2nd Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting (SHDM II) on Torture and Other Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law (24-25 April 2023)
On 24 and 25 April 2023 in Vienna, the OSCE Chairpersonship-in-Office and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) organized a second Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting (SHDM) on Torture and Other Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and International Human Rights Law (IHRL). Ambassador Christine Fages, Permanent Representative of France to the OSCE, participated in this meeting.
At this meeting, representatives of the OSCE participating States and civil society discussed how to prevent and respond to torture and violations of IHL, focusing on three main themes. The first session focused on the obligation of OSCE participating States to better protect IHL. The second session enabled participants to discuss the importance of investigating and documenting allegations of torture in order to hold perpetrators accountable and to provide support to victims. Finally, the last session gave participants a platform to discuss measures to prevent gross violations of IHRL in times of crisis.
In the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, many representatives of Ukrainian civil society were also present and were able to put in the spotlight the multiple violations of IHL and IHRL committed by the Russian troops in Ukraine. France co-sponsored a side event on the forced transfer and deportation of the Ukrainian civilian population, especially Ukrainian children, to Russia.
