NHC to participate at the Human Dimension Implementation Meeting

As in previous years, the NHC participates in the annual OSCE ODIHR Human Dimension Implementation Meeting, which is held in Warsaw from 22 September to 3 October. The NHC will be active twofold during this year’s meeting.

Firstly, the NHC will, in cooperation with the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, organize a side-event on recent developments and the deteriorating human rights situation in Azerbaijan. The discussion will concentrate on the repressions of civil society organizations, the investigations opened against NGOs and the arrests of human rights defenders. Possible future steps that could be undertaken in order to assist NGOs operating in Azerbaijan will also be discussed.

This will take place on 25 September between 13:00 and 15:00. Representatives of NGOs, donor organizations and states are welcome to join the debate.

Secondly, the NHC’s director Harry Hummel will moderate a side-event on forced disappearances. Recent developments in the OSCE area show how this practice is still being used by police officials or unidentified armed groups to maintain pressure against civil society or political opponents.

This will take place on 24 September between 08.15 and 09.50. Representatives of NGOs, donor organizations and states are welcome to join the debate.

HDIM

The Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM) is Europe’s largest annual human rights and democracy conference, and is organized each year by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).57 OSCE participating states, Partners for Co-operation, civil society, international organizations and OSCE structures will take stock of the implementation of the human dimension commitments, discuss associated challenges, share good practices and make recommendations for further improvements.