The OSCE Parallel Civil Conference held on 4 December 2019 in Bratislava ahead of the 26th OSCE Ministerial Council adopted the Bratislava Declaration on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly. The Declaration presents a comprehensive analysis of the main restrictions of the freedom of assembly across the OSCE region and lists recommendations to the OSCE participating States and OSCE bodies on strengthening the right to freedom of peaceful assembly.

In addition, the Parallel Conference endorsed a document on problems of environmental defenders faced in advocating for the right to healthy environment and struggle against the climate crisis.

The Parallel Conference also adopted a Statement on the occasion of the upcoming Normandie Summit scheduled to be held on 9 December 2019 in Paris. The statement expresses concern about the level of civic freedoms in eastern Ukraine.

Finally, the Parallel Conference adopted a Statement condemning this week’s new Russian legislation that expands the “foreign agents” concept to physical persons.

Outcome Documents:

Statement of the OSCE Parallel Civil Society Conference on the occasion of the upcoming Normandie summit

Violation of the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Freedom of Association of Environmental Defenders in the OSCE Region: Key Concerns and Illustrative Case

Bratislava Declaration: OSCE States Should Guarantee The Right To Freedom Of Peaceful Assembly: Time To Ensure The Key Role Of The Public In Rebuilding Our Democracies

Statement of the OSCE Parallel Civil Society Conference on the New Russian Legislation that Expands the “Foreign Agents” concept to private persons