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Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30hrs, 29 April 2016

OSCE - Sat, 30/04/2016 - 18:34

This report is for media and the general public.

The SMM recorded a lower number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous day. It conducted further crater analysis related to the shelling in Olenivka. The Mission observed presence of weapons in violation of the respective withdrawal lines. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works. The SMM observed long queues at checkpoints near the contact line. It observed a protest in Odessa.

The SMM recorded a lower number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous day.[1] In the evening hours of 28 April, whilst in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard eight undetermined explosions 7-10km north-west of its position. Positioned at Donetsk central railway station (“DPR”-controlled, 6km north-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard 52 undetermined explosions, and 32 explosions assessed as caused by automatic-grenade-launcher fire, 29 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire and 123 single shots of small-arms fire at locations ranging from 1-7km and from west to north of its position.

In the evening hours of 28 April, whilst in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard at least 15 explosions (five outgoing and ten incoming) assessed as caused by 73mm cannon (BMP-1), recoilless-gun (SPG-9) and rocket-propelled grenade-launcher (RPG-7) fire, 41 explosions (20 outgoing and 21 incoming) of automatic-grenade-launcher fire, and at least 38 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire and intermittent shots of small-arms fire 2-6km south-south-east of its position.

In Luhansk region, the SMM observed a low number of ceasefire violations. In the evening hours of 28 April, whilst in “LPR”-controlled Stakhanov (50km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 50-60 single shots of small-arms fire, 1.5-2km west of its position. On 29 April, whilst near Vrubiskyi (“LPR”-controlled, 22km south-west of Luhansk) the SMM heard and saw around 32 explosions, assessed as mortar rounds outgoing at a location 3km south west of its position, and subsequently heard and saw 32 explosions assessed as rounds impacting at a training area in “LPR”-controlled Myrne, (31km south-west of Luhansk), outside the security zone.

The SMM conducted further crater analysis following the fatal shelling incident in “DPR”-controlled Olenivka (23km south-west of Donetsk) on 27 April (see SMM Spot Report 28 April 2016). The SMM further analysed five craters in proximity to the clinic. The SMM determined the origin of the shelling (south-west and west-south-west) for the five craters, four of which were assessed as caused by 122mm artillery and the fifth by 152mm artillery. The closest crater to the clinic was 50m east of its entrance. The SMM observed some damage to the eastern walls of the clinic building caused by shrapnel, and minor damages to its roof caused by a blast wave. The SMM observed a storage building 100m south of the clinic which had been completely destroyed by a direct impact. Apart from a security guard, the clinic was empty at the time of the shelling, according to the deputy chief doctor. Whilst in Olenivka, the SMM observed at least two small arms firing positions, less than 500m from the clinic and less than 400m from where four civilians were killed by the shelling on 27 April. Also less than 500m from the clinic and 200m from the place of the incident, the SMM observed several residential houses, blocked by ammunition boxes (marked 120mm mortar) and other materials, such as sandbags, assessed as quarters of armed “DPR” members. The SMM observed four heavily armed “DPR” members guarding one of the buildings.

The SMM followed up on alleged shelling on 26 April near the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (16km north-east of Luhansk). In the vicinity of the “LPR”-controlled checkpoint at the bridge, the SMM observed that a tree on the south-western side of the bridge had been hit. The impact was fresh and SMM assessed that it had been caused by fire from a north-westerly direction. The SMM observed impacts and remnants, as well as a mortar tail section stuck in the north-facing side of a hill nearby.

In relation to the implementation of the Addendum to the Package of Measures, the SMM revisited Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent storage sites whose locations corresponded with the withdrawal lines and observed that three anti-tank guns (D-44, 85mm) were missing, as they have been since 29 December 2015. 

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines the SMM observed seven tanks (T-72) in “LPR”-controlled Luhansk city.

Beyond the respective withdrawal lines but outside storage sites, the SMM observed 12 tanks at a training ground in “LPR”-controlled Uspenka (23km south-west of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of heavy weapons foreseen in the Minsk Package of Measures. The SMM has yet to receive the full information requested in the 16 October 2015 notification.

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM observed: seven MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm), seven self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), and ten towed howitzers (five 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm, and five D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) in “LPR”-controlled Luhansk city.

The SMM revisited locations known to the SMM as heavy weapons holding areas, even though they do not comply with the specific criteria set out for permanent storage sites in the 16 October 2015 notification.

In government-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM revisited such locations and observed ten MLRS (BM-27 Uragan), 12 anti-tank guns (2A29/MT Rapira, 100mm) and four Addendum-regulated mortars (2B9 Vasilek, 82mm).

Beyond the respective withdrawal lines but outside storage sites, the SMM observed: a stationary anti-aircraft system (SA-8) near government-controlled Novovasylivka (59km north-west of Donetsk); five self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and five towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) in “LPR”-controlled Uspenka.

The SMM continued to observe the marking of mined areas and presence of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). The SMM observed six billboards providing information on mines (three on each side of the road), within approximately 2km, between two government-controlled checkpoints near government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk). The SMM observed an improvised 20 by 40cm mine hazard sign written in black letters on a wooden stick 1km north-west of government-controlled Nadezhdynka (63km north-west of Donetsk).

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure. Positioned both in “LPR”-controlled Krasnyi Lyman (30km north-west of Luhansk) and in government-controlled Trokhizbenka (33km north-west of Luhansk) between 09:10 and 12:55, the SMM observed the adherence to the ceasefire and the repair works of three bank filtration wells, whereby the pipelines, transformer and valves of the wells were replaced.

The SMM continued to monitor long queues at entry-exit checkpoints near the contact line. At a checkpoint in government-controlled Marinka the SMM observed several angry civilians who said that they had been waiting in queue all day. Some of them started to hit and kick the SMM vehicles, causing light scratches to one vehicle. At a checkpoint in “DPR”-controlled Oktiabr (29km north-east of Mariupol), a group of 16 civilians (aged 35-40, males and females) said they had been waiting for six hours. They feared that the slow crossing procedures would prevent them from returning to their homes or join their families in time for the forthcoming holidays.

The SMM monitored border areas in government- and non-government-controlled areas. At the government-controlled Milove (107km north of Luhansk) border crossing point, the SMM observed a queue of around 50 civilian vehicles waiting to cross into the Russian Federation, as well as around 15-20 pedestrians. At the border crossing point in Marynivka (“DPR-controlled, 78km east of Donetsk) the SMM observed 33 civilian vehicles, five commercial trucks (one loaded with coal) and two passenger buses waiting to cross into the Russian Federation (mostly with Ukrainian license plates except for three cars with Russian licence plates). At the border crossing point in Uspenka (“DPR-controlled, 73km south-east of Donetsk) the SMM observed 42 cars waiting to cross into the Russian Federation (all with Ukrainian license plates except for four with Russian licence plates). During one hour, the SMM also observed some 15 pedestrians crossing from the Russian Federation into Ukraine.

