Documents library
Role of Domestic Jurisdictions in the Implementation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL)- Law and Practice
Publishing date: 23 February 2015
Content type: Report
Where we are: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
What we do: Democratization, Rule of law
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Moldova: Opinion on the Law of the Republic of Moldova on the External Evaluation of Judges and Prosecutors of 17 August 2023 (as last amended in September 2024)
Publishing date: 17 February 2025
Collections: Legal Opinions and Comments
Content type: Report
Where we are: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
This Opinion was prepared by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) following a request from the People’s Advocate of the Republic of Moldova.
Report on novelties in the 2018 revision of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive and proposed interventions into the Serbian Law on Electronic Media and the Law on Advertising (in part relevant for the 2018 AVMSD transposition)
Publishing date: 17 March 2023
Content type: Report
Where we are: OSCE Mission to Serbia
What we do: Media freedom and development
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
This Report seeks to inform and support the Serbian authorities in the process of the implementation of the Media Strategy Action Plan of Serbia. It provides an overview of the key novelties of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) with particular regard to the 2018 revision thereof,
Hate Monitor Report, May 2025
Publishing date: 1 July 2025
Content type: Report
Where we are: OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina
What we do: Rule of law, Tolerance and non-discrimination
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
It is important to know what is a hate crime. When a hate crime is committed, one or more perpetrators target the victim, which can be one or more people or property, because of a protected aspect of the victim's identity, such as religion or ethnicity, race, sexual orientation or disability. Similarly, a hate incident is an act of hostility motivated by prejudice or bias that does not necessarily reach the threshold of a criminal offence, or the criminal nature of which is yet to be determined. A hate crime is any crime where the perpetrator is driven by prejudice or bias. Criminal offence + bias motive = hate crime.
Analysis of Anti-Discrimination Case Law in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the Period 2018-2021
Publishing date: 5 May 2023
Content type: Report
Where we are: OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina
What we do: Human rights, Rule of law, Tolerance and non-discrimination
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (the Mission) is issuing this report to present its findings based on an analysis of anti-discrimination jurisprudence in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The paper covers the period from mid-2018 to mid-2021. This report is a continuation of the Mission’s monitoring of the work of the judiciary regarding equality and non-discrimination since the adoption of the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination (LPD) in 2009. With this report, the Mission identifies significant new trends in how the BiH legal community is utilizing the LPD before courts and displays the power the LPD can have when properly utilized. The present analysis focuses on the responses of courts in the context of discrimination proceedings initiated under the LPD. It is not intended to serve as an overview of discrimination trends and issues in BiH and does not examine how other BiH institutions respond to discrimination. The report tracks and maps the relevant trends, but also highlights some of the more prominent issues in the application of substantive aspects of the LPD, identifying weaknesses and inconsistencies in case law while taking into account the totality of judicial output on these cases.
Armenia: Opinion on the Law of Armenia on Regulatory Legal Acts
Publishing date: 20 October 2023
Collections: Legal Opinions and Comments
Content type: Report
Where we are: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
What we do: Democratization
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
This Opinion was prepared by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) following a request from the Chair of the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs on behalf of the National Assembly of Armenia.
Second Interim Report on reported violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in Ukraine
Publishing date: 14 December 2022
Content type: Report
Where we are: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
What we do: Human rights
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
14 December 2022
Best Practices Regarding Must-carry and Must-offer Rules for Cable Operators and Broadcasters
Publishing date: 29 May 2015
Collections: Legal reviews
Content type: Report
Where we are: OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
What we do: Media freedom and development
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Commissioned by the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media for the Government of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Prepared by Jean-François Furnémont, Founding partner of Wagner-Hatfield, independent consultancy in public affairs, policy and regulation.
Opinion on the Draft Federal Law of Austria Amending the Law on the Recognition of Adherents to Islam as a Religious Society
Publishing date: 7 November 2014
Collections: Legal Opinions and Comments
Content type: Report
Where we are: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
What we do: Rule of law
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
This Opinion analyzes the provisions of the draft Law against the background of its compatibility with relevant international human rights standards and OSCE commitments.
Poland: Note on Certain Aspects Related to Suspension of Limitation Periods for Disciplinary and Criminal Offences Committed by Judges and Prosecutors
Publishing date: 31 July 2025
Collections: Legal Opinions and Comments
Content type: Report
Where we are: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
What we do: Good governance, Rule of law
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
This Note primarily addresses the topic of the suspension of limitation periods for criminal acts and disciplinary offenses that may have been committed by judges and prosecutors – or carried out at their direction – that may not have been pursued due to “political reasons”.