Central Europe

526011 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

The International High-Level Conference on “International and Regional Border Security and Management Cooperation to Counter Terrorism and Prevent the Movement of Terrorists” will take place in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, from 18 to 19 October 2022.

The event is co-organized by the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the European Union (EU), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the State of Qatar.

The Conference will comprise a High-Level Opening Session, a Ministerial Session, four Thematic Working Sessions and a Closing Session.

The President of the Republic of Tajikistan, H.E. Mr. Emomali Rahmon, will open the event followed by a video message from H.E. António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General, and H.E Helga Maria Schmid, OSCE Secretary General.

The OSCE Co-ordinator of Activities to Address Transnational Threats, Ambassador Alena Kupchyna, will attend the Conference in person throughout the two days as well.

VIENNA, 14 October 2022 — One year after prominent journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov were awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize, the media freedom situation has further deteriorated, stated OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro today. While the Novaya Gazeta newspaper in the Russian Federation, of which Dmitri Muratov is chief-editor, was ordered to shut down, Maria Ressa now faces the immediate threat of imprisonment for her journalistic work.

“The awarding of the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize underscored the significance of media freedom for democracy, security and peace,” Ribeiro said. “Their cases painfully illustrate that not even a Nobel Peace Prize can protect from attacks and illegitimate persecution of journalists and independent media. It also illustrates that we need to even further step up our work for enhancing media freedom and the safety of journalists.”

The Representative expressed particularly serious concern about the immediate and increasingly likely risk of imprisonment of Maria Ressa after her appeal was rejected. “Ressa has continuously spoken truth to power despite a sustained campaign of attacks, harassment and trumped-up libel cases against her,” said Ribeiro. “Next to threatening Ressa’s personal liberty, the case also sends a chilling message to other investigative journalists in the country and across the globe. Also in the OSCE region, we increasingly witness legal harassment, strategic lawsuits and criminalization of journalistic work in an attempt to prevent scrutiny and silence investigative reporting. But independent media has an essential role in sustaining democracy and journalists should be able to carry out their professional work under safe conditions, without threat or fear of reprisals.”

Ribeiro stressed that the Nobel Commission last year chose to award Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov as symbols for all courageous journalists. “Ressa is a member of the OSCE Advisory Group of Eminent Experts on Freedom of the Media, which was established on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of my mandate. Her relentless courage and commitment to media freedom have inspired many new ideas and initiatives on tackling emerging challenges to media freedom; her journalism and advocacy continue to be an inspiration for journalists and media freedom advocates alike,” Ribeiro stated.

“This year has proven more than ever that independent quality journalism is essential for peace. There can be no security without media freedom.”

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

528732 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

From 10 to 14 October, the Border Security and Management Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in close co-operation with the OSCE Presence in Albania, organized advanced training on the Identification of Forged Documents for 15 border police officers (3 women, 12 men) from Albania.

The training was delivered by experienced trainers from the Ministry of Interior of Austria – a long-standing partner of Travel Document Security training of the OSCE - and has built on the existing skills of law enforcement personnel related to travel document security. In-depth knowledge about the manufacturing process, document security features, as well as the latest trends in counterfeiting methods and means of identifying them, were laid as the centre point of this advanced training.

This one week-training course is a follow-up to the basic training conducted last year and was carefully tailored to enhance the capacities of police officials from the Albanian Border Police to detect forged documents. Training topics included extensive knowledge of security features in documents, security printing inks, introduction to printing techniques, passport production, introduction to devices for document verification machine-readable zone, and Face verification.

The initiative encouraged active discussions and included practical examples and capstone reviews, as well as a strong interactive component, which included memory tests, exercises on facial appearance and comparison, lectures, and practical modules on anatomical features and examination techniques of facial components. In addition, the training course had a specific session on Schengen Visa Security, Schengen Visa features, and related forgery methods.

This training course is a part of a series of activities on the detection of forged travel documents and impostors organized by the Transnational Threat Department in different participating States since 2015, in close co-operation with the respective OSCE field operations.