The SMM met with the head of the state penitentiary service department for Donetsk region who confirmed that 20 prisoners (18 males and two females) were transferred from facilities in non-government controlled areas to Mariupol on 20 April, where they will serve the remainder of their sentences. He stated that a total of 112 prisoners, all convicted by Ukrainian courts prior to or during the initial stages of the conflict, had been transferred from areas not under government control, following requests made by their relatives to the Ukrainian Ombudsman.

In Odessa, the SMM monitored the 17th consecutive day of a protest aimed at demanding the resignation of the mayor. The SMM observed 10 people (aged 30-70, three females) at the campsite in front of the city hall. Three protestors at the camp informed the SMM about an airsoft grenade thrown 65m away from the campsite in the early morning hours. The SMM visited the site, but saw no traces of an explosion. A spokesperson of the police regional headquarters informed the SMM that at 02:00 the police found an unexploded airsoft grenade near the city hall. The spokesperson added that no investigation was opened in connection with the incident.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation in Kherson, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Chernivtsi, Dnepropetrovsk and Kyiv.

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

The SMM’s monitoring is restrained by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines and unexploded ordnance, and by restrictions of its freedom of movement 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.

Besides to the abovementioned general restrictions, the SMM was not subject to any specific restriction to its freedom of movement.

[1] Please see the annexed table for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, as well as map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this  report.

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OSCE Chairperson Steinmeier welcomes agreement on ceasefire implementation in eastern Ukraine

OSCE - Fri, 29/04/2016 - 20:37

BERLIN, 29 April 2016 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier welcomed the agreement reached today by the Trilateral Working Group (TCG) on full respect of the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, starting with the orthodox Easter and May holidays.

Steinmeier said: “I call on all sides to strictly adhere to what has been agreed. Lately, violations of the Minsk ceasefire increased, week after week, both in numbers and intensity. There is a chance now to prevent further escalation of violence. Both sides have to seize this opportunity. The situation must not spiral out of control again and result in even more people dying.”

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OSCE Chair Special Representative Sajdik announces Trilateral Contact Group holiday ceasefire agreement

OSCE - Fri, 29/04/2016 - 18:34

MINSK, 29 April 2016 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Martin Sajdik, today announced that the TCG, and participants from certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, welcomed the determination of all participants of the Minsk process to provide for full respect of the ceasefire starting with  the upcoming Easter and May holidays as of 30 April 2016, 00.00 hrs.

It was agreed that the respective instructions on full compliance with the ceasefire regime will be communicated to all responsible in the field. The necessary steps will be taken in order to guarantee the safety and security of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) monitors.

It was agreed that cases of cease-fire violations shall be brought forward to the TCG for immediate consultations. The TCG expressed its wish that the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission indicates in its reports those responsible for concrete ceasefire violations, should such violations occur.

The Trilateral Contact Group consists of senior representatives of Ukraine, the Russian Federation and the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office.

Original text of agreement (in Russian language): https://www.osce.org/ru/cio/237676

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Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30hrs, 28 April 2016

OSCE - Fri, 29/04/2016 - 17:32

This report is for media and the general public.

The SMM continued to record a high number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. It continued to follow up on civilian fatalities sustained by shelling in Olenivka and reports on people wounded in the incident. The Mission found no information to confirm media reports about casualties resulting from a trip wire explosion in Stanytsia Luhanska. The SMM observed the presence of numerous weapons in violation of the respective withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. It also monitored several public gatherings in Kyiv.

The SMM continued to observe a significant number of ceasefire violations, including overnight, in Donetsk region.[1] In the evening hours of 27 April, whilst in Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions 7-10km north-west of its location. The following day, from a position at “DPR”-controlled Donetsk central railway station (6km north-west of Donetsk city centre), the SMM heard 42 undetermined explosions, 46 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, and six bursts and 33 single shots of small-arms fire, mostly at locations ranging from west to north 2-10km of its position.

On the evening of 27 April in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard six explosions assessed as outgoing rounds of artillery, 84 explosions (43 impacts and 41 outgoing rounds) of mortar (82 and 120mm), 57 explosions assessed as impacts of automatic-grenade-launcher fire, 24 explosions assessed as caused by rocket-propelled grenade launchers (RPG-7) and 73mm cannon (BMP-1) fire, and nine explosions caused by impacts and nine outgoing rounds of recoilless gun (SPG-9) fire 2-3km south-south-east, as well as two explosions of outgoing mortar rounds (82mm), nine explosions caused by impacts of automatic-grenade-launcher fire and one explosion caused by impact of recoilless gun (SPG-9) fire, all at 4-5km south-west of its position.

Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk) on the evening of 27 April the SMM heard 23 explosions assessed as impacts of artillery and mortar rounds, five explosions assessed as outgoing rounds of artillery (undetermined calibre) and 34 bursts of anti-aircraft gun, automatic-grenade-launcher, heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 4-6km south and south-west of its position. On the following day, whilst at the same position, the SMM heard 83 explosions of outgoing automatic-grenade-launcher fire and 20 bursts of small-arms fire, 3-4km south-west of its position. Whilst in “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 20 undetermined explosions and two bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 8-12km south-west, west, and north-west of its position.

On the evening of 27 April, an SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded 19 bursts of tracer fire from west to east and three flashes of light at an undetermined distance to the north.

In Luhansk region, the SMM observed multiple ceasefire violations, while – unlike the previous three days –  it recorded no ceasefire violations in areas of government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk), including during the evening hours of 27 April. Whilst in “LPR”-controlled Kalynove (58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard nine explosions assessed as caused by outgoing rounds of artillery 4km south-west of its position. While positioned at a checkpoint near government-controlled Trokhizbenka (33km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard few minutes of continuous bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 600m to the south.

The SMM continued to follow up on information about civilian fatalities caused by a shelling incident in “DPR”-controlled Olenivka (23km south-west of Donetsk) on 27 April and reports on people wounded in the incident (see SMM Spot Report 28 April 2016). The head doctor of Kalinina morgue in Donetsk city told the SMM that the reported pregnancy of the female victim – one of four human bodies transported to the morgue from Olenivka – had not been confirmed after medical examination. The head doctor of Donetsk traumatology centre told the SMM that five civilians injured during the incident had been medically treated in the centre. According to him, one man (aged 55), who had sustained shrapnel injuries, was under intensive care, one teenager (aged 15) was being treated at the children’s trauma unit, and three others (two men and one woman), who had sustained lighter injuries, had been released after outpatient treatment.

In relation to the implementation of the Addendum to the Package of Measures, the SMM revisited Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent storage sites whose locations corresponded with the withdrawal lines and observed that 55 tanks (ten T-72 and 45 T-64), eight  mortars (2B9, 82mm) and eight anti-tank guns (D-44, 85mm) were missing. 

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines the SMM observed seven tanks (T-72) in “LPR”-controlled Luhansk city.

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside storage sites, the SMM observed 20 tanks (T-64 and T-72) at a training ground in “LPR”-controlled Kruhlyk (32km south-west of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of heavy weapons foreseen in the Minsk Package of Measures. The SMM has yet to receive the full information requested in the 16 October 2015 notification.

