decide whether to nominate the proposed candidate.

“I encourage everyone to propose suitable candidates by contacting my office, or an OSCE field operation or delegation,” said High Commissioner Abdrakhmanov. “OSCE entities can formally nominate candidates and I invite them to consider the proposals they receive and to submit their chosen candidates to my office by the 31 March deadline. I also urge them to proactively engage with civil society and encourage proposals for eligible candidates.”

OSCE field operations, institutions and delegations should send their nominations directly to the office of the High Commissioner on National Minorities via email (mvds@hcnm.org), through the online form (maxvanderstoelaward.com) or by mail/diplomatic post to:

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities
Max van der Stoel Award
Prinsessegracht 22
2514 AP The Hague
The Netherlands

After receiving all nominations, a special jury composed of distinguished experts of international repute and chaired by the High Commissioner will choose the winner. The award will be presented to the winner at a ceremony in The Hague in the autumn of 2024.

Established in 2001 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, the award honours Max van der Stoel, a prominent Dutch statesperson who was the first OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, and aims to draw attention to issues related to national minorities.

More information about the award is available in this factsheet.

562242

From 26 to 28 January, IT enthusiasts gathered at the New Uzbekistan University in Tashkent for the sixth edition of the “Open Data Challenge” hackathon.

This annual competition was organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) together with IT-Park Uzbekistan and the IT company Virtual Group. State partners were the Statistics Agency and the Anti-Corruption Agency of Uzbekistan.

More than 200 young people gathered in teams and competed to develop technological solutions based on the data opened by public authorities. The hackathon covered four categories: government, social, business, and anti-corruption.

Each sector had three winning teams that crafted innovative solutions. These included an IT solution offering a sign language assistant for individuals with hearing and speech impairments, an AI-based operator tailored for the business sector, the integration of blockchain in government agencies to enhance cost transparency, and an approach aimed at identifying the causes of traffic jams.

This popular event offers a unique opportunity to further demonstrate the practical relevance and applicability of open data. At the same time youth is engaged in proposing solutions to current challenges.

Open data plays an important role in the monitoring and evaluation of state bodies’ activities. In addition to strengthen public control and its anti-corruption component, the publication of data has direct economic impact and a hugely untapped social potential.

Through the development of new services and products that offer responses to known problems or gaps, new jobs are created, and the IT community is strengthened.

Taking into account the multifaceted aspect of data, the development of an open data ecosystem in Uzbekistan is an integral part of the PCUz’ activities to promote economic development, as well as good governance.

562212 Understanding the Role of Women in Organized Crime

From 29 to 31 January 2024, 25 graduate students from Central Asia, Afghanistan and Mongolia participated in a training programme dedicated to organized crime and the often-overlooked role of women in criminal networks. This event was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan by the OSCE Academy in Bishkek and OSCE Transnational Threats Department.

The participants identified and discussed key security challenges concerning organized crime across the region. The interactive discussions led to the development of concrete policy recommendations and ideas on how to effectively combat and prevent organized crime in the long term, notably the involvement of women in criminal networks across the Central Asian region and beyond.

“Organized crime poses a multifaceted security threat across Central Asia and beyond. It is imperative for students to understand its profound impact on security, economic development, environment and human rights,” said Indira Satarkulova, OSCE Academy Acting Director. “This interactive lecture not only taught students comprehensive methods to combat and prevent organized crime, but also placed special emphasis on preventing the recruitment of women and girls into criminal networks.”

Students used case studies with specific examples of organized crime and its emerging trends and challenges across the Central Asian region in light of the developments in Afghanistan. It further showcased effective methods to combat and prevent organized crime, including asset recovery, social re-use of confiscated assets and youth crime prevention from across the OSCE area.

During the course of the programme, students also discussed the main findings of the new OSCE study titled "Understanding the role of women in organized crime", assessing the recruitment, roles and reasons behind women's involvement in criminal networks in Central Asia and learning from international good practices on gender-sensitive organized crime prevention.