528735 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

Some seventy students representing the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Magtymguly Turkmen State University and the International University for Humanities and Development attended an OSCE-organized lecture course on political communication, which took place from 11 to 14 October 2022.

The four-day course, held in an online format, introduced students to the  functions and objectives of political communication, basic models of communication applied to the political sphere and classical theories of political communication. International experts presented the concept of political image and provided insights into electoral communication and creation of political messages.

“It is impossible to overestimate the significant role of political communication in the modern political environment across the globe,” said John MacGregor, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. “As Turkmenistan strives to promote its policy of positive permanent neutrality for the benefit of Turkmenistan, the region and the whole world, it is very important to train students in political communication.”

“We organized this lecture course to contribute to the education of young professionals who in the near future will take lead in the country’s affairs,” added MacGregor.

The lecture course also addressed circulation of political information in traditional and online media and the use of digital platforms in the activities of government bodies. The students discussed the role of digital divide and media literacy in contemporary political communication.

Special emphasis was placed on the information policy of government bodies and practices of their interaction with media and public. The experts presented best practices in political speechwriting and shared recommendations for successful communication in politics.

REYKJAVIK, 13 October 2022 –Valiant Richey, OSCE Special Representative for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, concluded his two-day visit to Iceland. He noted positive efforts the country made in combating human trafficking in recent years, and encouraged authorities to  enhance their work on evolving threats, such as online exploitation.

During the visit, Richey met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, and high-level representatives from the Ministries of Justice, Foreign Affairs, Labor and Social Welfare, as well as the National Police Commissioner and other key anti-trafficking stakeholders, including civil society and the national anti-trafficking commission.

Since his last visit to Iceland in 2019, Richey noted the progress made on anti-trafficking efforts. “The recent adoption of a law that covers more forms of exploitation and is easier to apply is welcomed, and it is encouraging that 2022 witnessed Iceland’s first trafficking in conviction in more than a decade,” he said.

However, OSCE Special Representative emphasized that investigation and prosecution rates still remain too low in comparison to the number of estimated victims. “Authorities should step up their efforts on proactive identification of victims, including online, as well as training of police and prosecutors to ensure they have the expertise to tackle this evolving crime.”

Following the visit, representatives of the Office of the Special Representative conducted a series of technical workshops for members of Iceland’s anti-trafficking community in order to strengthen domestic systems of prevention, protection and prosecution. These included a one-day session to assist Icelandic authorities in implementing the anti-trafficking policy recommendations the Office issued in early March to respond to the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

The Office of the Special Representative also held a half-day meeting with members of Iceland’s Working Group for its National Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings. The discussion focused on how Iceland can modernize its National Action Plan to respond to the evolving nature of human trafficking.

528699 Marina Živaljević

Building on the training courses in 2020 and 2021, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro finalized in September advanced training sessions on infographics and data visualization for eight staff of Parliamentary Institute and Parliamentary Budget Office, enabling them to develop creative solutions for Parliament’s publications, produced in a clear and concise form.

In a teamwork, parliamentary staff created an infographic on internal migration in Montenegro, which they will amend periodically and have it published. Additionally, participants created a template for all future publications of the Parliamentary Budget Office, containing all necessary graphic standards. Created infographic have already became part of Parliament’s reports and papers, being also available on Parliament’s website, thus reaching the broader audience.

In parallel, during October, a basic training workshop on infographics and data visualization was organized for another group of 24 parliamentary staff of various parliamentary units. This second group gained basic skills to present structured and easy-to-understand information in their publications, presenting them more directly to Members of Parliament.

Luka Laković, Mission-engaged data visualization expert, said that the ability to create infographics without external engagement of professional designer is a great asset to Parliament in terms efficiency, which is increasingly recognized within Parliament and by other institutions and companies.

The Mission will continue to support Parliament and its professional staff in enhancing their professional competency, thus strengthening institutional capacity and transparency of Parliament.

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The OSCE Presence in Albania presented today its project on advancing the training capacities of the School of Magistrates and the Security Academy in the fight against trafficking in human beings.

