1. OSCE ODIHR and international /regional human rights law and related case-law
Tina Gewis, Chief of Rule of Law Unit, ODIHR Strasbourg, 20 October 2015

2. OSCE Commitments & human rights
OSCE is a regional security organisation with 57 participating States, 10 of which are not member states of the Council of Europe (US, Canada, Belarus, 5 Central Asian states, Mongolia, Holy See)
ODIHR is mandated to assist OSCE participating States in the implementation of OSCE human dimension commitments (including human rights)
OSCE commitments reflect major international and regional (European) human rights law & standards
Concept of “politically binding commitments”, adopted by consensus

3. ODIHR Legislative Guidelines
Freedom of Peaceful Assembly
Freedom of Association (2014 rev.) – jointly with CoE Venice Commission
On the Legal Personality of Religious or Belief Communities
Guidance for policy and law-makers, containing reference to ECtHR, UN HRC and IACtHR case-law and intl/reg human rights standards

4. ODIHR Legal Reviews - Opinions
Upon request by participating States
Analysing draft or existing legislation on “human dimension” topics, often jointly with CoE Venice Commission
Assessing compliance with OSCE commitments and intl/reg human rights obligations, as applicable
Offering recommendations to authorities
If non-CoE member states: ECHR and ECtHR case-law as “useful and persuasive reference documents”
2 minutes

5. OSCE ODIHR Trial Monitoring
Assessing the compliance of court practice with national legislation and international fair trial standards (incl ECtHR case law, UN HRC)
Providing recommendations to national authorities and other judicial stakeholders on how to improve the respect for fair trial rights, both in law and practice
Also looks at reasoning of judgments and reference to intl/reg human rights law and case-law

6. ODIHR tools on Trial Monitoring
Legal Digest of International Fair Trial Rights (2012, EN/RUS/FR)
Trial Monitoring: A Reference Manual for Practitioners (rev.2012, EN/RUS/FR)
Handbook for Monitoring Administrative Justice (2013, EN/RUS)

7. Monitoring the Freedom of Assembly
Initiated upon invitation by participating States
Monitoring public events / assemblies
Assessing compliance with intl/reg freedom of assembly standards and best practices
Reference to relevant ECtHR case-law
So far, 2 public reports (2012, 2014), third round currently ongoing

8. More info & resources on: www.osce.org/odihr/rol
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