In the face of repression at home or aggression abroad, the OSCE will succeed as a multilateral forum as long as those who are true believers stand united in defending the ten Helsinki principles and forthrightly raise violations in this forum.” ​ The November Congressional Elections are Critical for Israel. Our Constitution, laws, and values are the foundation of our strength and security. We are a US government commission that promotes human rights, military security, and economic cooperation in 57 countries in Europe, Eurasia, and North America. As participating States of the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Russia, and Uzbekistan have repeatedly made commitments to recognize, respect, and protect religious freedom. Max Kampelman Fellow Message from the Executive Director. “It envisioned a new and inclusive continent based largely on western values, particularly the value of democracy.” It violated the law, eroded many of our most cherished values, and made us less free and less safe. In Missouri, it is a joint state-federal program funded solely through tax contributions paid by employers, so no deductions are made from employees’ paychecks for this insurance. Ohio law requires people or companies offering security or investigation services to obtain a license. In November 2019, the Commission hosted a joint hearing with the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on the importance of the Open Skies Treaty, emphasizing its critical role in security and stability in Europe. To provide an additional platform in 2020 for human dimension issues, the OSCE held a series of webinars between September 28 and November 6, 2020, organized by ODIHR in cooperation with the Office of the Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) and the Office of the High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM), and with the support of the 2020 Albanian OSCE Chairmanship. At the same time, OSCE participating States are dealing with the ever-increasing severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is taking a terrible toll on populations throughout the OSCE area. The initiative reflected the country’s historic leadership in the area of international humanitarian law and profound concerns regarding torture in the context of counterterrorism efforts. As adopted, the decision includes explicit references to enforced disappearances and to incommunicado detention. Some used a “hybrid” or “blended” format, permitting in-person engagement in Vienna (to the extent that in-person gatherings were allowed by changing local health measures), reinforced by additional participation through videoconferencing. Later that year, the commission reported on an amendment to the Hungarian religion law, which continues to discriminate against people on the basis of their faith. Political representatives of the 57 OSCE participating States, the six OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Cooperation (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia), and various international organizations participated in the event. Looking ahead to its 2021 Chairpersonship, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said that Sweden will work to get “back to basics:” defending the European security order, contributing to resolving conflicts, and upholding the OSCE’s comprehensive concept of security with a special focus on human rights, democracy, and gender equality. Principled Foreign Policy Giuliani Security & Safety (GSS) offers corporations, individuals, and governments a full platform of security, investigative and crisis management services. “States should fulfill the promises they made in the Paris charter 30 years ago.” Carolyn Bartholomew, Chairman – 2021 Report Cycle. The Executive Orders issued by the Governor and OESC Executive Director that waived these requirements expires October 24, 2020. From urgent crises in Belarus and the Caucasus to the ongoing Russia-fueled war in Ukraine, all three dimensions of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)’s definition of comprehensive security—military, economic and human—are under strain, while the organization itself has been weakened in its ability to respond to these crises due to several leadership vacancies. Gilmore stated in an August 2020 op-ed. The panel opened for input from participants where Spanish Ambassador-at-Large for Gender Equality in Foreign Policy Clara Cabrera, among others, discussed best practices as well as posed questions to panelists. He recommended that the United States take a proactive role to focus the OSCE on U.S. priorities and on issues where it could have the greatest impact, such as instability in the Western Balkans and reforms in Uzbekistan. “The type of human rights work Vanessa Kogan is doing in Russia is essential in a country where rule of law is often subverted to serve the interests of those in power. In May 2020, following reports that the Trump administration planned to withdraw from the Treaty on Open Skies, Chairman Hastings urged Congress to support the United States’ allies and partners in Europe, as “withdrawing from the Open Skies Treaty can only benefit Putin’s continuing campaign of aggression against Russia’s neighbors.” At a hearing before the Helsinki Commission on September 17, OSCE Chair-in-Office Edi Rama reaffirmed the importance of HDIM. })(); [video src="https://s3.wasabisys.com/ccns/virtual-events/civil-unrest-in-america-black-lives-matter-antifa-and-beyond.mp4" /], Civil Unrest in America: Black Lives Matter, Antifa and Beyond, The U.S.-Israeli Alliance and its National Security Implications, Gen. McInerney on REELTalk: “We are in the most perilous condition that we have ever been in our history”, The Battle Against Tyranny Whether Foreign or Domestic is a Perpetual Challenge for Constitutional Republics, Avril Haines, Director National Intelligence-Designate, LTG McInerney and MG Vallely on Election Fraud, China, and What Comes Next, Illinois Democrats Line Up to Help CAIR Fundraise, The Growing Threat to Israel and the Region, President Trump, Please Exercise Your Prerogative Power to Defeat Communism, Iran-Venezuela Relationship Grows Closer, Threatens US, What Will the Courts Do About the Election?  