OSCE demands release of imprisoned staff, denounces ‘fabricated accusations’

Acting Head of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine Antje Grawe on July 25 called for an immediate release of imprisoned OSCE staff in the occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. A number of Special Monitoring Mission staff members had been detained by Russian forces in eastern Ukraine. “They have performed their duties with dedication and the highest level of professionalism and impartiality, providing objective information critical to the security and humanitarian situation in Ukraine,” Grawe said. The organization will “pursue all available channels to secure the privileges and immunities of current and former OSCE officials.”