3. Relevant OSCE Commitments The participating States have agreed to a number of binding commitments concerning specific human rights. These are summarized in Box 4.1 and will be referred to in greater detail in the following chapters. In so far as these commitments refer to everyone, they apply to members of the armed forces, as well as to others.19 Box 4.1 OSCE Commitments and Human Rights19 RIGHT Right to Life OSCE COMMITMENT “In participating States where capital punishment has not been abolished, sentences of death may only be imposed for the most serious crimes in accordance with the law in force at the time of the commission of the crime and not contrary to international commitments.” (Vienna 1989) Torture, Inhuman and “The participating States strongly condemn all forms of torture as one Degrading Punishment or of the most flagrant violations of human rights and human dignity. They Treatment commit themselves to strive for its elimination.” (Budapest 1994) Freedom of Association “[The participating States] affirm that, without discrimination, every individual has the right to … freedom of association and peaceful assembly.” (Paris 1990) Freedom of Expression “The participating States will ensure ... that 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.” (Copenhagen 1990) Freedom of Thought, “The participating States … agree to take the action necessary to ensure Conscience, Belief and the freedom of the individual to profess and practise, alone or in Religion community with others, religion or belief acting in accordance with the dictates of his own conscience.” (Madrid 1983) National, Cultural, and “The participating States will protect and create conditions for the Linguistic Identities promotion of the ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious identity of national minorities on their territory.” (Vienna 1989) Equality on Grounds of “[The participating States undertake to] eliminate all forms of Sex discrimination against women, and to end violence against women and children as well as sexual exploitation and all forms of trafficking in human beings.” (Istanbul 1999) Human Rights Education “Human rights education is fundamental and it is therefore essential that [participating States’] citizens are educated on human rights and fundamental freedoms.” (Moscow 1991) Freedom from Arbitrary “No one will be deprived of his liberty except on such grounds and in Arrest and Trial accordance with such procedures as are established by law.” (Moscow 1991) Right to a Fair Trial “The participating States will … effectively apply … the right to a fair and public hearing within a reasonable time before an independent and impartial tribunal.” (Vienna 1989) Right to Effective “[The participating States will] ensure that effective remedies as well as Remedies full information about them are available to those who claim that their human rights and fundamental freedoms have been violated.” (Vienna 1989) “The participating States will consider acceding to a regional or global international convention concerning the protection of human rights, such as the European Convention on Human Rights or the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which provide for procedures of individual recourse to international bodies.” (Copenhagen 1990) FURTHER DETAILS Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Chapters 8 and 9 Chapter 8 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 19 Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Chapters 5 and 7 19  OSCE Human Dimension Commitments (Warsaw: OSCE/ODIHR, 2005), 2nd ed., Vol. 1, Thematic Compilation. A more extensive selection of OSCE commitments can be found in Annex 1. 28 Handbook on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Armed Forces Personnel