News and press releases

On 9 December 2024, the OSCE Programme Office in Astana (the Office) hosted an event to mark the culmination of the first stage of a two-year project aimed at supporting the Tobol-Torgay River Basin Council. The project aims to strengthen the Council's capacity in developing a strategic basin plan for integrated water resource management.

On 17-18 December 2024, the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, in collaboration with key national agencies, held a training workshop focused on detecting the financing of terrorism during the fundraising phase. The workshop aimed to strengthen Kazakhstan’s capacity to counter the complex challenges posed by financial crimes linked to terrorism.

WARSAW, 20 December 2024 – In its final report on the observation of the 26 October parliamentary elections in Georgia, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) reiterates its earlier findings and conclusions. The elections took place amidst serious concerns about the impact of recently adopted legislation on fundamental freedoms and civil society, steps to diminish the independence of institutions involved in the election process, and pressure on voters, which combined with election day practices compromised the ability of some voters to cast their vote without fear of retribution. In its assessment of post-election developments and complaints, ODIHR found that cases were not considered sufficiently, limiting legal remedies, and the forcible suppression of protests and numerous arrests caused grave concerns about compliance with international commitments to freedom of peaceful assembly.

On 17 and18 December, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities hosted the Tenth Annual General Meeting of the Permanent Conference of Organized Crime Prosecutors (PCOCP) at the Hofburg in Vienna. The event brought together senior prosecutors, judges, legal experts, and representatives from 14 participating States from across Europe and South-Eastern Europe to enhance informal and formal international collaboration against transnational organized crime.

19 December 2024, SARAJEVO – Recognizing the critical role of K9 units in detecting and preventing crime, law enforcement teams from across Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) showcased their expertise in a competition organized by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission). A total of 14 teams

On 18 December 2024, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz), in partnership with the Children’s Ombudsperson, hosted a roundtable at which experts shared good international practices in preventing crimes against minors. The event was opened jointly by Children’s Ombudsperson Surayyo

On 6-7 December 2024, the 10th Annual Conference of the Kyrgyz Association of Women Judges took place in Aral village, Chui Province, Kyrgyzstan. Themed “Strengthening Legal Justice: Access to Free Legal Aid, Support for Women in the Judiciary, and Prevention of Gender-Based Violence”, the conference convened legal professionals and experts from Central Asia to address pressing issues related to justice reform and gender equality.