No: 216, 27 June 2014

Memet Kılıç, a Turkish citizen who has been detained on 26 May in Donetsk along with three colleagues by an armed group while serving as an observer in the OSCE Ukraine Special Monitoring Mission was released on 26 June. He has been held hostage for 32 days. The other observers from Estonia, Denmark and Switzerland have also been released together with Memet Kılıç. OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine has been deployed in order to contribute to reducing tensions and fostering peace in Ukraine, and assumed a leading role in the implementation of the Geneva agreement

We have learned that the medical condition of the released observers is good.

Starting from the first day, we have worked in consultation and coordination with the Swiss OSCE Chairmanship, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine and other relevant countries in order to ensure the release of the observers as soon as possible. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu had intensive contacts and undertook initiatives at various levels with the relevant countries as well as the parties that have influence on the groups in question; besides, our Embassy in Kiev and our Permanent Representation to the OSCE followed the situation of the observers closely.

Ambassador Ertuğrul Apakan, the Head of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission has exerted, intense efforts in close collaboration with the authorities of Ukraine and together with his team conducted and successfully concluded sensitive meetings and contacts aiming at the safe release of the observers.

Minister Davutoglu talked with our national Memet Kılıç and his family following his release and expressed his relief.

It is envisaged that our citizen Memet Kilic will arrive in Turkey in a short while after necessary preparations are made in coordination with the OSCE.