- OSCE Special Representative calls for recognition of trafficking in human beings as massive-scale problem in new report

VIENNA, 9 December - The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, called on countries to change their perception considering human trafficking as a marginal phenomenon and instead encouraged them to recognize it as a massive-scale modern-day slavery in a speech today to the OSCE Permanent Council.

"Trafficking in human beings must be seen at the same time as a human rights violation and a transnational threat to security as it is mostly a business of organized crime which fuels corruption and money laundering, and therefore hampers economic and democratic development," said Giammarinaro in a speech to present her first Annual Report to the OSCE Permanent Council.

The report, Combating Trafficking as Modern-Day Slavery: A Matter of Rights, Freedoms and Security, illustrates the current reality of human trafficking and its multiple forms. It also describes progress, policies and actions of the OSCE in 2010, and recommends a strategic approach for future work.

The ever-evolving modus operandi of traffickers poses a real challenge for law enforcement, prosecutors and judges, in both cultural and legal terms, Giammarinaro said. She outlined that while physical violence continues to be regularly used against some groups of trafficked persons, more subtle methods of coercion and abuse of a position of vulnerability have appeared.

Trafficking in human beings is a violation of human dignity, and therefore a human rights-centred approach is needed in all anti-trafficking action across the three dimensions of security, she said.

"We should do a better job of helping trafficked persons to take their life in their hands, and have access to justice and remedies including compensation and labour law remedies," she added, calling on participating States to identify and assist trafficked persons on a much larger scale.

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- Ahead of Human Rights Day, OSCE human rights chief, UN Special Rapporteur call for removing undue restrictions on religious freedom

VIENNA, 9 December 2010 - Janez Lenarcic, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), and Heiner Bielefeldt, the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, today called on states to remove undue restrictions on the fundamental freedom of religion or belief.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s Human Rights Day at a special OSCE meeting on the topic, Lenarcic and Bielefeldt warned that individuals and communities still face impediments in enjoying freedom of religion or belief in many countries.

Lenarcic noted that some states tend to promote tolerance and mutual understanding among major faith groups while neglecting their commitment to respect religious rights for all: "Fostering tolerance and dialogue among mainstream religions is to be encouraged, but it cannot substitute for the protection of the freedom of religion or belief of all members of society, including smaller and less popular groups."

He said there are still countries in the OSCE region where individuals and groups cannot freely study religion, assemble to worship, disseminate religious literature or establish charitable organizations.

UN Special Rapporteur Bielefeldt stressed that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, without any discrimination based on religion or belief.

"Freedom of thought, conscience and religion includes freedom to change one’s religion or belief and freedom to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance," he said, and called on states "to respect freedom of religion or belief, to actively protect such freedom against undue interference, and to promote an atmosphere of tolerance".

The two-day meeting, organized together with Kazakhstan’s OSCE chairmanship, coincides with Human Rights Day, which marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December 1948.

Ambassador Madina Jarbussynova, who represented the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office at the meeting, stressed that respect for freedom of religion or belief is at the core of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and OSCE human dimension commitments.

At the OSCE Summit in Astana last week, the leaders of the 56 OSCE participating States agreed on a declaration that called for greater efforts to promote freedom of religion or belief. The Astana Commemorative Declaration also reiterated that the protection and promotion of human rights is the first responsibility of government, and expressed appreciation for the important role played by civil society and free media in helping to ensure full respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law.

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- Judges from ICTY, Bosnia and Herzegovina discuss handling war crimes cases under OSCE/ODIHR-led project

SARAJEVO, 10 December 2010 - Judges from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) today discussed experiences in adjudicating war crimes cases with peers from Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of the regional War Crimes Justice Project led by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

The peer-to-peer meeting was the first of its kind organized in Bosnia and Herzegovina within the framework of the project, which aims to enhance the capacity of legal professionals in the region to handle complex war crimes cases.

Some 30 judges from all court instances in Bosnia and Herzegovina participated in the meeting, as did Judge Fausto Pocar and Judge Bakone Justice Moloto of the ICTY. The judges discussed practices in the areas of disclosure of certain types of evidence, the responsiblity of superiors for their subordinates’ acts, and working with vulnerable witnesses.

"These peer-to-peer meetings are an excellent opportunity for judges to share practical experiences and to engage in dialogue on the core challenges of processing war crimes cases," said Ambassador Gary D. Robbins, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina. "These unique exchanges, as well as the other aspects of the project, such as placement of nine professional staff within justice sector institutions, should further bolster the processing of war crimes cases in Bosnia and Herzegovina."

Hilmo Vucinic, a judge at the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, added: "It is important that the experiences of the ICTY are safeguarded and that the acquired knowledge, collected evidence and proved facts are put to use in new proceedings in our courts. The War Crime Justice Project recognizes the need for a transfer of knowledge and experiences amongs us and our colleague judges working on war crimes cases."

The War Crimes Justice Project is a 4-million euro regional project funded by the European Union and carried out by ODIHR in partnership with the ICTY, the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute and OSCE field operations.

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- Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism meeting takes place in Ergneti

ERGNETI, 10 December 2010 - The eighth regular meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism took place today in Ergneti, co-facilitated by OSCE and the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM).

Participants exchanged information and views on a number of Administrative Boundary Line related incidents, on questions related to the course of the boundary, and crossing procedures. Issues under discussion also included the fate of detainees on both sides. The discussion took place in a constructive atmosphere and agreement was reached to hold the next meeting on 21 January 2011 in the same format.

The Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism was created in February 2009 as a result of the Geneva Discussions that followed the 2008 conflict. The meetings are an opportunity to discuss, among other issues: identification of potential risks, follow-up on incidents and exchange information, as well as problems affecting the communities on a daily basis. Regular meetings of the mechanism broke down in October 2009 and resumed in October 2010.

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