The event gathered 25 graduate students from Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, enrolled in the OSCE Academy Masters Programmes in Human Rights and Sustainability, Economic Governance and Development and Politics and Security.

Environment and law enforcement officials from Albania conducted a study visit to Slovakia focused on environmental inspection and investigation of environmental crimes, on 30 and 31 January 2024. The OSCE Presence in Albania organized the visit as part of its efforts to increase national capacities to address environmental governance and security challenges.

During the meetings with Slovak counterparts, the 11-member delegation learned about the domestic and international standards on environmental enforcement and investigation of environmental crime in Slovakia. They also benefitted from the experience and practices of the Slovak Environmental Crime Unit, its police structure of 200 environmental crime police officers and their interinstitutional co-ordination. The delegation was received by officials of the Slovak Police Department for Detection of Hazardous Substances and Environmental Crime, Prosecution Office, Ministry of Environment, Customs Authorities, State Inspectorate and the Ministry of Agriculture of Slovakia.

“Environmental crime legislation approximation is at an advanced stage in Albania. However, its implementation needs a co-ordinated strategic approach among various institutions, as well as capacity and expertise building for officials, and increase of public awareness”, Arta Dollani, Director of National Environmental Agency of Albania, said.

The study visit was part of the OSCE Presence’s project “To enhance environmental governance and security in Albania”, funded by Italy, France and Norway. Last year, the Presence developed and delivered a new curriculum on environmental legislation for the School of Magistrates, and supported a Training Needs Assessment for all institutions dealing with environmental enforcement.

WARSAW/COPENHAGEN, 29 January 2024 – The decision of the Russian Federation not to invite OSCE observers to the upcoming presidential election is deeply regrettable, leaders of the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) said today.

“We are greatly disappointed at the decision not to invite the OSCE to observe the Russian presidential election,” said ODIHR Director Matteo Mecacci. “This runs contrary to the OSCE commitments made by the Russian Federation, and at the same time will deny the country’s voters and institutions an impartial and independent assessment of the election."

All OSCE states have recognized the importance for our societies of holding democratic elections. ODIHR is respected worldwide for its credible and reliable assessment of elections across the region, using a comprehensive and uniform methodology. This most recent decision reflects a clear lack of will to cooperate with OSCE international observers, despite the commitments made by all OSCE countries to do so. It also adds to the growing concerns surrounding the shrinking democratic space and erosion of fundamental rights in the Russian Federation. Any system defining itself as democratic welcomes international scrutiny and encourages transparency.

“We regret that conditions have deteriorated so much in the Russian Federation that we cannot deploy observers for the presidential election in March,” said OSCE PA President Pia Kauma. “The very first election observation mission organized by the OSCE PA was to Russia in 1993, and since then we have observed ten national elections in the country. It is very unfortunate that democratic backsliding has reached such a critical point that we cannot be on the ground to observe this year, but we will of course continue to follow the situation closely.”

ODIHR engaged in consultations with the Russian Federation as early as September 2023 to agree on the dates for the deployment of a pre-election needs assessment mission, an initial and crucial step in determining whether to deploy an election observation and in what format. Following the 2021 parliamentary elections, when no OSCE observers were deployed following major limitations imposed by the Russian Federation authorities, the presidential vote on 17 March 2024 will be the second time in a row that the OSCE is unable to observe elections in the country.

All OSCE participating States have committed to inviting observers from other OSCE participating States and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to observe, as well as following up swiftly on ODIHR’s election assessment and recommendations. Parliamentary observers from the OSCE PA put their political expertise and personal experience in electoral processes at the disposal of the OSCE through election observation work conducted across the OSCE region.

While ODIHR will not be able to observe the forthcoming presidential election, the Office continues to monitor the unfolding events in the Russian Federation across all the areas covered by its mandate.