I. GENERAL PRINCIPLES UNDERPINNING THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS Recognition of the international dimension of the protection of human rights defenders 26. Participating States have repeatedly emphasized “that issues relating to human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law are of international concern, as respect for these rights and freedoms constitutes one of the foundations of the international order.”30 More specifically, they “categorically and irrevocably declare[d] that the commitments undertaken in the field of the human dimension of the CSCE are matters of direct and legitimate concern to all participating States and do not belong exclusively to the internal affairs of the State concerned.”31 27. Similarly, the Human Rights Committee argued that, regarding state obligations under the ICCPR, “every State Party has a legal interest in the performance by every other State Party of its obligations. This follows from the fact that the “rules concerning the basic rights of the human person” are erga omnes obligations and that, as indicated in the fourth preambular paragraph of the Covenant, there is a United Nations Charter obligation to promote universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms.”32 28. Moreover, all participating States should co-operate with each other in good faith in resolving any safety threats or other issues that negatively affect the enjoyment of the right to defend human rights in their countries. They should not view it as an unfriendly act if another participating State shows an interest in the situation of human rights defenders in their country. In the spirit of the OSCE commitments and in recognition of the fact that human rights work often extends across borders, participating States should also facilitate human rights work that concerns their countries and that is being carried out by human rights defenders from other  countries.33 30  Moscow 1991, preamble. 31  Ibid. See also: Lisbon Document, Summit of Heads of State or Government, “Declaration on a Common and Comprehensive Security Model for Europe for the Twenty-First Century”, Lisbon, 1996, para. 5; Charter for European Security, “Our Common Foundations”, Istanbul 1999, para. 7; Astana 2010, paras. 3 and 6. 32  See UN Human Rights Committee General Comment No.31, CCPR/C/21/Rev.1/Add.13, 26 May 2004, para. 2. 33  For example, in the Moscow document, participating States also committed to “endeavour to facilitate visits to their countries by NGOs from within any of the participating States in order to observe human dimension conditions”. See Moscow 1991, para. 43.4. Guidelines on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders 31