News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
Condemning recent execution in Belarus, OSCE/ODIHR Director repeats call for immediate moratorium on death penalty
Publishing date: 8 May 2017
WARSAW, 8 May 2017- Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), following emerging information about a recent execution in Belarus, today once more called on the country’s government to introduce an immediate moratorium on executions, as a step towards complete abolition of the death penalty...
OSCE Office in Tajikistan holds training course on human rights education
Publishing date: 8 May 2017
A five-day training course on human rights education concluded on 6 May 2017 at the OSCE Office in Tajikistan...
OSCE Mission in Kosovo works with Roma and Ashkali women to improve local-level policies
Publishing date: 5 May 2017
A workshop organized by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo for around 20 Roma and Ashkali grassroots activists and civil society organizations from the Gjilan/Gnjilane and Ferizaj/Uroševac municipalities on how to shape better local policies for the benefit of communities concluded on 3 May 2017...
Kazakhstan’s Ombudsman presents 2016 report, published with support of the OSCE
Publishing date: 4 May 2017
The annual presentation of Kazakhstan’s National Human Rights Commissioner’s (Ombudsman) Report took place on 4 May 2017 in Astana, Kazakhstan...
Human rights-based approach key to effectively countering phenomenon of foreign terrorist fighters, experts underline at ODIHR meeting
Publishing date: 26 April 2017
The human rights-compliant implementation of legislation and policies to counter the foreign terrorist fighter phenomenon were the focus of an expert meeting organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) from 25 to 26 April in Warsaw. The event brought together
Implementation of minimum standards for treatment of prisoners discussed at OSCE/ODIHR regional consultation in Warsaw
Publishing date: 20 April 2017
The implementation of the revised minimum standard rules for the treatment of prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules) was the focus of a meeting of practitioners in the OSCE region held on 19 and 20 April 2017 in Warsaw.
ODIHR Director Link concerned by accelerated executions using questionable drug in Arkansas
Publishing date: 19 April 2017
WARSAW, 19 April 2017 – Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), today raised concern about the compressed execution schedule in the State of Arkansas this month and called on the United States to once more consider the complete abolition of capital punishment, in the context of the international debate linking the practice with torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment...