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Working Session 13: Freedom of religion or belief (continued), Human Dimension Implementation Meeting Warsaw, 29 September- 10 October 2008

The joint opinion considers only the amendments to the Election Law and, therefore, must be considered with previous assessments of the Election Law by the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR. Of particular relevance are the Final Report of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission for the 1 October 2006 General Elections (Warsaw, 6 February 2007), Venice Commission Opinion on Different Proposals for the Election of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Strasbourg, 20 March 2006) (CDL-AD(2006)004), OSCE/ODIHR Assessment of the Election Law for the 5 October 2002 Elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Warsaw, 25 July 2002), and Venice Commission Opinion on the Electoral Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Strasbourg, 24 October 2001) (CDL-INF(2001)21). These documents contain important suggestions on how to improve the Election Law in order to maintain a legal framework for elections consistent with international standards.

Information Exchange on Participating States’ Policy and/or National Practices and Procedures for the Export of Conventional Arms and Related Technology

Memorandum on the Kyrgyz mass media law and the law on journalists activities

The amendments to the Electoral Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan should be considered in the context of previous assessments of the Electoral Code by the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR, as well as OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission reports. The six most recent and most important documents are the Final Opinion on the Amendments to the Electoral Code of the Republic Azerbaijan of 25 October 2005 (CDLAD(2005)029), the Final Report of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission for the 2005 Parliamentary Election (ODIHR.GAL/7/06), the Joint Final Assessment of the Electoral Code of Azerbaijan of 1 September 2003 (CDL-AD(2003)015), the Final Report of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission for the 2003 Presidential election (FR03), the Joint Recommendations of 1 June 2004 (CDL-AD(2004)016rev and JR04) and the interim opinion on the proposed amendments to the Electoral Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan (CDL-AD(2005)018). These documents are interrelated. They contain important suggestions on how to improve the Electoral Code in order to provide a legal framework for elections consistent with international standards. This joint opinion reaffirms the previous recommendations.

Information Exchange on the Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security

From the Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti, regarding the project "A comprehensive review of laws and practices on access to information by the media in the OSCE participating States"

Memorandum by ARTICLE 19, commissioned by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media

Information Exchange on the Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security