COPENHAGEN, 17 April 2018 - Ignacio Sanchez Amor (MP, Spain), Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s human rights committee, today expressed his concern regarding the state of freedom of expression in Poland, following the stripping of immunity from several opposition parliamentarians last week. On the evening of 12 April the Polish parliament voted to remove from Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz and Ryszard Petru the immunity granted to all

Makis Voridis addresses the OSCE Security Committee, 16 April 2018 VIENNA, 16 April 2018 – Makis Voridis, Chair of the OSCE PA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Countering Terrorism, spoke today at the Security Committee of the OSCE in Vienna, stressing the need to work together to effectively counter violent extremism, radicalization and terrorism. He provided an overview of the Assembly’s work in this field and underlined the importance of promoting

Margareta Kiener Nellen and Nilza de Sena speak to the press at a polling station in Baku, 11 April 2018 BAKU, 12 April 2018 – The early presidential election in Azerbaijan took place within a restrictive political environment and under laws that curtail fundamental rights and freedoms, which are prerequisites for genuine democratic elections. Against this backdrop and in the absence of pluralism, including in the media, the election lacked

Margareta Kiener Nellen and Nilza de Sena open the briefings of parliamentary observers at the Azerbaijan election observation mission, Baku, 9 April 2018 * Azərbaycan dilində tərcüməsi aşağıda verilmişdir Photo opportunity on election day in Baku with observation leaders Election observers present findings at a press conference in Baku on 12 April BAKU, 9 April 2018 – Nilza de Sena (MP, Portugal), the OSCE Special Co-ordinator responsible for

Aziz Orudjev speaks to reporters after being released from prison, 5 April 2018. Photo courtesy of the Orudjev family. COPENHAGEN, 6 April 2018 – Ignacio Sanchez Amor (MP, Spain), Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s human rights committee, today welcomed the release of journalist Aziz Orudjev, CEO of the Internet TV channel Canal 13, who was freed from prison in Azerbaijan on Thursday. Sanchez Amor expressed hope that this signals an

Nilza de Sena and Margareta Kiener Nellen COPENHAGEN, 5 April 2018 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is deploying a mission of observers to Azerbaijan next week for the presidential election on 11 April. Nilza de Sena (MP, Portugal) will serve as Special Co-ordinator and leader of the 300-plus short-term OSCE observer mission, while Margareta Kiener Nellen (MP, Switzerland) will serve as head of the OSCE PA delegation of some 40 members of