The Project – financed by the governments of the United States of America, Norway and Italy – aims to support the Albanian institutions to offer regular, specialized and sustainable training programmes for relevant law enforcement units across sectors as well as for judges and prosecutors. This will enable proper identification and support of victims and consistent application of law based on the seriousness of the crime.

“This project arrives at a crucial moment for the Albanian criminal justice system. With a new generation of criminal justice professionals and law enforcement personnel being deployed, it is crucial for them to not only receive training on this particularly dynamic and complex area – human trafficking – but to have institutional resources that can continuously keep them up to date on legal changes and best practices to respond to persistent and ever emerging challenges in this field,” the Head of Presence, Ambassador Vincenzo Del Monaco, said at the opening of the event.

He highlighted the accomplishments in this area in terms of strengthening legislation, establishing action plans, developing capacities of various professionals and conducting awareness raising. Del Monaco added that more needs to be done, with full commitment from stakeholders across the law-enforcement, social, and justice institutions as well as the international community. “No country is free from the plague of human trafficking, however progress to prevent and limit this crime is possible,” he said.

Deputy Head of Mission of the U.S. Embassy Demian Smith, Head of the OSCE division in the Italian Foreign Ministry Mario Bartoli, Deputy Minister of Interior Romina Kuko, Director of the School of Magistrates Arben Rakipi, General Director of the State Police Muhamet Rrumbullaku, and rector of the Security Academy Ilirjan Mandro also addressed the launching of the project.

In addition to the project, the Presence will soon support the Albanian institutions and particularly the Ministry of Interior, to initiate an analysis of the necessary resources and political will for law enforcement, prosecution and judiciary bodies – be they financial, human, material or policy resources – to carry out their anti-trafficking tasks.

528593 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

On 12 October, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department’s Action against Terrorism Unit (TNTD/ATU), organized a training on “Understanding the Role of Gender in Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism” (P/CVERLT) in Valletta, Malta, with the support of the Embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in Vienna, and the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law.

The training demonstrated how integrating a strong gender perspective and close collaboration across sectors in P/CVERLT programming and operations is more efficient and strengthens a community-oriented approach that protects and promotes human rights.

This pilot training, held in Arabic to tailor to the regional context of the OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation, brought together 14 Jordanian participants from law enforcement agencies and civil society to reflect and exchange on how gender relates to and intersects with VERLT.

Discussing the roles of gender norms in violent extremist recruitment, First Lieutenant Dr. Marrow Abu Drais, a Gender Liaison Officer in the Public Security Directorate of Jordan concluded: “Gender norms of the society create pressures on men and women, which can make an individual feel frustrated. The violent extremist groups exploit this feeling and that is why it is important to address this in our efforts to prevent violent extremism.”

During the event, the participants also designed action plans for gender mainstreaming in P/CVERLT and explored how to apply the new skills and knowledge in practice.

“Understanding how gender influences and shapes violent extremism is crucial for the effectiveness of the P/CVE programming and responses by law enforcement and civil society. The training aims to support these actors in integrating a gender perspective in their work by providing context-specific tools and examples,” emphasized Ola Saleh, the expert facilitator of the training.

TNTD/ATU will expand the topic to deliver training with other OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation, tailoring the training curriculum to other contexts.

The training is part of an Extra-Budgetary Project funded by Italy, Austria, and Slovakia and based on the OSCE guidebook on Understanding the Role of Gender in Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization That Lead to Terrorism - Good Practices for Law Enforcement.

528545 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

On 5 and 6 October, women human rights activists from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ukraine gathered to share successful practices of supporting survivors of sexual violence against women in conflict, setting up referral mechanisms, and holding perpetrators accountable amid war and post-conflict settings.

In her opening remarks, the OSCE Senior Adviser on Gender Issues, Lara Scarpitta reiterated the OSCE’s unwavering commitment to fight all forms of violence against women and girls including conflict-related sexual violence. 

“Sexual and gender-based violence is on the increase and is exacerbated by the war in Ukraine.  They are not just horrific violations of women’s human rights. They are crimes with devastating and long-lasting impacts on the survivors, their families, and their communities. Supporting and protecting survivors and ending impunity are key steps to long lasting peace,” she highlighted. 