The SMM revisited an “LPR” heavy weapons permanent storage site and observed that eight self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) continued to be absent, as first noted on 12 April.

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM observed: two surface-to-air missile systems (SA-8 Osa, 120mm) near government-controlled Novoaidar (49km north-west of Luhansk); two howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) towed by two trucks, two anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira,100mm) towed by two trucks and three multiple launch rocket system (MLRS; BM-21 Grad, 122mm), in a convoy with three armoured personnel carriers (APCs), heading south-east in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city; seven MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm), seven self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), and ten towed howitzers (five 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm, and five D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) in “LPR”-controlled Luhansk city.

The SMM observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles and an anti-aircraft weapon in the security zone. The SMM observed: two APCs (BTR-70) heading south near government-controlled Trokhizbenka; an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) mounted on a military-type truck (Ural), stationary near an “LPR” checkpoint across the bridge south of government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk).

The SMM followed up on media reports that a young couple had been allegedly killed by a trip wire explosion while trying to bypass the closed checkpoint in government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska on 27 April. The SMM spoke to numerous interlocutors, including Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel, a border guard officer, a shopkeeper, hospital personnel in Stanytsia Luhanska, as well as the commander at an “LPR” checkpoint on the southern side of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, and none of them had information confirming the alleged incident.

The SMM facilitated the removal of unsecured storage of mines in the security zone. In government-controlled Novotoshkivske (53km west of Luhansk), the SMM saw anti-tank mines – at least eight pieces were visible – partially covered in a black garbage bag on the grass behind a bus station without any mine hazard signs or the presence of Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel nearby. After the SMM had informed the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) and the head of the military-civil administration of the village, the SMM observed Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel arriving at the site and removing the mines. Shortly later, the SMM received a call from the JCCC saying the mines were removed by Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel and placed at a secure location in a military compound.

The SMM continued to monitor long queues at entry-exit checkpoints near the contact line. On 27 April, at a checkpoint in government-controlled Maiorsk (45km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM observed 120 civilian vehicles queuing to travel north. Ten civilians (men and women in their fifties to sixties) present told the SMM that they had been waiting for two days, spending the night in their cars, to travel to government-controlled areas. The following day, at a checkpoint near government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed 80 civilian cars and 450 pedestrians waiting to travel to government-controlled areas and 463 civilian cars and 500 pedestrians heading in the opposite direction. At a checkpoint in government-controlled Novotroitske (36km south-west of Donetsk), Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel told the SMM  that civilian cars were not allowed to proceed to the north until further notice as the “DPR”-controlled checkpoint in Olenivka had been closed after the shelling incident of 27 April. A group of eight civilian passengers waiting next to their cars south of the checkpoint stated that due to the closure of the checkpoint in Novotroitske they were not able to return to their homes.

The SMM monitored a border area not controlled by the Government. At the border crossing point in Uspenka (“DPR”-controlled, 73km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM observed 20 trucks and 46 civilian cars (mostly with Ukrainian licence plates and also some with Russian, and one with Abkhazian “licence plates”) waiting to cross into the Russian Federation.

In Kyiv, the SMM monitored several public gatherings. In front of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) building, the SMM observed a gathering initiated by the non-governmental organization Committee for the Liberation of Political Prisoners to express their support for a detained member of the Azov Civil Corps. The SMM saw approximately 50 demonstrators (men aged between 20 and 50) including seven in green military-type uniforms with Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists insignia and five wearing jackets with the painted inscription Azov Civil Corps. Subsequently, the demonstrators moved to Lybydska Square, where 20 of them built a scaffolding 8m high next to the monument to VeCheKa staff (dedicated to early Soviet-era state security organization), and several men climbed to the top and started hitting the monument with a sledgehammer and an electric drill. The SMM saw that the monument was partially damaged and small pieces of granite fell off. Approximately ten police officers, who did not intervene, and as many journalists were present.  

The SMM continued to monitor the situation in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnepropetrovsk, and Chernivtsi.

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

The SMM’s monitoring is restrained by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines and unexploded ordnance, and by restrictions of its freedom of movement 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.

Denial of access:

  • In the morning hours, at a checkpoint near “DPR”-controlled Kreminets (19km south-west of Donetsk), armed men did not allow the SMM to proceed further west after the SMM declined to present national passports of its members and vehicle registration documents. The SMM turned back and took an alternate route. The SMM informed the JCCC.

Conditional access:

  • In the morning hours, at the aforementioned checkpoint near “DPR”-controlled Kreminets, armed men demanded to see national passports of SMM monitors and vehicles registration documents of the patrol different from the aforementioned, before allowing the SMM to proceed further west.
  • At a “DPR” checkpoint in Zaitseve (50km north-east of Donetsk), an armed man asked to see the content of the trunks of the SMM vehicles, including luggage. After this inspection, he allowed the SMM to proceed to the south.

Delay:

  • In the afternoon, the “commander” denied the SMM passage through a checkpoint H15 Overpass, when the SMM refused to hand over national passports of its members. Thirty-three minutes later, the SMM again approached the checkpoint and was allowed to proceed to the east after showing OSCE IDs of its monitors.

[1] Please see the annexed table for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, as well as map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report.

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OSCE Mission to Moldova holds first Civil Society Club meeting in 2016

OSCE - Fri, 29/04/2016 - 16:49
Rachel Bending

The OSCE Mission to Moldova held the first in a series of Civil Society Club meetings on 28 April 2016 aimed at developing the practical skills of NGOs on the left bank of the Dniester/Nistru River. The event was held in Tiraspol and brought together staff members from 21 NGOs specializing in health, ecology and children’s rights, among other issues.

The NGO personnel attending the event are those who are responsible for handling the necessary documentation for their organizations to function. During the event, participants received practical information on managing tax, registration and accounting issues relevant to NGOs. The event also provided civil society representatives with the opportunity to exchange good practices and their organizations’ experiences in administering their work.

“The issue of taxation can be particularly complex when it comes to NGOs, and I really appreciated the opportunity to receive relevant, detailed and up-to-date information from an expert on this subject,” said Olga Purahina from the Vialex NGO in Rybnitsa.

This event is part of a year-long project implemented jointly by the OSCE Mission to Moldova and the Tiraspol-based Apriori Legal Information Centre, which provides capacity-building assistance to local civil society organizations. Four more meetings of the Civil Society Club are planned this year.

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Recent legislative amendments in Uzbekistan worrying, OSCE Representative says

OSCE - Fri, 29/04/2016 - 16:29

VIENNA, 29 April 2016 – Recent amendments to anti-terrorism measures in Uzbekistan should not be used to limit journalists’ access to information, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović said today.

On 25 April, the President of Uzbekistan signed amendments to the country’s Criminal Code into law. The amendments include a blanket ban on the use of religion through the mass media and the Internet that seeks “to violate civil concord, dissemination of defamatory, destabilizing fabrications, and committing other acts aimed against the established rules of behaviour in society and public safety”, as well as materials “aimed at spreading panic among the population”.

