ANNUAL REPORT 2003 Human Rights gard, the ODIHR is well placed to monitor developments re- 1. Monitoring the observance of human dimension commitments garding any measures taken in derogation of international human rights obligations and OSCE commitments resulting from a national emergency. T H E O D I H R ' S M O N I T O R I N G M A N D AT E Moscow Mechanism The Moscow Mechanism provides for the possibility for par- The ODIHR's goal in the field of human rights is to con- ticipating States to establish ad hoc missions of independ- tribute to respect for human rights and fundamental free- ent experts to assist in the resolution of a specific human di- doms across the OSCE region. To achieve this goal, the mension problem either on their own territory or in other ODIHR monitors the implementation of OSCE human di- OSCE participating States. The ODIHR is designated to pro- mension commitments. It conducts research and analysis to vide support for the implementation of the Moscow Mech- better understand the human rights situation and obstacles anism, and it maintains a list of experts appointed by some to its improvement in participating States. of the participating States who are available to carry out such investigations. Peer review meetings The primary focus of the ODIHR's monitoring work is in The Moscow Mechanism was activated by 10 OSCE partic- preparing and organizing OSCE peer review meetings on ipating States (Germany, the United States, Austria, Cana- the implementation of human dimension commitments by da, the United Kingdom, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Norway, and participating States. These include the Human Dimension Sweden) in relation to Turkmenistan to examine concerns Implementation Meeting, the annual Human Dimension arising out of investigations resulting from the reported at- Seminar, and Supplementary Human Dimension Meetings. tack on 25 November 2002 on President Niyazov and to in- These meetings serve as a forum for the exchange of views vestigate all matters relating to the conduct of the investi- on the implementation of human dimension commitments gation (December 2002-March 2003). The ODIHR was able among participating States, NGOs, and international or- to provide extensive technical assistance to the OSCE Rap- ganizations and are designed to evaluate the procedures for porteur on Turkmenistan during his mission. The full text of monitoring compliance with commitments. The ODIHR con- the report on Turkmenistan is available, both in English and tributes substantively to these meetings by producing back- in Russian, on the ODIHR website. ground materials that look at the compliance of participating States with certain of their OSCE human dimension Reporting commitments. For example, the ODIHR produces an annual The ODIHR is expected to participate in an advisory capaci- publication entitled The Death Penalty in the OSCE Area, ty in discussions of the Permanent Council by reporting on which is published in advance of the Human Dimension Im- its activities and providing information on implementation plementation Meeting. issues. In this way, the ODIHR Director may raise specific concerns in relation to human dimension commitments. Clearing house for states of public emergency The ODIHR was designated by the Concluding Document Collection point for information and statistics on of Helsinki (1992) as the OSCE’s clearing house for infor- hate crimes mation on states of public emergency. Paragraph 28.10 of In relation to tolerance and non-discrimination, the ODIHR the Moscow Document (1991) requires participating States has been tasked with serving as a collection point for infor- to notify the ODIHR when a state of public emergency is mation and statistics gathered by participating States on declared or lifted, as well as of any derogation made from hate crimes. the state’s international human rights obligations. In this re- 53