OSCE office closed down in Minsk

The OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) Office closed down in Minsk, RIA Novosti reports.

The Belarusian authorities refused to extend the mandate of the OSCE office in Minsk, explaining this decision that there were no objective grounds for the presence of such an institution in Belarus.

The Belarusian government’s decision to close the office came amid criticism of the country’s presidential elections from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. The OSCE criticized “lack of transparency” in vote counting and the mistreatment of opposition activists.