Mr. Chair,
Thank you, Director Telalian, and the ODIHR team, for a powerful and timely report to the Permanent Council.
The Warsaw Human Dimension Conference was a strong reminder that human rights are indivisible — and must be upheld in their entirety. As the report makes clear, democracy, the rule of law, and respect for fundamental freedoms are not optional. They are the foundation of our collective security. ODHIR`s monitoring and documentation of Russia’s violations of `human rights and international humanitarian law remain key in this respect.
Election observation remains a cornerstone of ODIHR’s mandate and work. Ensuring free and fair elections is essential to democratic resilience, and we value ODIHR’s expertise in helping participating States uphold this commitment. ODIHR’s updated methodology , addressing emerging challenges such as disinformation, online political advertising, and the use of artificial intelligence in electoral campaigns, is key to further strenghten its
This week’s election seminar on Election Campaigns in the Online Environment — featuring a Norwegian expert from NORCAP — provided a valuable platform to deepen our collective understanding of electoral integrity in a rapidly evolving landscape.
We agree with your emphasis on the indivisibility of OSCE human dimension commitments — and the need to uphold them fully. We share your concerns about democratic erosion, shrinking civic space, and growing polarization. And we recognize the importance of maintaining multilateral dialogue and principled engagement.
Colleagues,
We are deeply concerned about the increasing pressure on civil society across the OSCE region. We strongly support the call to protect human rights defenders and to repeal restrictive legislation. A strong, independent civic space is not a threat to stability — it is essential to resilient democracies.
Finally, we urge all participating States to make full use of ODIHR’s services — including election observation, legal reviews, and systematic follow-up on recommendations. We stand ready to engage constructively in these efforts.
I thank you.