News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
World Day Against Trafficking in Persons: High-level OSCE officials urge States to redouble efforts, especially amid backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic
Publishing date: 30 July 2020
VIENNA / WASHINGTON, D.C. / WARSAW, 30 July 2020- On the occasion of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons today, high-level OSCE officials have highlighted the need to redouble efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly against the backdrop of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic...
OSCE PA human rights leaders concerned over Poland's announced withdrawal from treaty on violence against women
Publishing date: 27 July 2020
COPENHAGEN, 27 July 2020 – Following an announcement stating Poland's intention to withdraw from a treaty on combating violence against women, the leaders of the OSCE PA’s human rights committee expressed concerns over the ongoing developments...
Parliamentary leaders call on Foreign Ministers to rectify institutional crisis facing OSCE
Publishing date: 24 July 2020
COPENHAGEN, 24 July 2020 – Members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s elected Bureau today urged the personal attention of the Foreign Ministers of OSCE participating States to address the institutional crisis currently impacting the organization...
Call to save OSCE human dimension by current and former PA Presidents and human rights leaders
Publishing date: 22 July 2020
COPENHAGEN, 22 July 2020 – With the OSCE’s leaders’ mandates having expired on 18 July due to a failure to reach agreement among governmental representatives in Vienna, a group of current and former leaders of the OSCE’s parliamentary dimension called today for immediate action to ensure that the organization can continue to function.
OSCE PA President Tsereteli urges de-escalation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, return to substantive negotiations
Publishing date: 16 July 2020
COPENHAGEN, 16 July 2020 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli has closely followed the situation along the border of Azerbaijan and Armenia and has been in contact this week with the countries’ OSCE PA delegations and relevant international actors. Today, he urged both sides to urgently de-escalate and to engage in “substantive negotiations"...
OSCE PA leaders criticize Belarus’s failure to extend timely invitation to observe election and to provide a level playing field for all stakeholders
Publishing date: 16 July 2020
COPENHAGEN, 16 July 2020 – The leaders of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions expressed concern today that Belarus had failed to extend a timely invitation to the OSCE to observe its upcoming presidential election. The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) announced yesterday that the lack of an invitation has prevented ODIHR from observing the election process...
New OSCE PA report offers comprehensive recommendations stemming from series of Parliamentary Web Dialogues on COVID-19
Publishing date: 13 July 2020
COPENHAGEN, 13 July 2020 – The COVID-19 pandemic, as an unprecedented global crisis that impacts all dimensions of security, has underlined the urgency of addressing long-standing challenges facing the OSCE area, including resolving conflicts, promoting environmental sustainability, managing migration, and ensuring democratic resiliency and social cohesion, a new OSCE Parliamentary Assembly report concludes.