“Anti-terror legislation should not use overly broad definitions to preclude a journalist from working on problematic issues of public interest,” Mijatović said.

“I recognize and fully respect the importance of any government’s legitimate security efforts and preventive measures. However all measures aiming to increase security must be accompanied by meaningful counterweights protecting human rights such as freedom of expression and media freedom,” she said.

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.

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OSCE PA Ad Hoc Working Group on Belarus Chair Kent Harstedt responds to Belarusian announcements on election reform

OSCE - Fri, 29/04/2016 - 16:20

COPENHAGEN, 29 April 2016 – Kent Harstedt (MP, Sweden), Vice-President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and Chair of its Ad Hoc Working Group on Belarus, had a mixed reaction to the statement of Chairwoman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Belarus Lidia Yermoshina following the press conference with the head of state on 27 April.

“The Belarusian government has taken a positive step in agreeing to implement some of the OSCE/ODIHR’s recommendations made after recent election observations in the country. I however regret that long overdue changes to the electoral law are not foreseen in the coming months,” said Harstedt.

“It remains to be seen how, in practice, the declarations made by the highest level of the electoral administration will translate into action in light of the upcoming parliamentary elections,” he added.

The CEC declared that it would improve three important procedures, namely the formation of election commissions, the review of election disputes and the vote count procedure for the election campaign leading to the elections expected in September.

OSCE observers have repeatedly assessed, including during the observation of the 2015 presidential election and of the 2012 parliamentary elections, that the legal framework is not adequately guaranteeing the conduct of elections in line with OSCE commitments.

The OSCE PA’s Ad Hoc Working Group on Belarus was established in October 1998 to assist in the development of democracy in Belarus. Harstedt was appointed Chair of the Group by OSCE PA President Ilkka Kanerva earlier this month.

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OSCE conducts second training seminar on hazardous chemicals and obsolete pesticides in Kazakhstan

OSCE - Fri, 29/04/2016 - 15:52
Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Astana

The second in a series of OSCE-supported two-day training seminars to raise awareness on the proper handling of hazardous chemicals and obsolete pesticides concluded on 29 April 2016 in Aralsk, Kazakhstan.

More than 50 representatives including the local government authorities, the agricultural sector, academia, environmental non-governmental organization learned about proper procedures in handling hazardous chemicals and obsolete pesticides.

The event was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in co-operation with the Public Fund Kyzylorda Aarhus Centre. It is part of the OSCE Programme Office’s multi-year efforts to advance the implementation of international standards of the Aarhus Convention in Kazakhstan.

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OSCE organizes final training courses in Ukraine on detecting forged travel documents

OSCE - Thu, 28/04/2016 - 14:55

CHERKASY, Ukraine, 2 May 2016 – Two six-day training courses for Ukrainian border control officers aimed at increasing their operational awareness to recognize original, forged and false documents, and in using forensic equipment to identify document forgery, started today in Cherkasy.

The two back-to-back courses are taking place from 2-7 and 9-15 May at Ukraine’s Border Management College for some 47 border control officers and 12 national trainers from the country. They will be conducted by Ukrainian national officers under the supervision of Austrian document experts.

As a follow-up to the train-the-trainer course conducted earlier this year, these training courses will provide in-depth knowledge about the manufacturing process of forged travel documents, as well as the latest trends in counterfeiting methods and means of identifying them.

These two training courses are the final instalments in a series of six courses and aim to build on the existing skills of Ukrainian officers in detecting forged travel documents by disseminating knowledge on document security features and the various frameworks of visa regimes.

The courses are organized by the OSCE Secretariat's Transnational Threats Department, in co-operation with the International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) of the US Department of Justice. 

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Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30hrs, 18 March 2016

OSCE - Sat, 19/03/2016 - 18:41

This report is for the media and general public.

The SMM observed an increase in ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Small-arms shots were fired in close proximity to SMM monitors south-west of “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata. The Mission monitored border areas not controlled by the Government and observed a calm situation. The SMM was restricted in its freedom of movement mainly in areas not controlled by the Government*. The SMM observed actions related to the de-communization law.

The SMM observed an increase in the number of ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions[1]. Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city between 21:40hrs on 17 March and 02:17hrs on 18 March the SMM heard 44 undetermined explosions and five bursts of small-arms fire 3-10km north and north-west of its position[2]. From a position at “DPR”-controlled Donetsk railway station (6km north-west of Donetsk city centre), between 07:30 and 15:00hrs, the SMM heard three bursts of small-arms fire 3-4km north of its position.

Whilst in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), between 16:43 and 21:40hrs on 17 March, the SMM heard 41 undetermined explosions in areas 2-3km south-east and 4-5km north-east of its position. From the same location between 17:30 and 22:22hrs on 18 March the SMM heard 196 undetermined explosions and over 200 shots of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire in an area 2-3km south-east.   

In “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk) between 19:00 and 21:38hrs on 17 March, the SMM saw and heard outgoing fire and saw flashes from unknown weapons, 11 undetermined explosions, eight mortar impacts and one burst of heavy-machine-gun fire all in areas ranging from west to north-east 0.2 to 13km of its position. 

On 17 March between 16:11 and 16:19hrs the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Donetsk) recorded several impacts and detonations approximately 1.4km north-east and four undetermined explosions in the early hours of 19 March.

In Luhansk region on 18 March between 17:10-18:50hrs, while in “LPR”-controlled Stakhanov (50km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard an intense exchange of fire involving approximately 200 detonations and explosions from artillery, automatic grenade launcher (AGL) and heavy-machine-gun bursts in an area 10-12km west-north-west. The SMM also heard a number of ceasefire violations which were assessed as training exercises in areas outside the security zone.

The SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire on both sides of the contact line to enable work to continue at the water filtration station near “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk). The SMM escorted Voda Donbassa workers to the water filtration station where a piece of unexploded ordnance remained at the entrance. Another SMM patrol, stationary at a temporary observation post 4.1km west-south-west of Yasynuvata at 10:45hrs, were approached by four “DPR” members who ordered the SMM to leave*, citing orders from the “minister of defence”. The SMM left and established another temporary observation post 300m further east. While stationary at this location at 13:00hrs the SMM heard the distinctive “snap” of five bullets above them, fired from the south-west. No SMM monitors were injured or vehicles damaged.

Prior to the incident, while stationary 1-2km east of Yasynuvata, between 08:55 and 11:40hrs, the SMM heard small-arms fire, ten sniper rifle shots, five bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire and ten undetermined explosions in areas ranging 0.3-1km south-west to north. Positioned on the H20 highway east of government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north-east of Donetsk) between 14:25 and 15:15hrs, the SMM heard 15 120mm mortar impacts, 35 outgoing artillery rounds (122mm), five outgoing automatic grenade launcher rounds, 20 rounds from a BMP-2 gun, and intermittent bursts of small-arms fire in an area 7km south.