U.S. The Enduring Value of the OSCE Policies instituting paid maternity leave and banning discrimination on the basis of sex or marital status for capital are essential to empowering women. GSS works collaboratively with clients to identify needs and tailors individual solutions that … Otherwise, the consequences could be unpredictable and potentially dire.” In the 116th Congress, commissioners explored ways to defend human rights, hold the Kremlin accountable, and maximize cooperation with OSCE Mediterranean partners at OSCE PA meetings. She should be allowed to stay in Russia and continue her work.” In September, Chairman Hastings and other Helsinki Commissioners joined members of the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee and Subcommittee on Human Rights to discuss combating racism and systemic discrimination on both sides of the Atlantic. Turkey, Hungary, Ukraine/Crimea, and the Balkans Commissioners have championed the development of parliamentary assemblies for regional organizations throughout the world and participate regularly in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), which offers opportunities for engagement among parliamentarians from OSCE participating States. “Our post-COVID-19 recovery strategies should be used as an opportunity to take on important reforms towards fulfilling the sustainable development goals, as well as the goals of the Paris agreement. History Founding. This legislation would ensure the president has the authority necessary to hold Russian government officials accountable for their brutality in Ukraine. The act establishes criminal penalties for doping schemes, provides restitution for victims, protects whistleblowers from retaliation, and shares information with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. – Clara Cabrera, Spanish Ambassador-at-Large for Gender Equality in Foreign Policy Having a sound security plan in place to collect only what you need, keep it safe, and dispose of it securely can help you meet your … Unfinished Business 2021: OSCE’s Swedish Chairpersonship “Back to Basics” OSCE election observation missions often are undertaken jointly by the OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA). She opened the session by highlighting existing gaps in women’s political and economic participation, even though many countries have adopted several policies to improve women’s economic empowerment and their economic advancement. WASHINGTON—Following the announcement by the Russian Foreign Ministry that Moscow intends to begin domestic procedures to withdraw from the Treaty on Open Skies, Helsinki Commission Chairman Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (FL-20) issued the following statement: Ranking Senate Commissioner Sen. Ben Cardin (MD) chaired the hearing and noted that November marked the 30th anniversary of the Charter of Paris, a document that ushered in a new era of peace, unity and democracy in Europe. The E-services project of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) is an electronic data gathering and retrieval system that would perform automated collection, acceptance and forwarding of submissions by companies who are required by law to file forms and documents with the SECP. Since 1990, the OSCE has acted as a forum for political dialogue and a platform for joint action across North America, Europe, and Asia through its institutions, structures, and field operations. “I believe – and I think my predecessors would say the same – the OSCE plays a unique role in the foreign relations of the United States with Europe, Canada, and Central Asia. As a practical matter, the critical human rights violations that would be the focus of any implementation review were unabated by the pandemic. When USAGM failed to renew J-1 visas for foreign Voice of America (VOA) journalists, Chairman Rep. Hastings, Ranking Member Sen. Ben Cardin, and Helsinki Commissioners Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-09), and Rep. Marc Veasey (TX-33) demanded that U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) CEO Michael Pack provide a detailed explanation and called for new policies to protect the personal security of VOA journalists working under the USAGM. Israel The measure also expressed support for confidence and security building measures like the Open Skies Treaty, because they reduce the risk of conflict, increase trust among participating countries, and contribute to military transparency and remain vital to the strategic interests of America’s NATO allies and partners. Copyright © 2016 Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: CSCE. Following a two-day seminar organized by Helsinki Commission and the OSCE PA in February 2020, Future Leadership for Political Inclusion in the OSCE Region: A Seminar for Young Parliamentarians, nearly 20 young legislators from OSCE participating States issued a joint declaration emphasizing the important role young people must play in addressing human rights and security challenges across the world. The most significant aspect of HDIM is that civil society representatives may speak during formal sessions on equal footing with government representatives. on: function(evt, cb) { Under binding international humanitarian law, like the Geneva Conventions, the Russian Government is responsible for religious freedom violations in Ukrainian territory it occupies or controls through armed groups it commands. Commissioners looked inward to the United States’ own domestic policies, as well as outward to other OSCE countries, to develop ideas and policies that promote principles of social inclusion, empowering diverse populations and enhancing the ability for everyone to fully participate in society. The courage of men and women, the strength of the will of the peoples and the power of the ideas of the Helsinki Final Act have opened a new era of democracy, peace and unity in Europe.” By institutionalizing the CSCE as a platform to realize peace and security, this process transformed the multilateral Conference into the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which today is the world’s largest regional security organization, comprising 57 participating States. Response policies will not be sustainable, fair, or impactful if they do not include women and girls’ empowerment.” The OSCE also organizes international election observation missions to transitional and well-established democracies alike, observing and reporting on adherence to democratic election commitments. Home>; Issues>; 9-11 Commission, Homeland Security, and Intelligence Reform. Finally, he expressed concern about the increasing number of political prisoners and the rise in cases of anti-Semitism, anti-Roma racism, and other forms of hatred and hate crimes in the OSCE region since the onset of the pandemic. The reason given was that she “poses a threat to the country's security.” Members of the Helsinki Commission introduced the Rodchenkov Act, the Kleptocrat Exposure Act, the Combating the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products Act (CITTPA), the Countering Russian and Other Overseas Kleptocracy (CROOK) Act, the