Scarpitta also stressed the crucial role women’s organizations hold in supporting survivors and upholding human rights. “We pay them tribute for their incredible courage, resilience, and determination,” she said. OSCE representatives emphasized the importance of ensuring that the mental health and personal security of women human rights activists should also be prioritized, alongside essential work on ensuring a comprehensive response to violence.

The networking event was organized by the OSCE Gender Issues Programme with the support of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The event was attended by 20 women human rights activists from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ukraine.

This initiative was organized within the framework of the multi-year WIN project, which aims to build capacity and increase the participation of women in conflict prevention, mediation, and other processes relevant to comprehensive security.

528530 Marina Živaljević

During September 2022, around 7.800 first graders in all elementary schools across Montenegro were presented with educational colouring books, designed and printed with the support of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, in co-operation with the with the Montenegrin section of the International Police Association and the Women Police Association of Montenegro.

In all Montenegrin municipalities and villages, police officers distributed crayons and colouring books designed to draw children’s attention to important topics such as healthy lifestyles, ecology, prevention of family and peer violence, and dangers on social networks.

Each of the topics were presented through good and bad examples of social behaviours, created in a manner appropriate for this age and approved by the competent institutions. Distribution of the colouring books was followed by educational lectures, allowing children to ask police officers questions and learn more about the illustrated topics.

As a long-term strategic partner in development and improvement of the work of the Police Directorate, the Mission will continue to support activities aimed at children’s and citizens’ awareness of police work, encouraging police to act preventively and educationally.

528515 Albanian journalists speaking during the 8th annual Media Development Forum, organized by the OSCE Presence in Albania.

On 11 October, the OSCE Presence in Albania organized its eighth annual Media Development Forum, a platform for dialogue among media, public institutions and civil society. This year’s Forum focused on press freedom and the development of media in the country, journalist safety, and the challenges of disinformation and propaganda as faced by media and journalists in Albania. 

During the opening remarks, Ambassador Vincenzo Del Monaco, Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, emphasized the commitment of the Presence toward the cause of press freedom and freedom of the media in the country. He said that the Presence took note of the statements issued within the justice system recently for its prohibition on media to publish information following leaks that resulted from the summer cyberattacks. “We encourage the authorities and media to be mindful of balance and discretion and weigh carefully the public right to information, confidentiality, security and private rights,” he said. 

Teresa Ribeiro, OSCE Representative on the Freedom of the Media, Alexis Hupin from the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Albania, and Olsi Dekovi, Deputy Head of the Council of Europe (CoE) Office in Tirana, also delivered welcoming remarks.

The Forum’s first session was dedicated to the main challenges to media freedom and development affecting Albania this year. In the second session, discussions focused on the importance of investigative journalism, disinformation, and the verification of facts as a tool in the fight against corruption and in promoting professional journalism.

The Forum also celebrated the newly revised Bachelor’s curriculum to be implemented in the Department of Journalism and Communication at the University of Tirana as of this academic year. An outcome of the “Media in Focus - Strengthening the Public Broadcaster and School of Journalism in Albania” project – this effort was implemented by the OSCE Presence in Albania with funds from the EU.

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

Election experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) presented the final report and recommendations of the observation mission to Serbia’s April 2022 presidential and early parliamentary elections during a visit to Belgrade from 3 to 7 October.

ODIHR’s priority recommendations include addressing challenges such as the misuse of administrative resources and uneven access of election stakeholders to the media, introducing mandatory training for election officials and increasing the effectiveness of dispute resolution related to the election-day process. Key recommendations also include ensuring a clear separation between official functions and campaign activities, addressing disparities of campaign finance regulations, and strengthening the independence of the media.

“There has been a lot of engagement, including support from ODIHR, towards implementing earlier recommendations, and some progress has been achieved,” said Douglas Wake, Head of the ODIHR Election Observation Mission deployed to observe the 3 April elections. “There is a need to continue in the same spirit of constructive engagement to address a number of recommendations concerning fundamental aspects such as media access, campaign finance and the use of public resources, and the issue of voter pressure among others.”