In the Avdiivka “Promzone” the SMM saw remnants of shells and a number of craters assessed to have been caused by at least three mortars, one 122mm artillery shell, one rocket-propelled grenade (RPG), eight automatic grenade launcher and rifle grenades. Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel in the vicinity said the shells were fired during the night of 17-18 March. The SMM analysed the craters and assessed the direction of fire as south-south-east. At this location between 08:10 and 11:19hrs, the SMM heard ten 82mm mortar impacts, two 120mm mortar impacts, five SPG-9 rounds and 42 bursts of small-arms and sniper fire, in an area 200m south-east of its position.

In relation to the implementation of the Addendum to the Package of measures, the SMM revisited a Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent storage site whose location corresponded with the withdrawal lines and observed that all weapons previously verified as withdrawn to the site were present.

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of heavy weapons foreseen in the Minsk Package of Measures. The SMM has yet to receive the full information requested in the 16 October 2015 notification.

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines the SMM observed five towed howitzers (assessed as 122mm) attached to trucks and prepared to move near government-controlled Svobodne (55km south-west of Donetsk).

The SMM revisited locations known to the SMM as heavy weapons holding areas, even though they do not comply with the specific criteria set out for permanent storage sites in the 16 October 2015 notification.

In government-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM revisited such locations and observed: 29 self-propelled howitzers (17 2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm and 12 2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm); three Addendum-regulated anti-tank guns (D-44, 85mm). Eighteen self-propelled howitzers (four 2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm and 14 2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), four surface-to-air missile launchers (9K35 Strela-10) and ten mortars (2B11 Sani, 120mm) were missing, as observed since 2 March 2016.

In “DPR”-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM revisited such locations and observed nine multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) and six anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100 mm). The SMM observed six trucks next to the guns which a guard at the site said were loaded with ammunition.

The SMM continued to observe the presence of unexploded ordnance (UXO). In government-controlled Peredilske (24km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM observed three UXOs. Residents told the SMM that a demining team from the Ukrainian Armed Forces had cleared some UXO in the village a week ago. In “LPR”-controlled Krasnyi Lyman (30km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM observed the main road blocked by a concrete obstacle warning of mines but a resident told the SMM that this area was not mined. The SMM was unable to verify the claim.

The SMM observed the presence of other hardware: one armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BMP-1) and two Ural trucks, one with an anti-aircraft twin-barrelled cannon ZU-23 attached at an “LPR”-controlled checkpoint south of government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk); one BMP at an “LPR” checkpoint near “LPR”-controlled Vesela Hora (18km north of Luhansk); three armoured personnel carriers (BTR-70) in an area 6km east of government-controlled Trokhizbenka (33km north-west of Luhansk); one BTR in an area between government-controlled Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk) and Zhelanne Druhe (29km west of Donetsk).

The SMM monitored border areas not controlled by the Government. At the Uspenka border crossing point (72km south-east of Donetsk) the SMM observed a queue of 13 civilian trucks and 45 civilian vehicles (all with Ukrainian plates) waiting to cross into the Russian Federation. Three truck drivers, speaking together, told the SMM that it takes approximately 24 hours to cross.

The SMM monitored a “DPR”-organized rally in Donetsk city marking the second anniversary of what they termed the “reunification of the Russian Federation and the Crimean peninsula.” At 09:30hrs the SMM observed 500 mainly young persons at the rally. They listened to “patriotic” songs, watched dance performances and carried “DPR” flags. “DPR” “police” were present at the event, which passed off without incident.

In cities across the country the SMM observed actions related to the de-communization law. The SMM observed preparations being made for the removal of Ukraine’s largest statue of Lenin in Zaporizhzhia (70km south of Dnepropetrovsk) on 16 March. Around 300 people were present (half of whom were women) as approximately 40 police officers monitored the process which took approximately 30 hours. The mayor and the head of the district administration in Kodema (217km north-east of Odessa) told the SMM that the process of de-communization was almost complete in the district with the removal last week of two statues of Lenin and two more scheduled to be dismantled. According to them, all city streets had been renamed. In Kyiv, the SMM observed a group of six activists of the Youth Nationalistic Congress replace one street sign on Artema Street with a new one.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation in Kherson, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv and Chernivtsi.

 

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

The SMM is restrained in fulfilling its monitoring functions by restrictions imposed by the parties and security considerations, including mine threats, damaged infrastructure, and the unpredictability of the situation in Donbas. “LPR” members continue to prevent the SMM from monitoring many areas alongside the border in parts of Luhansk region not controlled by the Government, and consistently demand to review SMM patrol plans.

 

Denial of access:

  • Armed men demanded that the SMM leave a temporary observation post near “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata.
  • “LPR” members stopped and delayed the SMM in Znamianka (36km north-west of Luhansk) for 32 minutes until their “commander” turned up and escorted the SMM to a checkpoint in “LPR”-controlled Sokilnyky (38km north-west of Luhansk), but no further. The SMM had intended to travel through the village to the contact line, but left the area.

 

Conditional access:

  • Armed men stopped the SMM at a checkpoint near “DPR”-controlled Olenivka (23km south-west of Donetsk) when entering and leaving the town and checked the trunks of their vehicles.
 

[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions to SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to the fulfilment of its mandate”.

[2] All times in this report refer to Eastern European Time.

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OSCE/ODIHR Director Link welcomes pardon of human rights defenders, activists and journalists in Azerbaijan

OSCE - Sat, 19/03/2016 - 12:30

WARSAW, 19 March 2016 – Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, welcomed today the pardon of a number of human rights defenders, activists and journalists by President Ilham Aliyev.

“This is a positive, welcome step by Azerbaijan in relation to the country's OSCE commitments,” Director Link said. “ODIHR stands ready to engage constructively with Azerbaijan to assist in the implementation of programmes and commitments in the human dimension.

Among those pardoned in the amnesty were prominent human rights defenders Anar Mammadli and Rasul Jafarov. While welcoming their release, the ODIHR Director noted that the situation of a number of other people remaining either in prison or with their movements restricted was also worthy of review.

“I would call on the authorities to review the cases of others either currently imprisoned or under such restrictive orders, including Intiqam Aliyev, Khadija Ismayilova, Ilqar Mammadov and Ilkin Rustamzada” he said.

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Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30hrs, 17 March 2016

OSCE - Fri, 18/03/2016 - 19:44

This report is for the media and general public.

The SMM observed fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions than the previous day and continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. The Mission monitored border areas not controlled by the Government and observed a calm situation. The SMM was restricted in its freedom of movement, mainly in areas not controlled by the Government*. The Mission monitored border areas not controlled by the Government and observed a calm situation. The Mission continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure. The SMM facilitated and monitored the resumption of operations at Yasynuvata water filtration station.

