The Czech Helsinki Committee ( cs, Český helsinský výbor) is a
non-governmental
A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in ...
non-profit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
for human rights. It has operated in Czechoslovakia since 1988 and in the Czech Republic since 1993. It was founded as one of the first "Helsinki" organizations outside of the USSR, and is the first formalized
human rights
Human rights are Morality, moral principles or Social norm, normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for ce ...
NGO
A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...
in the country.
History of the Czech Helsinki Committee
CSCE CSCE may refer to
* China State Construction Engineering
* Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange which merged to form the New York Board of Trade
* Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
* Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe whic ...
Henry Kissinger
Henry Alfred Kissinger (; ; born Heinz Alfred Kissinger, May 27, 1923) is a German-born American politician, diplomat, and geopolitical consultant who served as United States Secretary of State and National Security Advisor under the presid ...
is often credited with having coined the term
détente
Détente (, French: "relaxation") is the relaxation of strained relations, especially political ones, through verbal communication. The term, in diplomacy, originates from around 1912, when France and Germany tried unsuccessfully to reduce ...
in 1973 during the height of
Cold War
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
tensions. It was during the so-called détente phase, on 3 July 1973, that the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (
CSCE CSCE may refer to
* China State Construction Engineering
* Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange which merged to form the New York Board of Trade
* Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
* Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe whic ...
) was opened in
Helsinki
Helsinki ( or ; ; sv, Helsingfors, ) is the Capital city, capital, primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Finland, most populous city of Finland. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of U ...
,
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
.
The
CSCE CSCE may refer to
* China State Construction Engineering
* Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange which merged to form the New York Board of Trade
* Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
* Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe whic ...
was created as a multilateral forum for dialogue and negotiation motivated by the political will to improve relations between East and West and contribute to peace, security, justice and cooperation in Europe.
[
The ]CSCE CSCE may refer to
* China State Construction Engineering
* Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange which merged to form the New York Board of Trade
* Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
* Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe whic ...
continued again in Geneva
Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...
, Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
from 18 September 1973 to 21 July 1975, and concluded in Helsinki
Helsinki ( or ; ; sv, Helsingfors, ) is the Capital city, capital, primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Finland, most populous city of Finland. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of U ...
on 1 August 1975.[ The meeting in August set up the ]Helsinki Final Act
The Helsinki Final Act, also known as Helsinki Accords or Helsinki Declaration was the document signed at the closing meeting of the third phase of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) held in Helsinki, Finland, between ...
that contained key commitments on polito-military, economic, environmental, and human rights issues—later known as the “Helsinki process” or “Helsinki Accords
The Helsinki Final Act, also known as Helsinki Accords or Helsinki Declaration was the document signed at the closing meeting of the third phase of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) held in Helsinki, Finland, between ...
”. The Helsinki Accords
The Helsinki Final Act, also known as Helsinki Accords or Helsinki Declaration was the document signed at the closing meeting of the third phase of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) held in Helsinki, Finland, between ...
also established ten principles, the “Decalogue
The Ten Commandments ( Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ ...
”, guiding relations between States and governing the relationship between States and their citizens.) Although the CSCE continued primarily as a series of meetings and conferences, the Paris Summit in November 1990—after the end of the Cold War
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
—refocused the CSCE CSCE may refer to
* China State Construction Engineering
* Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange which merged to form the New York Board of Trade
* Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
* Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe whic ...
on managing the new changes in Europe. The CSCE CSCE may refer to
* China State Construction Engineering
* Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange which merged to form the New York Board of Trade
* Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
* Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe whic ...
gained permanent institutions and operational capabilities, and the name was changed to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) as part of a decision by the Budapest Summit of Heads of State or Government in December 1994.[
]
The Helsinki Accords
The thirty-five participating States of the CSCE CSCE may refer to
* China State Construction Engineering
* Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange which merged to form the New York Board of Trade
* Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
* Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe whic ...
signed the Helsinki Final Act, which at that time, was the only international agreement linking peace and security with an obligation for the respect of human rights. The Decalogue
The Ten Commandments ( Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ ...
, specifically Principle VII, addressed “ for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief”.
On May 12, 1976, at a press conference initiated by physicist and human rights activist Dr. Andrei Sakharov, Dr. Yuri F. Orlov—also a well respected physicist and member of the Armenian SSR
The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic,; russian: Армянская Советская Социалистическая Республика, translit=Armyanskaya Sovetskaya Sotsialisticheskaya Respublika) also commonly referred to as Soviet A ...
Academy of Science—announced the formation of the Moscow Group for Assistance in Implementation of Helsinki Agreements, later known as the Moscow Helsinki Group
The Moscow Helsinki Group (also known as the Moscow Helsinki Watch Group, russian: link=no, Московская Хельсинкская группа) is today one of Russia's leading human rights organisations. It was originally set up in 1976 ...
. The watchdog organization based on Principle VII of the Decalogue
The Ten Commandments ( Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ ...
, began documenting cases of humanitarian violations against USSR
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
citizens and distributing the documents to the Supreme Soviet Presidium of the USSR
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
, and the governments and media of the thirty-five signatories of the Helsinki Accords
The Helsinki Final Act, also known as Helsinki Accords or Helsinki Declaration was the document signed at the closing meeting of the third phase of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) held in Helsinki, Finland, between ...
