News and press releases

Representatives of more than 30 international election observation organizations from around the world, which have committed to upholding the highest methodological standards and ethical practices, concluded a three-day meeting today in Gdansk, Poland, hosted by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

From 18 to 21 November 2024, the OSCE Presence in Albania organized a series of joint training sessions aimed at strengthening the capacity of prosecutors, police officers and environmental inspectors in tackling environmental crimes. The training, attended by 52 participants from Shkodra, Lezha, Kukës, Berat, Korça and Elbasan, focused on identifying, investigating, and prosecuting environmental offenses.

VIENNA, 22 November 2024 – The Maltese Chairpersonship of the OSCE, in collaboration with the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) and the 3CL Foundation, organised the Conference on Media Freedom in the OSCE region on 22 November 2024. The event addressed the multiple challenges facing free and independent media in the current digital landscape and their implications for democracy and security.

Over 100 criminal justice experts and representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as well as from international organizations met in Astana from 20 to 21 November 2024 for the Ninth Expert Forum on Criminal Justice for Central Asia, organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan.

Forensic document experts from the Main Forensic Centre of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine exchanged best practices and enhanced co-operation on passport security and forensic document examination during a study visit to Dublin, Ireland, from 18 to 22 November.

Twelve officials from the National Securities and Stock Market Commission of Ukraine attended a basic training on investigations involving crypto-assets from 20 to 22 November. The three-day online training session provided an opportunity for participants to improve their knowledge about crypto-asset investigations. Organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA), the training introduced participants to essential concepts of blockchain technology alongside practical tools and strategies for investigating criminal activities involving crypto-assets.

From 19 to 21 November 2024, the OSCE Presence in Albania, in co-operation with the General Directorate of Prisons, organized a training-of-trainers seminar for 35 senior prison staff. The focus was on the Nelson Mandela Rules, the revised UN standards for the treatment of prisoners, which aim to protect the rights of people in detention, including protection from torture and ill-treatment.