Democratization Rule of Law The fundamental principle underlying the notion of rule of law is the equitable treatment of individual human beings. A state can be said to recognize the rule of law only when a number of conditions are being met. First, individual citizens should be aware of their rights, meaning that laws have to be made public. Second, everyone must be equal under the law. In other words, all citizens should be treated fairly, and they should know what to expect from that treatment. It also means that no one should be given preferential treatment based on factors such as wealth or social status. All OSCE participating States have undertaken international obligations and committed themselves to comply with a set of rules and principles in the administration of criminal justice. These rules ensure fairness of the proceedings and create safeguards to protect the human rights of people who are particularly vulnerable to the state’s influence and pressure. Ultimately, they ensure that criminal proceedings result in justice and uphold the rule of law. Many countries in the OSCE region aspire to develop and strengthen the rule of law. This is by definition a long-term process that ultimately requires significant cultural and attitudinal changes. Thus, the ODIHR’s work in the field of the rule of law involves ongoing, long-term programmes that take into account the need to ensure customized assistance specific to each country’s history and current developments. Main Issues To have rule of law, all of the institutions that comprise a legal system must comply with the law, including international legal obligations. The judiciary, prosecutors, and defence lawyers must operate independently and under the law; police should be accountable. Understand- The ODIHR supported a series of legal-skills seminars in April OSCE in Almaty, Kazakhstan. 22 ANNUAL REPORT 2005