The SMM observed a lower number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared to the previous day[1]. During the evening hours of 16 March, the SMM heard 52 undetermined explosions at locations 7-10km north, north-west of its position in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre. Positioned at the Donetsk railway station (“DPR”-controlled, 6km north-west of Donetsk) during the day on 17 March, the SMM heard 38 explosions assessed as having been caused by 82mm mortar rounds, 26 undetermined explosions, 20 impacts from automatic grenade launcher (AGS, 30mm), 62 air bursts of anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23/2, 23mm), numerous bursts of heavy machine-gun and small-arms fire and 22 small-arms shots originating from the north, north-east, north-north-east and north-north-west of its position at distances of 2.5-8km. 

In Horlivka  (“DPR”-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk) in the evening hours of 16 March, the SMM heard, within one hour, over 30 undetermined explosions and intense exchanges of artillery, mortar, automatic grenade launcher, heavy-machine-gun, anti-aircraft guns and small-arms fire 5-10km west, north, and east-north-east of its position.

The SMM continued to engage stakeholders on both sides of the contact line to facilitate the resumption of operations at a water filtration station near Yasynuvata (“DPR”-controlled 16km north-east of Donetsk), essential for, according to the station’s director, supplying water to some 400,000 people. Together with Voda Donbassa workers and representatives from the Ukrainian and Russian Federation Armed Forces of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) the SMM was able to access the filtration station. The SMM noted that the filtration station was able to resume operation. Whilst stationary at the filtration station for a period of one hour, the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions and one heavy-machine-gun burst 2-5km north-west and west-south-west of its position. Operations at the filtration station were not affected.

The SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flew over the area, which has been an active hotspot for several days. The imagery from 15 March revealed the following: “DPR” positions near and under the H20/E50 highway bridge some 1.6km south-south-west of the filtration station and numerous armed men; several new “DPR” defensive positions with trenches in areas estimated at 1km east of the filtration station; positions between the highway lanes 2.2km south-west of the filtration station (near the highway bridge and the industrial area (“Promzone”) of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk). The SMM UAV also spotted a possible mortar position alongside the highway, 2.9km south-west of the filtration station. Some 5km north of the filtration station, the UAV spotted Ukrainian Armed Forces defensive positions and military trucks but no heavy equipment. On 17March, the SMM monitored those areas through a foot patrol, which noted that the armed “DPR” members were able to proceed to the road-sign reading “Avdiivka” in black and white colours, located about 100m ahead of the Ukrainian Armed Forces forward positions. The SMM conducted crater analysis of two fresh craters at a Ukrainian Armed Forces position within the Avdiivka “Promzone” and assessed that one was caused by a 120mm mortar round, the other by a 152mm artillery round. Both originated from the east-south-east.

While near Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol), the SMM heard three shots of small-arms fire east of its position. While in government-controlled Berdianske (18km east of Mariupol), the SMM heard and saw three explosions 700m north of its position,  assessed as having been caused by incoming 120mm mortar rounds.  Two undetermined explosions 2km north-east of its position were also noted.

Inside the security zone, the SMM observed a Ukrainian Armed Forces unit conducting a live-fire exercise at the government-controlled Trokhizbenka military training area (33km north-west of Luhansk) involving rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

In relation to the implementation of the Addendum to the Package of Measures, the SMM revisited a Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent storage site whose location corresponded with the withdrawal lines and observed that 18 tanks (seven T-72 and 11 T-64) and two mortars (2B9 Vasilek, 82mm) were missing.

The SMM revisited an “LPR” permanent storage site and observed that all weapons previously verified as withdrawn to the site were present.

In violation of the withdrawal line, on 16 March the SMM long range UAV spotted three tanks in “DPR”-controlled area of Karlo-Marksove (37 km north-east of Donetsk).

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of heavy weapons as foreseen in the Minsk Package of Measures. The SMM has yet to receive the full information requested in the 16 October 2015 notification.

In violation of respective withdrawal lines the SMM observed one self-propelled howitzer (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) on a tow truck in government-controlled Novoaidar (49km north-west of Luhansk). On 16 March the SMM long range UAV spotted nine towed howitzers (2A18 D-30, 122mm) in Karlo-Marksove.

The SMM revisited locations known to the SMM as heavy weapons holding areas, even though they do not comply with the specific criteria set out for permanent storage sites in the 16 October 2015 notification*.

In government-controlled areas, beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM revisited such locations and observed: 18 towed howitzers (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm). It also noted 19 anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) missing from one of these areas.

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside storage sites, the SMM observed: eight self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and 19 towed howitzers (D30, 122mm) near “LPR”-controlled Uspenka (23km south-west of Luhansk).

The SMM observed the presence of other hardware: one infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP) at the checkpoint near “LPR”-controlled Vesela Hora (16km north of Luhansk); one IFV (BMP-1) and two URAL trucks – of which one was mounted with an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) – at an “LPR”-controlled checkpoint across the bridge from government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk).

The SMM followed-up on the reported casualty of the incident in the vicinity of “LPR”-controlled Kalynove-Borshchuvate (61km west of Luhansk) (see SMM Daily Report 17 March 2016). The SMM spoke to doctors at the regional hospital in Luhansk city who said that the female casualty had sustained life-threatening injuries, including head trauma, and remained in serious condition. 

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs of essential infrastructure on both sides of the contact line. In the vicinity of government-controlled Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk) and Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM monitored on-going repairs to a gas pipeline. While monitoring the same repair works in nearby Oleksandrivka (“DPR”-controlled, 20km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard one undetermined explosion, 13 machine-gun bursts and 18 small-arms shots 2-5km north-north-east and north-north-west of its position. The SMM monitored demining along the railway track between government-controlled Pivdennodonbaska (35km south-west of Donetsk) and “DPR”-controlled Olenivka (21km south-west of Donetsk) and observed the Ukrainian Armed Forces demining team searching the area.

The SMM monitored border areas not controlled by the Government* and observed a calm situation. The SMM observed approximately ten civilian trucks queued to enter the Russian Federation at Dovzhanskyi border crossing point (85km south-east of Luhansk). At the pedestrian border crossing point in Novoborovytsi (80km south of Luhansk), the SMM observed that the crossing point remained unstaffed (see SMM Daily Report 11 March 2016).

The SMM observed long lines at checkpoints close to the contact line. On the H15 road near Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk) at the two government-controlled checkpoints west of the contact line, the SMM observed in the morning at least 500 civilian vehicles waiting to proceed west and 220 civilian vehicles waiting to proceed east. In the afternoon at those checkpoints, the SMM observed 160 civilian vehicles waiting to proceed west and 410 civilian vehicles waiting to proceed east.  

The SMM continued to monitor the situation in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnepropetrovsk, Chernivtsi, and Kyiv.

 

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

The SMM is restrained in fulfilling its monitoring functions by restrictions imposed by the parties and security considerations, including mine threats, damaged infrastructure, and the unpredictability of the situation in Donbas. “LPR” members continue to prevent the SMM from monitoring many areas alongside the border in parts of Luhansk region not controlled by the Government, and consistently demand to review SMM patrol plans.

 

Denial of access:

  • “DPR” members denied the SMM access to a location known to it as a heavy weapons holding area.
  • At a checkpoint in “LPR”-controlled Sokilnyky (39km north-west of Luhansk) armed men again denied the SMM passage (see SMM Daily Report 17 March 2016). JCCC intervention was unsuccessful.  

