COPENHAGEN, 1 September 2011 - Matteo Mecacci (Italy), chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions today called on Belarusian authorities to immediately cease the harassment of human rights activists, including Ales Bialiatski. Bialiatski, president of the Human Rights Centre Viasna, an unregistered NGO working to promote human rights and democracy in Belarus, has been detained by the

COPENHAGEN, 15 August 2011 – OSCE Chair-in-Office and Ireland's Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Eamon Gilmore has announced four members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly will serve as the special co-ordinators to lead the short-term OSCE observer missions in Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine, and United States. Gilmore appointed the individuals on the nomination of President Riccardo Migliori, who has called for his colleagues in

COPENHAGEN, 11 August 2011, OSCE PA President Petros Efthymiou today expressed concern over the detention of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko, who is on trial in Kyiv on abuse of office charges. “I, along with the rest of the international community, am following this trial very closely and I would like to underline the need for fair, transparent and independent legal processes to avoid any perception of a policy of selective

COPENHAGEN, 23 July 2011 - OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Petros Efthymiou today expressed his condolences to the Norwegian people after yesterday's deadly attacks killing dozens in Oslo and Utoeya island. "I extend our condolences and deepest sympathy to the Norwegian people following yesterday's violent attacks. These tragic attacks, apparently targeted at the government and at young politicians, strike at the very heart of OSCE

BELGRADE, 10 July 2011 – More than 230 parliamentarians from 53 countries today voted to pass the Belgrade Declaration, a political document filled with recommendations for national parliaments and the Organization for Security and Co-operation Europe on economic, security and human rights issues. The vote came on the final day of the 20th Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. “This Belgrade Declaration should remind us all that

Joao Soares speaking at the Assembly's plenary session on 10 July 2011. BELGRADE, 9 July 2011 – Joao Soares (MP, Portugal) today was named Special Representative on South Caucasus, including for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Petros Efthymiou announced the appointment today in the plenary of the 20th Annual Session after consulting with the delegations of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. “Joao Soares has