Foreign Extortion Prevention Act, and the Transnational Repression Accountability and Prevention (TRAP) Act. Ambassador to the OSCE James Gilmore; U.S Helsinki Commission Chief of Staff Alex Johnson; and Helsinki Commission staff Robert Hand, Janice Helwig, Rebecca Neff, Erika Schlager, Shannon Simrell, Dr. Mischa Thompson, and Alex Tiersky. Photos Courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France​, 234 Ford House Office Building In Missouri, it is a joint state-federal program funded solely through tax contributions paid by employers, so no deductions are made from employees’ paychecks for this insurance. Chairman Hastings and Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05) also issued a statement regarding foreign affairs funding for diverse, global anti-racism programs, commemorating John Lewis’ yearly leadership in securing these appropriations requests. ... Haines served as Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy National Security Advisor from 2015-2017, during which time she led the National Security Council’s (NSC) Deputies Committee. Other proposals, including texts to modernize the Vienna Document (a wide-ranging confidence- and security-building measure that includes provisions requiring notification of significant military activities, as well as an exchange of information about armed forces, military organization, and major weapon and equipment systems), enhance public-private partnerships to counter terrorism, and counter trafficking in natural resources were scuttled by Russian, Azerbaijani, and Armenian intransigence. . { We are a global coalition of leaders from across the energy landscape committed to achieving net-zero emissions by mid-century, in line with the Paris climate objective of limiting global warming to well below 2°C and ideally to 1.5°C. Payment schedules may be impacted for some claimants due to the upcoming Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. After the elections and in reaction to the human rights abuses perpetrated by the Lukashenko regime, Chairman Hastings wrote to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin requesting that the U.S. administration revoke access to the U.S. financial system for the nine largest state-owned companies in Belarus. The charter was signed by 34 heads of state and government during a CSCE Summit in the French capital from November 19 to 21, 1990. There has been strong support among participating States for moving the HDIM, which is typically been held in the early fall, to earlier in the year to prevent any conflict with the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting. Ambassador Reeker emphasized that the United States is focused on upholding the Helsinki Final Act principles and pushing all participating states to live up to their commitments to those principles. Message from the Executive Director. Due to challenges related to convening during the COVID-19 pandemic, the NGO network Civic Solidarity Platform did not organize its annual Civil Society Conference, which had been held in conjunction with each OSCE Ministerial Council since its first convening during the 2010 OSCE Summit in Astana. The Division of Employment Security (DES) supports the Department's vision statement by administering the state’s Unemployment Insurance (UI) program. Uzbekistan was a CPC from 2006 to 2017 and on the Special Watch List from 2018 to 2019. Mr. Albinyana shared similar best practices around the use of policy to eliminate inequities in educational attainment, women’s employment, and access to finances and capital. In November 2020, the House of Representatives unanimously passed the Ukraine Religious Freedom Support Act (H.R. Representative of the Helsinki Commission to the U.S. Mission to the OSCE Helsinki Commission Chairman Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (FL-20) called on President Lukashenko “to order the release of those who have been detained for political reasons and allow real political competition in Belarus.” In 1990, all OSCE participating States pledged to hold free and fair elections and to invite international observers. By raising our voices, through our participation and leadership, we reassure our friends that the United States stands with them and supports our shared values against the growing tide of autocracy,” Rep. Hastings and Amb. Promoting Environmental Cooperation In addition, the pandemic created additional areas of concern, such as government surveillance ostensibly related to health monitoring, punitive measures against real or alleged critics of a government’s pandemic responses, and the scope and duration of emergency measures adopted in response to the pandemic. (function() { The Permanent Council also stated that this decision did not establish any precedent for the organization of future HDIMs. Separately, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly canceled its annual session, which had been scheduled in Vancouver in July. Belarus by Yoram Ettinger January 8, 2021. “I call on Moscow to reverse this counterproductive decision. In 2019, the commission held a briefing focused on the benefits and challenges of international election observation, best practices, and emerging issues such as voting technology and security. “However, the divisions that led to this chaotic attack on the U.S. Capitol cannot be ignored. Division of Economic and Risk Analysis S.P. Anti-racism initiatives have always been a priority for the commission, but they found particular focus in 2020 in conjunction with the exposure of systemic racism in police brutality and the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on minority populations. Spain “It is precisely because of the impact of the pandemic on human rights and democracy that the HDIM must be held. Looking forward, he highlighted several U.S. priorities for engagement at the OSCE. Human Rights at Home This is an organization where the United States speaks directly with democratic friends and Allies, as well as with countries that demonstrably do not share our values.... We underscore the OSCE’s comprehensive concept of security and the importance of implementing all commitments in all three dimensions – politico-military, economic/environmental, and human.” “To move forward as a nation, members of both parties must stand together to reaffirm the resilience of our democracy, honestly confront the toxic voices in our society that seek to tear us apart, and so prevail over the dangerous extremism that led to this violent rampage.”. Branch officials and anti-corruption work fair elections and on a peaceful transition of power I forward... 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