Documents library
OSCE/ODIHR-Venice Commission Opinion on Two Draft Laws on Guarantees for Freedom of Peaceful Assembly in Ukraine
Publishing date: 24 April 2017
Collections: Legal Opinions and Comments
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
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) co-operated with the Council of Europe's Venice Commission in preparing this Joint Opinion, which was adopted by the Venice Commission at its 108th Plenary Session on 14-15 October 2016.
OSCE/ODIHR Opinion on the Draft Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly of Armenia
Publishing date: 24 April 2017
Collections: Legal Opinions and Comments
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
This Opinion on the Draft Law on Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly of Armenia was prepared in response to a request from the Head of the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs of the National Assembly of Armenia received by ODIHR in October 2016.
OSCE/ODIHR Opinion on the Draft Act on an Independent National Human Rights Institution of Iceland
Publishing date: 24 April 2017
Collections: Legal Opinions and Comments
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
This Opinion on the Draft Act on the Independent National Human Rights Institution of Iceland was prepared in response to a request from the Ministry of Interior of Iceland received by ODIHR in December 2016.
OSCE/ODIHR Opinion on the draft law on parliamentary oversight in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Publishing date: 24 April 2017
Collections: Legal Opinions and Comments
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
This Opinion on the Draft Law on Parliamentary Oversight of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina was prepared in response to a request from the Ad Hoc Joint Committee responsible for preparing the Draft Law received by ODIHR in May 2016.
OSCE/ODIHR Opinion on the Draft Law Amending and Supplementing the Ombudsman Act of Bulgaria
Publishing date: 7 April 2017
Collections: Legal Opinions and Comments
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
The Opinion was prepared by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights at the request of the Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria received in February 2017. It has benefited from contributions made by the National Institutions and Regional Mechanisms Section of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Joint Opinion on the Electoral Code of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, as amended on 9 November 2015
Publishing date: 18 October 2016
Content type: Report
Where we are: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
What we do: Elections, Rule of law
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
On 25 May 2016, Chair of the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly requested the opinion of the Venice Commission on the amended Electoral Code of November 2015 of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. In line with standard practice, the Venice Commission and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) decided to provide a Joint Opinion on the amendments of the Electoral Code. This Joint Opinion is intended to assist the authorities in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in further developing and improving the legal framework for the conduct of democratic elections and meeting international obligations and standards.
OSCE/ODIHR Comments on the Draft Constitution of Turkmenistan
Publishing date: 5 September 2016
Collections: Legal Opinions and Comments
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
The Draft Constitution contains a number of positive features, notably some new provisions pertaining to fair trial guarantees, the practical implementation of all provisions will greatly depend upon the adoption of implementing legislation and the existence of proper enforcement mechanisms, including judicial review and access to independent and impartial courts. The OSCE/ODIHR hopes that these Comments will provide useful insights, which may eventually lead to more comprehensive and fundamental changes, involving a clearer division of competencies, more efficient state institutions and a system of effective checks and balances.
Annex: Draft of the Constitution of Turkmenistan (revision)
Publishing date: 2 September 2016
Collections: Legal Opinions and Comments
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
Report on Monitoring of Peer Elections for the High Judicial Council and State Prosecutors’ Council of the Republic of Serbia
Publishing date: 23 May 2016
Content type: Report
What we do: Democratization, Rule of law
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
This report is the result of joint efforts by the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to monitor the nomination and election processes for peer elections of judges and prosecutors in Serbia to the High Judicial Council (HJC) and the State Prosecutors’ Council (SPC), respectively, conducted from October to December 2015. The Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM), a Serbian nongovernmental organization, also served as an implementing partner. This monitoring was conducted in consideration of ongoing judicial and legal reform initiatives in Serbia as part of a broader National Justice Reform Strategy and ongoing reforms for accession to the European Union (EU). Activities included monitoring nomination processes (in selected courts and prosecutor’s offices), monitoring peer elections across Serbia, analyzing the underlying legal framework, and interviewing judges and prosecutors who participated in the process.
Final Report: War Crimes Justice Project (Phase II)- Supporting the Transfer of Knowledge in War Crimes Cases among the National Jurisdictions of the Former Yugoslavia and with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
Publishing date: 1 December 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
The present report summarizes the objective, results and activities of the project “Supporting the transfer of knowledge in war crimes cases among the national jurisdictions of the former Yugoslavia and with the ICTY” (War Crimes Justice Project Phase II), implemented by ODIHR under its Rule of Law program. ODIHR’s Rule of Law work focuses on the following areas: judicial independence, trial monitoring, criminal justice reform, administrative justice, electoral dispute resolution and war crimes justice.