The ODIHR experts met with representatives of the Republic Electoral Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, the Administrative Court, the Agency for Prevention of Corruption, the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media, Radio and Television of Serbia, the Office of the Ombudsman and the Legislative and Constitutional Affairs Committee of the Parliament. Meetings were also held with representatives of civil society, media associations and the international community.

Opportunities for ODIHR’s potential assistance to the authorities in implementing the electoral recommendations were also highlighted. This may include supporting efforts to improve the electoral legal framework by providing expert advice and reviewing primary and secondary legislation.

All OSCE participating States have committed to promptly following up on ODIHR electoral assessments and recommendations.

WARSAW/SKOPJE/STOCKHOLM/COPENHAGEN/VIENNA, 10 October 2022 - OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, Foreign Minister of Sweden Ann Linde, and Foreign Minister of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani, representing the OSCE Troika, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Margareta Cederfelt (MP, Sweden), OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid, and OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Secretary General Roberto Montella strenuously condemned Russia’s recent attacks against Ukraine’s population in the following statement:

Residential buildings, squares and streets at rush hour, parks and children’s playgrounds are targets of Russian indiscriminate strikes on Ukrainian cities.

These heinous military actions represent a total disrespect and breach of international law, including humanitarian law. The only reason behind these brutal and cruel acts is to spread terror and to compensate for failures in achieving tactical and strategic goals.

We stand united with the brave Ukrainian nation and remain committed to supporting their noble cause in the defense of our shared values and core OSCE commitments.

528450

On 7 and 8 October 2022, the OSCE Presence in Albania awarded 20 motivated women members of municipal councils who completed the Women Municipal Excellence Programme (WoMEP), and also organized the second training module for 22 other women councillors, WoMEP’s third generation.

WoMEP assists women councillors to link gender-sensitive policies and proposals with municipal budgets, as a primary source for funding initiatives addressing the needs of the communities at the local level. As in the last two editions, the proposals developed by the third generation of WoMEP councillors will be presented to the respective councils for funding in the 2023 municipal budgets.

Over the last three years, the Presence has assisted active local women councillors to develop concrete project proposals to be implemented in their municipalities, ranging from tourism promotion, and assistance for the victims of the 2019 earthquake, to support to victims of gender-based violence. WoMEP has so far enabled over 60 women municipal councillors from across Albania to increase the footprint of women in decision-making at the local level.

“The local level is the closest to the citizens and this is where you can build trust in the institutions. If you manage to create trust in yourselves and in your work, then you also manage to create trust in Albania’s institutions at large,” Deputy Head of Presence Clarisse Pasztory said at the event. She added that she hoped many of the WoMEP participants would run in 2023 local elections and be elected again as councillors or even as mayors.

Members of the Alliance of Women Parliamentarians – a forum created upon an initiative of the OSCE Presence – also participated at the event. Alliance’s Chair Merita Bakiu and Deputy Chair Etilda Gjonaj expressed their readiness to work towards strengthening the networking between women MPs and local municipal councillors to advance initiatives at the local level.

528447 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Katya Andrusz

The 2022 referendum in Kazakhstan was administered efficiently but the campaign lacked meaningful debate. Together with the restrictive media environment, there were limited opportunities for voters to be informed on the substance of the proposals, although the initiative for constitutional changes was welcomed by many. The referendum took place in an environment short of genuine political pluralism. The authorities provided comprehensive information on voting procedures and on the date of the referendum, but no state body offered balanced information about the referendum proposals.

These are some of the main conclusions from the final report on Kazakhstan’s 5 June referendum published by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

The final report also states that further efforts are needed to bring referenda in Kazakhstan closer in line with OSCE commitments and standards for democratic elections.

The document offers 13 recommendations to improve the conduct and transparency of referenda.