 

Conditional access:

  • Armed men demanded to inspect the trunk of one of the SMM’s vehicles at a “DPR”-controlled checkpoint near Olenivka (“DPR”-controlled, 21km south-west of Donetsk) in order to allow it to proceed through the checkpoint.
  • Armed men stopped the SMM at the abovementioned checkpoint again on its return journey to Mariupol and demanded to inspect the trunk of one of the SMM vehicles.
  • Armed men at the “LPR” checkpoint at Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (16km north-east of Luhansk) only took pictures of the SMM patrol plan and IDs of the monitoring officers coming from government-controlled Sievierodonetsk (74km north-west of Luhansk) and not those approaching from the “LPR”-controlled area.

 

Delay:

  • Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel delayed the SMM for 22 minutes at a checkpoint at the eastern outskirts of Mariupol.

 

[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions to SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to the fulfilment of its mandate”.

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OSCE supports dialogue forum in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, to help communities affected by conflict

OSCE - Fri, 18/03/2016 - 17:30

KYIV, 18 March 2016 – East Ukrainian Forum “Reconstruction through Dialogue: Mariupol”, hosted by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator, will take place on 23 March 2016, in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine.

The purpose of the event is to facilitate discussions between central and local authorities, civil society and expert community on ways of solving the most urgent issues related to people’s life in the areas affected by the conflict.  

The Forum’s participants will focus on humanitarian demining, ways to improve access to Mariupol, business climate, humanitarian questions including issues of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and education.  

Vaidotas Verba, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine; Vadym Boychenko, Head of Mariupol City Council; Serhiy Taruta, Member of Parliament; Mykola Movchan, Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports of Ukraine; Algirdas Šemeta, Business Ombudsman; Kostyantyn Anikonov, Deputy Head of Environmental Security and Mine Hazards Department of the Ministry of Defence; Oleh Bondar, Head of Humanitarian Demining Department of State Emergency Service, foreign diplomats and representatives of international organisations are among the experts of the Forum.

Media representatives are invited to attend the Forum that will start at 10:00 (registration from 9:30) at the premises of Mariupol State University (129, Budivel'nykiv Ave, Mariupol, Donetsk Region, Ukraine).

Journalists are kindly requested to confirm their participation to Andrii Dziubenko, National Programme Co-ordinator of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, by e-mail Andrii.dziubenko@osce.opg before 17:30 on Tuesday, 22 March 2016. For additional information call: + 380506767734.

This event is part of “Supporting Dialogue for Reforms Justice and Development” Project, implemented with the financial support from the Governments of Liechtenstein, Lithuania and Finland.

 

 

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OSCE Chairmanship Special Representative Erler says Russian Federation’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula infringed fundamental OSCE principles

OSCE - Fri, 18/03/2016 - 14:54

Berlin, 18 March 2016 - On the second anniversary of the Russian Federation’s annexation of Crimean peninsula (18 March 2014), which under international law is part of Ukraine, Special Representative of the German Government for the OSCE Chairmanship Gernot Erler said: “Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula two years ago today was contrary to international law and infringed fundamental OSCE principles, in particular the inviolability of international borders and respect for the sovereignty of all states.”

Erler stressed that the annexation of Crimea by Russia and the conflict in eastern Ukraine jeopardise security and stability in the OSCE area. “Our demands that Ukraine’s full sovereignty and territorial integrity be restored thus remain unchanged. Human rights and fundamental freedoms, the protection of national minorities and the independence of the organisations representing their interests must continue to be guaranteed throughout the entire territory of Ukraine,” he said.

Erler emphasized that implementation of the Minsk agreements is at present still the most urgent step towards achieving a lasting solution to the conflict in and around Ukraine. “Today I call on Russia in particular to fulfil its corresponding obligations and to respect international law," said Erler.

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OSCE/ODIHR delivers series of workshops on countering hate crime for prosecutors in Poland, Bulgaria and Georgia

OSCE - Fri, 18/03/2016 - 14:36
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Recognizing, investigating and prosecuting hate crimes in Poland and Bulgaria were the focus of two workshops organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), from 7 to 18 March 2016 in Lublin and Sofia.

Of the 59 prosecutors who took part in the workshops, 39 were trained to become trainers and will continue working to spread ODIHR’s training among their colleagues as part of the Prosecutors and Hate Crimes Training (PAHCT) programme’s implementation.

"As the first two OSCE participating States to co-operate with ODIHR to implement the PAHCT programme, Poland and Bulgaria are helping to lead the way in taking a stand against hate crime," said ODIHR Hate Crime Officer Aleš Gião Hanek. "With more trained prosecutors, we will start seeing the positive effects of addressing hate crimes, as their enhanced expertise and knowledge spreads across both countries’ prosecutorial services."

The event in Bulgaria follows a training-of-trainers event, held from 9 to 11 March 2016, which aimed at deepening the participants’ understanding of hate crime and enabling them to become independent trainers. In Bulgaria, a similar workshop and a training-of-trainers event were held from 14 to 18 March. These PAHCT courses expand upon the implementation of ODIHR’s Training Against Hate Crime for Law Enforcement (TAHCLE) programme with both countries’ police forces.

"ODIHR’s training offered an invaluable opportunity to exchange experiences and best practices with colleagues and international experts. My understanding of hate crimes, and how they can be prosecuted, has broadened, and I look forward to adopting this approach in my daily work," said Ruzhena Kondeva, a Prosecutor with the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Razlog, Bulgaria.

The training events in Poland and Bulgaria will be followed by workshops held from 21 to 23 March 2016 in Georgia. These workshops will introduce ODIHR’s approach to countering hate crime through working with prosecutors.

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OSCE/ODIHR opens observation mission for early parliamentary elections in Serbia

OSCE - Fri, 18/03/2016 - 14:13

BELGRADE, 18 March 2016 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened a limited election observation mission for the 24 April early parliamentary elections in Serbia. The mission's deployment follows an invitation from the Serbian authorities.

The mission is headed by Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens and consists of 10 international experts based in Belgrade and 12 long-term observers to be deployed throughout the country.

The mission will assess the elections for compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation. Observers will follow the implementation of the legislative framework, candidate registration, campaign activities, the work of the election administration and relevant government bodies, and the resolution of election disputes. The mission will also conduct comprehensive monitoring of the media.

As part of the observation process, the mission will meet with relevant authorities, political parties and candidates, as well as with representatives from the judiciary, civil society, the media and the international community. While the mission will visit a limited number of polling stations on election day, systematic observation of voting, counting or tabulation of results is not envisaged.

The day after the elections, the mission will join with the observer delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to issue a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions at a press conference. ODIHR will issue a final report about two months after the completion of the entire electoral process.

The OSCE/ODIHR limited election observation mission and the OSCE Mission to Serbia operate separately, under their respective mandates.

