A vibrant civic space in which everyone contributes to public and political life is increasingly challenged by growing threats to freedom of peaceful assembly and severe challenges faced by human rights defenders through discreditation, criminalization, and direct attacks, OSCE leaders said as a two-day conference began today.
Almost 300 participants from across the OSCE region registered for the meeting in Vienna, which brings together representatives of OSCE states, international organizations, civil society and human rights defenders to discuss current trends and challenges as well as good practices and lessons learnt in ensuring respect for the freedom of peaceful assembly and the protection of human rights defenders.
"Human rights defenders speak out for those who are most vulnerable, under attack, or unable to speak for themselves. They do this despite the risks to their lives and personal safety," said Ambassador Vesa Häkkinen, Finland's Permanent Representative to the OSCE and Chair of the Permanent Council. "In this tense security environment, independent and steadfast work for democracy and human rights is especially needed, and it is important that the OSCE provides space for civil society to speak up and be heard."
While the work of human rights defenders and full enjoyment of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly are widely recognized as essential in a democratic society, practice shows that civic space is shrinking in numerous countries across the OSCE region. Human rights defenders face serious challenges to their work and their personal safety, both those working in their home countries and those in exile. At the same time, restrictions to freedom of peaceful assembly are increasing, and authorities fail to recognize or safeguard this fundamental right.
"Ensuring respect for every individual's right to freedom of peaceful assembly is a commitment made by all OSCE countries," said ODIHR Director Maria Telalian. "And yet the growing restrictions on peaceful protests are a visible trend across the region, while civil society and human rights defenders face numerous and increasing obstacles in carrying out their important work."
For too many human rights defenders, intimidation and sometimes physical violence are an everyday occurrence. The number of so‑called "foreign agent" laws, both in force and in the making, has surged in the OSCE region, adding to the discreditation and stigmatization of human rights defenders, and putting them at further risk. Human rights defenders are increasingly finding themselves and their activities criminalized and censored and their rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association unlawfully restricted, massively impacting their ability to work.
Key topics of the discussions will therefore be to explore effective ways of safeguarding civic space for the future, how to strengthen respect for the rights of peaceful protestors, independent monitors of assemblies, and human rights defenders, as well as how to better respond to the challenges they face in their work and how to strengthen support and protection of human rights defenders in practice.
Freedom of peaceful assembly is a cornerstone of democratic societies and a fundamental human freedom, which OSCE participating States have committed to guarantee without discrimination. The right to defend human rights is also firmly anchored in the commitments made by all OSCE states to uphold democratic principles, including the right of every individual to seek assistance and assist others in defending human rights, and the need to protect human rights defenders and their important work.
Supplementary Human Dimension Meetings are a platform for the OSCE's participating States and OSCE institutions, as well as international organizations and civil society, to exchange views and good practices in order to find common solutions for the challenges facing societies across the OSCE region. Today's discussion is the second SHDM of 2025, following a first meeting to discuss the role of media in conflict and humanitarian crises against the background of international humanitarian and human rights law. There is one more SHDM planned for this year.