Key recommendations include:

• Reviewing the legal framework for referenda through an inclusive and consultative process in line with OSCE commitments and good electoral practice;
• Providing impartial, balanced and timely information to voters on proposed referendum amendments to enhance voters’ ability to make an informed choice;
• Revising rules for the appointment of referendum commissioners to ensure the impartiality and independence of commissions at all levels;
• Developing strict campaign rules on the misuse of administrative resources and official positions, including by introducing effective enforcement and sanctioning mechanisms;
• Introducing comprehensive rules for referendum campaign financing, including on the use of public and private funds, reporting and auditing;
• Introducing requirements for a balanced media coverage of referendum options and granting equal access to media to both supporters and opponents of referendum proposals;
• Enhancing the transparency and integrity of the referendum process, including by publishing disaggregated results.

ODIHR deployed its Referendum Assessment Mission to Kazakhstan on 24 May 2022. All 57 participating States across the OSCE region have formally committed to following up promptly on ODIHR’s election assessments and recommendations.

VIENNA, 10 October 2022 – OSCE Media Freedom Representative Teresa Ribeiro expressed her concern today regarding the “Draft Bill on the Amendment of the Press Law and Some Laws,” that is currently being debated in the Turkish Parliament. The proposed law aims at criminalising the spread of disinformation in the online sphere with possible jail sentences of up to three years.

“I recognise that disinformation poses serious challenges to our societies in today’s fast-growing digital environment, nevertheless, the vague definitions and broad scope of the newly proposed legislation can lead to arbitrary and politically motivated actions at the expense of free speech and media pluralism.”

The Representative further stated that any legislation potentially limiting free speech should strongly respect the principles of necessity and proportionality in line with international standards and OSCE commitments, and should not unduly hinder the fundamental right to freedom of expression.

“The most effective means to counter disinformation is to ensure timely access to information, promote media plurality, media and information literacy among the wider public as well as independent and transparent fact-checking. I call on the Turkish lawmakers to carefully assess and review the provisions of the bill in order to ensure safeguards for independent journalism and free expression in line with relevant principles of international law and OSCE commitments that Türkiye has pledged to uphold,” Ribeiro concluded.

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

WARSAW, 7 October 2022 – The Warsaw Human Dimension Conference concluded today. Over a thousand participants representing international organizations, governments, and civil society from across the OSCE area gathered to examine the implementation of the OSCE Human Dimension commitments at the ten-day event.  

The Conference was organized by the Polish OSCE Chairmanship with the support of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. It was inaugurated on 26 September 2022 by OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau.

Daily plenary sessions covered democratic institutions, fundamental freedoms, tolerance and non-discrimination, rule of law, as well as humanitarian issues.

Among the topics raised during those sessions, participants discussed equal participation in political and public life, the role of civil society in the protection of human rights, freedom of religion or belief, movement, assembly and association, addressing racism, xenophobia, discrimination and intolerance, including based on religion or belief, media freedom and safety of journalists, rights of persons belonging to national minorities, equal opportunities and rights for women and men, violence against women and children, humanitarian issues, including in the context of armed conflict and more. The discussions were intense, often not pleasant, and sometimes emotional but very much needed.

Given the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine, a lot of attention was paid to human rights in the situation of conflict and the humanitarian implications of the war. The conference served also as a stage for almost 100 side events on a wide range of more specific topics. Many of them focused on the devastating impact of the Russian aggression against Ukraine on the condition of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the ongoing refugee crisis and an increased risk of falling victim of trafficking in human beings.

The Conference’s attendees also had a chance to directly interact with the heads of the OSCE institutions: Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Matteo Mecacci; OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro; OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Kairat Abdrakhmanov as well as with the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Margareta Cederfelt.

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference was an intense two weeks of discussions, dynamic interactions and extensive informal networking with broad participation of civil society, including the Russian human rights organization Memorial and the Ukrainian human rights organization Center for Civil Liberties, which was just awarded the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize.

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The 29th Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) will take place 1-2 December 2022 in Łódź, Poland.

The annual meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the 57 OSCE participating States will be held at the invitation of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Poland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau.

The Ministerial Council is the central decision-making and governing body of the OSCE. The annual meeting is an opportunity for the Foreign Ministers to review and assess the security situation in the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian area, as well as the organization's work in all its fields of activity.

