Copenhagen 1990
(7.6) - respect the right of individuals and groups to establish, in full freedom, their own
political parties or other political organizations and provide such political parties and
organizations with the necessary legal guarantees to enable them to compete with each
other on a basis of equal treatment before the law and by the authorities;
(7.7) - ensure that law and public policy work to permit political campaigning to be conducted in a fair and free atmosphere in which neither administrative action, violence
nor intimidation bars the parties and the candidates from freely presenting their views
and qualifications, or prevents the voters from learning and discussing them or from
casting their vote free of fear of retribution;
(7.8) - provide that no legal or administrative obstacle stands in the way of unimpeded
access to the media on a non-discriminatory basis for all political groupings and individuals wishing to participate in the electoral process;
(7.9) - ensure that candidates who obtain the necessary number of votes required by law
are duly installed in office and are permitted to remain in office until their term expires
or is otherwise brought to an end in a manner that is regulated by law in conformity
with democratic parliamentary and constitutional procedures.
(8) The participating States consider that the presence of observers, both foreign and
domestic, can enhance the electoral process for States in which elections are taking
place. They therefore invite observers from any other CSCE participating States and any
appropriate private institutions and organizations who may wish to do so to observe
the course of their national election proceedings, to the extent permitted by law. They
will also endeavour to facilitate similar access for election proceedings held below the
national level. Such observers will undertake not to interfere in the electoral proceedings.
II
(9) The participating States reaffirm that
(9.1) - everyone will have the right to freedom of expression including the right to communication. This right will include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart
information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. The exercise of this right may be subject only to such restrictions as are prescribed
by law and are consistent with international standards. In particular, no limitation will
be imposed on access to, and use of, means of reproducing documents of any kind, while
respecting, however, rights relating to intellectual property, including copyright;
(9.2) - everyone will have the right of peaceful assembly and demonstration. Any restrictions which may be placed on the exercise of these rights will be prescribed by law and
consistent with international standards;
(9.3) - the right of association will be guaranteed. The right to form and — subject to the
general right of a trade union to determine its own membership — freely to join a trade
OSCE Human Dimension Commitments 71
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