For further information, please contact Marek Mracka, LEOM Media Analyst, +381 63 289 071

(mobile) or marek.mracka@odihr.rs 

or

Thomas Rymer, OSCE/ODIHR Spokesperson at: +48 609 522 266 (mobile) or thomas.rymer@odihr.pl

 

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OSCE/ODIHR's regional expert workshop discusses good practices in migrant integration

OSCE - Fri, 18/03/2016 - 13:44
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Civic orientation and language support programmes in migrant integration were the focus of the regional expert workshop "Good Practices in Integration of Migrants in line with OSCE Commitments and International Legal Standards" held in Riga on 17 and 18 March 2016.

This event is organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in co-operation with the Latvian Contact Point of the European Migration Network within the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs of the Republic of Latvia.

Bringing together 50 participants, mostly officials responsible for migrant integration issues from relevant ministries and agencies of Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova and the United Kingdom, the workshop provided an opportunity to discuss good practices identified by OSCE participating States in dealing with civic orientation programmes, language-learning assistance to migrants, as well as anti-discrimination measures and combating intolerance and hate crimes in line with relevant OSCE commitments, international legal standards and national legislation.

Experts from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the independent think tank Migration Policy Group, and other representatives from civil society organizations and academia also participated in the meeting.

"This workshop provided an excellent opportunity to exchange good practices in integration of immigrants and lessons learned by states," said Maira Roze, the Deputy Head of the Latvian Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs. "We believe that the conclusions of this event may be used to improve the Immigration Law of Latvia, introducing a new Chapter on immigrant integration, and the information on practical use of specific integration measures may also facilitate the considered implementation of the Action Plan on Relocation of Persons In Need of International Protection and Their Reception in Latvia."

This event is part of ODIHR’s ongoing efforts to support OSCE participating States in the implementation of their commitments in the area of migrant integration, an area of increasing focus and relevance in the context of the current migration crisis.

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Border and customs officials discuss leadership styles for effective management at OSCE Border Management Staff College

OSCE - Fri, 18/03/2016 - 13:27

DUSHANBE, 18 March 2016 – Effective leadership and management techniques were the focus of a week-long training course, which concluded today at the OSCE Border Management Staff College in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

The course aimed at advancing leadership, management, communication, skills as well as at defining and promoting the role of leadership in the modernization of an organization.

Twenty mid- to senior-ranking border security managers from Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Germany, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Portugal, Romania, Tajikistan and Ukraine as well as four national programme officers of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan participated in the training course.

Participants learned about the role of a manager in sustainable organizational development, instruments for effective communication and enhancing employees’ motivation, as well as conflict management techniques.

“The Border Management Staff College attaches great importance to effective planning and implementation of border operations which is greatly influenced by the management skills of senior leaders,” said Dita Nowicka, Director of the OSCE Border Management Staff College. “The course led by instructors from Austria and Romania was delivered through an interactive approach involving role plays, group discussions as well as practical exercises focusing on refugee crises along the border and effective management of human and technical resources for efficient border guarding.”

Participants gave presentations on specific subjects, showcasing their skills as leaders, while experts Robert Glöckl, Expert/ Deputy Head of the National Frontex point of contact in Austria and Petru-Iulian Valianu, rainer at School for Basic and for Further Training for Border Police Personnel in Iasi, Romania, evaluated their performance and provided feedbacks.

 “The main achievement of the training course is that at the end of the week, the trainees formed a strong team capable to work together, despite the fact that they come from countries which are thousands of kilometres away from each another,” said Valianu.

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Press statement by Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office

OSCE - Fri, 18/03/2016 - 10:40

Tbilisi, 18 March 2016 - Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, Personal Representative to the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, on 17 March, conducted a monitoring exercise on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan as part of his mandate.

“I received information from both sides on recent developments on the border, and listened to their concerns. Both sides highlighted the proximity of villages to the front lines, and that civilians have suffered greatly from ceasefire violations as a particular concern.”

Personal Representative Kasprzyk said: “In light of the upcoming Nowruz Bayram and Easter holidays, I call on the sides to strictly adhere to the ceasefire and to avoid any action on the line of contact or on the border that could lead to an increase in tensions.”

“I would like to take this opportunity to wish the people of the region all the best on the occasions of the upcoming holidays.” 

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Leadership, inclusive coalitions and joint strategy needed to address mass migration agree participants at OSCE Security Days event

OSCE - Sat, 05/03/2016 - 10:28

Rome, 5 March 2016 – An OSCE Security Days event on “Refocusing Migration and Security - Bridging National and Regional Responses” held in Rome on 4 March discussed short- and long-term approaches to both the current refugee crisis and structural drivers of mass migration, including conflict, economic imbalances, and climate change. Highlighting the added value of the OSCE, over 300 representatives of governments, parliaments, civil society, grassroots organizations, international and regional organizations, academics and journalists from OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation agreed that only a combination of strong leadership, inclusive coalitions and a common long-term strategy can effectively address these challenges.

In his opening remarks, Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Paolo Gentiloni stressed from the outset that “building new walls cannot be the answer, nor can the current migration crisis be seen only through a security lens." He also emphasized that "we cannot create a […] misleading equation between terrorism and migration.”

Gjorge Ivanov, President of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, said in his keynote address that “just as, at the beginning of the migrant crisis, we became trapped in humanitarian generalization, after the terrorist attacks in Paris, there was a serious danger becoming locked in a security related generalization.” He stressed that in order to provide a holistic, all-European solution, it is necessary to consider the legal and humanitarian, political, economic, social, and security aspects of the migration crisis. “The migrant and refugee crisis is a stress test for all the values, principles, institutions, policies and procedures of the European Union and European countries,” said Ivanov.

Jeffrey D. Sachs, the UN Secretary-General’s special advisor on the Sustainable Development Goals, emphasized the need to establish new international norms and an international regime that would allow better migration management in the long term.

Noting the broad interest in mobilizing OSCE resources for dialogue, awareness raising and capacity building, OSCE Secretary General Zannier highlighted the need to build new and strengthen existing partnerships between international, regional, governmental and non-governmental organizations. Pointing out that “a change in both perceptions and policies is clearly needed,” he said that migration management should not be seen as a “niche issue” for the OSCE, but as a cross-cutting, long-term endeavor for the Organization and its international partners, and expressed hope that the Security Days event would be the starting point of renewed debate and new action.

Concluding the event, Chair of the OSCE Permanent Council Eberhard Pohl thanked the Secretary General for opening up the debate to all stakeholders, stressing that “we need to work on the ideas expressed, not just take note of them. We need to explore their viability and the possibility for consensus, said Pohl.  “The OSCE is not starting from scratch, it has a long tradition in dealing with issues related to migration in all three dimensions of its work and should not be shy about its achievements”, said Pohl.  He stressed, however, that they needed to be consolidated into a more coherent approach. 

Ambassador Pohl announced a special meeting of the Permanent Council devoted to migration to be held before the summer and prepared by a dedicated working body. Ambassador Pohl reaffirmed the German Chairmanship’s resolution to actively support further progress of the OSCE migration agenda and to develop guidance for the work ahead.

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