Human Rights of Armed Forces Personnel politics may be justified by the need to separate the military and politics, but the case is weaker with regard to local politics, especially if local authorities have no control over or involvement in military matters. The appearance of neutrality may be maintained by codes of conduct that restrict public identification in political parties (for example, by prohibiting the wearing of military uniforms at party meetings), rather than by proscribing political participation altogether. Moreover, restrictions may be relaxed after a member of the armed forces has left the service. International Human Rights Standards The OSCE has consistently affirmed the importance of civil and political rights and the 139 need to ensure that they can be fully exercised. In Paris in 1990, OSCE participating States affirmed the right to freedom of association and peaceful assembly.140 In Copenhagen in the same year, they stressed the importance of the right to establish political parties.141 The main rights at stake are the freedom of association (namely, to join a political party), the right to vote and stand for office and the right to participate in public demonstrations, all of which are guaranteed by human rights treaties. Freedom of association and political neutrality Box 5.1: Restrictions on the right to freedom of association acknowledged in international standards ICCPR, Article 21 139 78 The right of peaceful assembly shall be recognized. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order (ordre public), the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. OSCE, Helsinki Final Act, op. cit., note 9; OSCE, “Concluding Document of the Second Follow-up Meeting”, Madrid, 6 September 1983, https://www.osce.org/mc/40871; and “Concluding Document of the Third Follow-Up Meeting”, Vienna, 19 January 1989, https://www.osce.org/mc/40881 140 OSCE, “Charter of Paris for a New Europe”, 21 November 1990, https://www.osce.org/mc/39516. 141 OSCE, “Document of the Copenhagen Meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE”, 29 June 1990, https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/14304.