Media representatives are invited to cover the event, which will be held in the revitalised buildings of the former EC1 Power Plant in Łódź,Poland.

Updated information about the Ministerial Council will be published regularly on the Event Page: 29th OSCE Ministerial Council | OSCE

Further information about media accreditation and all other details about the Media Centre at the Ministerial Council will be posted to the Event Page and detailed in subsequent media advisories

Łódź is a city in central Poland, developed by people from four cultures who lived and worked together in an atmosphere of common tolerance. Poles, Jews, Germans and Russians left their mark on the impressive urban development of Łódź in the 19th century. This former industrial centre is full of red-brick factories, factory owners’ mansions and astonishing artistic installations. One of them is the first city power plant put into operation in 1907 and served the city inhabitants until the beginning of the 21st century. In 2008 began the revitalization of its historic building situated in the area of the New Center of Łódź. In December this place will host the Ministerial Council of the OSCE.

528375 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

From 4 to 7 October 2022, the OSCE-Centre in Ashgabat organized a lecture course on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) aspects within the Economy, Finance and Credit, Jurisprudence and International relations disciplines.

The four-day event was held in a hybrid format and gathered students from the Turkmen State Institute of Economics and Management, International University for Humanities and Development, Turkmen State University named after Magtymguly, Turkmen State Institute of Architecture and Construction as well as representatives from relevant ministries. The event aimed to raise awareness of students on a number of AML/CFT issues and to support their preparation for the International Financial Security Olympiad 2022.

An international expert from Kyrgyzstan presented best practices in implementation of FATF recommendations that includes realization of Technical compliance and FATF Intermediate outcomes.  Discussions focused on the main AML / CFT measures implemented by the financial institutions, designated non-financial businesses and professions (DNFBPs), supervisory and law enforcement agencies. The expert stressed the importance of international and interagency co-operation, and provided a short overview of AML/CFT system of EAG countries, AML/CFT typologies and methodologies of financial investigation.

“As a significant member of civil society, youth, - has an important role in the security debates and contributes into all three dimensions of the OSCE`s work,” said Ivana Markovic-Boskovic, Economic and Environmental Officer of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

“Therefore, the OSCE and our Centre, continue to meaningfully integrate youth perspectives into its peace and security agenda, based on an extensive set of the OSCE commitments, dating back to the Helsinki Final Act,” added Markovic-Boskovic. “Today`s seminar is a confirmation of an important role that Youth has in the implementation of good governance standards.”

The activity is organized as part of the Centre’s support to the host country in strengthening the implementation of good governance standards, specifically through projects that address combating corruption, money laundering and the financing of terrorism, and promote inter-agency and co-operation with civil society and a private sector.

VIENNA, 7 October 2022 — The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, today strongly condemned the continued sentencing of journalists and media workers in Belarus, following the criminal conviction of former and current employees of independent news agency BelaPAN.

According to reports, on 6 October, a court in Minsk behind closed doors ruled to sentence BelaPAN’s editor-in-chief and director Iryna Leushyna to 4 years in prison, BelaPAN’s ex-director Dzmitry Navazhylau to 6 years in prison, and BelaPAN’s ex-deputy director Andrei Aliaksandrau to 14 years in prison. The authorities reportedly pressed multiple charges against the media workers, who have been in custody for over a year, including tax evasion, forming an extremist group, and state treason. In the same proceeding, the court also sentenced Andrei Aliaksandrau’s wife Iryna Zlobina to 9 years in prison.

“The sentencing of former and current employees of independent news agency BelaPAN is appalling and nothing short of a continued wide-scale persecution of independent voices in Belarus,” Ribeiro said. “The systematic practice of convicting media workers on grave charges, behind closed doors, and lack of transparency about relevant investigations defies credibility of judicial proceedings and just further implies a political motivation behind all such cases.”

“I reiterate my call on the authorities to put an immediate end to the crackdown on the press, release all imprisoned journalists, and confirm their obligations to freedom of expression and media freedom.”

According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, more than 30 media workers remain behind bars, either awaiting trial or serving their sentences.

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