Matteo Mecacci addressing an OSCE conference in Vienna entitled “Confronting Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims in Public Discourse.” VIENNA, 28 October 2011 – Today in Vienna Matteo Mecacci, Chair of the OSCE PA's General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions, addressed the conference organized by the Lithuanian OSCE Chairmanship and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights "Confronting

Walburga Habsburg Douglas, Special Co-ordinator of the OSCE short-term observer mission to Kyrgyzstan, opens the briefing programme in Bishkek. BISHKEK, 28 October 2011 – OSCE PA Vice-President Walburga Habsburg Douglas today opened the election observation briefing in Bishkek as more than 40 parliamentarians from the OSCE, European Parliament and Council of Europe converged on the Kyrgyzstan capital ahead of Sunday's presidential election. The

Vote shows country on its way to guaranteeing freedom, human rights, democracy TUNIS, 24 October 2011 – International election observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly today declared the first democratic elections in Tunisia as "free and fair" and praised the Tunisian people for their participation in the electoral process. "The elections laid a first solid corner stone for future democratic

USA Today 24 October 2011 TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) – Tunisian authorities counted votes Monday in the first free election in the nation's history, with early signs that a once-banned Islamist party is leading in the country that unleashed uprisings across the Arab world. Radio Mosaique FM posted results from polling stations around the country Monday, with many showing a commanding lead for the moderate Islamist party Ennahda. An Ennahda victory in

XINHUA 24 October 2011 TUNIS, Oct 24 (Xinhua) – Heads of European observer delegations Monday hailed the election of the National Constituent Assembly (NCA) in Tunisia as free and fair. "The elections were free and observers did not witness any widespread or systematic irregularities," said Riccardo Migliori, leader of the observer delegation of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). "The low-key and generally peaceful

COPENHAGEN, 24 October 2011 - OSCE PA President Petros Efthymiou today expressed his condolences to the people of Turkey after an earthquake in the eastern part of the country killed more than 200 people and left many more injured. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those impacted by the earthquake in Turkey. In the aftermath of this devastating event, I hope the people of Ercis and other affected communities will receive the