News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
OSCE concludes Explosive Ordnance Disposal Level 3 course for specialists from Central Asia and Serbia
Publishing date: 23 February 2024
On 23 February 2024, eighteen mine action specialists and practitioners from the military, law enforcement, security services, and humanitarian agencies of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Serbia completed a three-week regional Explosive Ordnance Disposal course (EOD Level 3) at the Regional Explosive Hazards Training Centre of Tajikistan’s Ministry of Defense in Chimteppa.
OSCE Presence, Albanian Directorate of Free Legal Aid sign memorandum of understanding to increase justice access for all
Publishing date: 22 February 2024
Acting Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania Clarisse Pasztory and Free Legal Aid Director Ergys Qirici signed a memorandum of understanding, on 22 February 2024, aimed at outlining areas of mutual interest and strengthening co-operation between the two institutions. The mission of the Free Legal
ODIHR presents recommendations from 2023 election observation findings in Estonia
Publishing date: 22 February 2024
Experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) presented the final report of the Election Expert Team deployed to Estonia for the March 2023 parliamentary elections from 19 to 22 February in Tallinn.
OSCE presented results of public survey and concept of reformed community police in Armenia
Publishing date: 22 February 2024
On 20 February, the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department presented the concept of the reformed community policing and the results of the Public Survey on Perceptions of the Police and Police Reforms in Yerevan, Armenia. The high-level meeting was attended by the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, and the Chairman of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Defense and Security.
On the Search for Weapons: Introducing the First Woman Police Dog Handler
Publishing date: 22 February 2024
Alongside her eager K9 partner, the 5-month-old Belgian Shepherd (Malinois) named Ada, Kristina Shikova will be out in the field on detection duties by this summer. Kristina is training to become a police dog handler, making her the first woman in North Macedonia to hold this role. While Ada knows
Constitutional Court, OSCE Presence in Albania launch first guide on Constitutional Court case law
Publishing date: 21 February 2024
The Constitutional Court, in co-operation with the OSCE Presence in Albania, presented the first Guide on Constitutional Court Case Law, on 21 February 2024. Representatives from justice institutions, advocates, academics, legal community and international partners participated in the launching
Deteriorating human rights situation in Belarus of utmost concern as crackdown continues, human rights office ODIHR says
Publishing date: 21 February 2024
WARSAW, 21 February 2024 – The human rights situation in Belarus continues to deteriorate as those who voice dissent or stand up for the human rights of others are subject to investigation, persecution, and frequently prosecution, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in a statement today.