Russias Arsenal of Aggression
Helsinki on the Hill
info_outline
Nobody Cheers for Goliath: How Ukraine Is Winning the Information War Against Russia
Helsinki on the Hill
The physical battle of tanks and bombs or territory gained and lost is only one terrible part of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s war against the people of Ukraine. The unprovoked war is also taking place in the media, on computer keyboards, and in the hearts and mind of people in Ukraine, in Russia, and worldwide. Just as Ukraine has won important battlefield successes in the face of what appeared to be an overwhelming Russian force, Ukraine has also waged a highly sophisticated public diplomacy campaign to counter what many thought was a Russian strength. Dr. Nicholas J. Cull, a...
info_outline
Conflict Is Not Gender Neutral
Helsinki on the Hill
When UNSCR 1325 was adopted in 2000, it marked the first time that the UN Security Council acknowledged the vital role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts. Two decades later, meaningful progress has been made in advancing the full involvement of women in peace and security-related efforts, but substantial challenges remain.
info_outline
Contending with China
Helsinki on the Hill
The Chinese Communist Party poses major challenges to the transatlantic community’s ideals of governance and human rights.
info_outline
Russian Intention, Russian Aggression
Helsinki on the Hill
From September 10 – 16, ZAPAD 2021—a major Russian military exercise that includes thousands of troops—will take place in and around Belarus. The exercise follows months of reports that the Russian military has been involved in actions that potentially could spark a major and violent confrontation between Russia and other countries.
info_outline
Toward a Sustainable, Enduring, Democratic Peace
Helsinki on the Hill
The United States supports the work of the OSCE through not only funding—generally contributing 11-14% of the OSCE’s operating costs—but also through the deployment of staff who do the day-to-day work of making the principles on which the OSCE is based into a reality on the ground.
info_outline
Agents of the Future
Helsinki on the Hill
The Moscow Helsinki Group was launched on May 12, 1976, a day that Helsinki Commission Chair Sen. Ben Cardin has called, “One of the major events in the struggle for human rights around the globe.”
info_outline
Damocles’ Sword
Helsinki on the Hill
The Tokyo Olympics will be the first international athletic event since the passage of the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act (RADA). The legislation, named for Russian doping whistleblower Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, established criminal penalties on those involved in doping fraud conspiracies affecting major international competition.
info_outline
Massive, Systematic, Proven beyond Doubt
Helsinki on the Hill
As an OSCE participating State, Belarus commits to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms. Following the apparent violation of these rights during and after recent elections in Belarus, other OSCE states invoked the Moscow Mechanism to establish a short-term fact-finding mission to report on these concerns.
info_outline
Welcome to Observe
Helsinki on the Hill
Election observation is a core element of the OSCE’s efforts to promote human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
info_outlinePresident Alexander Lukashenko has been in power in Belarus since 1994. In the run-up to elections in the summer of 2020, the Lukashenko regime sought to eliminate political competition to through disqualification, intimidation, and imprisonment.
Election Day proper featured widespread allegations of fraud. Many countries, including the United States, rejected the election’s outcome as illegitimate and refused to recognize Lukashenko as the legitimate leader of Belarus. The months since the election have seen an unrelenting crackdown by Belarusian authorities on peaceful protests, civil society, and the media.
As a participating State in the OSCE, Belarus is party to a number of commitments on human rights and fundamental freedoms, such as the right to free and fair elections and the right to peaceful assembly. In response to the apparent violation of these rights, 17 other OSCE states invoked one of the key human rights tools at their disposal: the Moscow Mechanism, a procedure that allows for the establishment of a short-term fact-finding mission tasked with producing a report on a specific human rights concern and recommendations on how to resolve it.
In this episode, Professor Wolfgang Benedek, the rapporteur appointed to investigate the crisis in Belarus, discusses his findings that human rights abuses are "massive and systematic, and proven beyond doubt" and his recommendations to address the violations.