OSCE Parliamentarians Discuss Ukraine Crisis

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) parliamentarians, at their winter meeting in Vienna, discussed the human rights situation in Ukraine amid the ongoing political crisis.

Parliamentary Assembly President Ranko Krivokapic, in talks with Ukrainian delegates on the eve of the February 14 session, emphasized the need for continued, constructive dialogue between political factions.

He underscored the potential of the Parliamentary Assembly to promote such dialogue and reaffirmed the assembly's offer to directly assist in mediation.

On February 13, former Belarusian presidential candidate Andrey Sannikau criticized Minsk's continued detention of political prisoners, torture, unfair trials, and lack of basic freedoms.

Sannikau, who received asylum in Britain last year, urged OSCE parliamentarians to expand democratic standards throughout the OSCE region.

Delegates also heard critical updates from civil society representatives from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Turkey.