The Human Rights protection in the frames of the Organisation on Security and Co-Operation in Europe

Abstract

The CSCE process was about much more than human rights; it began as
security negotiations during the détente period (early 1970s), but the
Westerners found it as a good opportunity to put the (dangerous for the
Easterners) issue of the human rights firmly into the East-West relation. So,
Helsinki Final Act (Aug. 1975), consisting of its famous “three Baskets”,
contained (in Basket I) the Principle No. 7: “Respect of human rights and
fundamental freedoms including freedom of thought, conscience, religion and
belief”. However, the Act’s follow-up practically was more effective as
participating countries came to succesive agreements on the establishment of a
diplomatic procedure concerning human rights protection, known as “Human
Dimension Mechanism” (Vienna, Copenhagen, and Moscow Documents, 1989,
1990, and 1991 respectively). Thus, maybe since the end of Cold War CSCE
has lost its great political importance, but its Human Dimension and its role
on the démocratisation process in Eastern Europe were reinforced by its
transformation to a permanent Organisation (now counting 54 state members 

and by the establishment of new institutions, such as the Conflict Prevention
Centre, the Office on Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the High
Commissioner on National Minorities.