.[ Similar, Helsinki groups were established in ]Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
, Lithuania
Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...
, Georgia, and Armenia respectively.
The International Helsinki Federation
As the Helsinki groups were forming inside the USSR
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
, the Worker's Defense Committee was founded in Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
in September 1976. Quickly following, on 1 January 1977, Charter 77
Charter 77 (''Charta 77'' in Czech and Slovak) was an informal civic initiative in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic from 1976 to 1992, named after the document Charter 77 from January 1977. Founding members and architects were Jiří Něm ...
was established in Czechoslovakia
, rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי,
, common_name = Czechoslovakia
, life_span = 1918–19391945–1992
, p1 = Austria-Hungary
, image_p1 ...
. Although not labeled “Helsinki”, these groups focused on human rights issues and the accountability of their respective State constitutions and signatures on the Helsinki Accords
The Helsinki Final Act, also known as Helsinki Accords or Helsinki Declaration was the document signed at the closing meeting of the third phase of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) held in Helsinki, Finland, between ...
. In September 1979 the Helsinki Watch Group
Helsinki Watch was a private American non-governmental organization established by Robert L. Bernstein in 1978, designed to monitor the former Soviet Union's compliance with the 1975 Helsinki Accords. Expanding in size and scope, Helsinki Watch b ...
was formed, and other Helsinki-labeled watchdog organizations were created throughout the thirty-five signatory States of the Helsinki Accords
The Helsinki Final Act, also known as Helsinki Accords or Helsinki Declaration was the document signed at the closing meeting of the third phase of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) held in Helsinki, Finland, between ...
.
In 1982, after an appeal by Dr. Andrei Sakharov, in his 1978 book Alarm and Hope, for “a unified international committee to defend all Helsinki Watch Group members”, a number of Helsinki committees held an International Citizens Helsinki Watch Conference in Lake Como, Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
. Ironically, as these groups were meeting and creating a new organization, the Moscow Helsinki Group
The Moscow Helsinki Group (also known as the Moscow Helsinki Watch Group, russian: link=no, Московская Хельсинкская группа) is today one of Russia's leading human rights organisations. It was originally set up in 1976 ...
was forced to disband and almost all its members were arrested. The year before the conference, the U.S. Helsinki Watch Committee—later Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization, headquartered in New York City, that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. The group pressures governments, policy makers, companies, and individual human r ...
—traveled throughout Eastern and Western Europe seeking out groups and individuals interested in forming an International Helsinki Federation
The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) was a self-governing group of non-governmental organizations that acted to protect human rights throughout Europe, North America and Central Asia. A specific primary goal was to monitor ...
.[
On 9 November 1982, member groups from ]Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
, Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, the Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
, Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
, and the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
formed the International Helsinki Federation
The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) was a self-governing group of non-governmental organizations that acted to protect human rights throughout Europe, North America and Central Asia. A specific primary goal was to monitor ...
.[ A main goal was to create Helsinki Committees in all thirty-five ]Helsinki Accords
The Helsinki Final Act, also known as Helsinki Accords or Helsinki Declaration was the document signed at the closing meeting of the third phase of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) held in Helsinki, Finland, between ...
signatory States. The establishment of the Czechoslovak Helsinki Committee was announced on 11 November 1988, and predominantly organized by the founding members of Charter 77
Charter 77 (''Charta 77'' in Czech and Slovak) was an informal civic initiative in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic from 1976 to 1992, named after the document Charter 77 from January 1977. Founding members and architects were Jiří Něm ...
.
The Czech Helsinki Committee
Organizing the Czechoslovak Helsinki Committee along with Charter 77
Charter 77 (''Charta 77'' in Czech and Slovak) was an informal civic initiative in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic from 1976 to 1992, named after the document Charter 77 from January 1977. Founding members and architects were Jiří Něm ...
was, the Jazz Section
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African Americans, African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recog ...
, the Association for Friendship between the ČSSR and the US, the Independent Peace Association and the Democratic Initiative
Democratic initiative process ( tr, Demokratik açılım süreci) is the name of the process in which the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan launched a project aiming to improve standards of democracy, freedoms and respect for hum ...
. The history of the Czech Helsinki Committee is undeniably intertwined with the legacy of other distinguished human rights organizations such as the OSCE
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is the world's largest regional security-oriented intergovernmental organization with observer status at the United Nations. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, prom ...
, Charter 77
Charter 77 (''Charta 77'' in Czech and Slovak) was an informal civic initiative in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic from 1976 to 1992, named after the document Charter 77 from January 1977. Founding members and architects were Jiří Něm ...
, and Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization, headquartered in New York City, that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. The group pressures governments, policy makers, companies, and individual human r ...
. In fact, the first chairperson of the Czechoslovak Helsinki Committee was Jiří Hájek
Jiří Hájek (; 6 June 1913 in Krhanice near Benešov – 22 October 1993 in Prague) was a Czech politician and diplomat. Together with Václav Havel, Zdeněk Mlynář, and Pavel Kohout, Hájek was one of the founding members and architects of ...
, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, and one of the co-founders of Charter 77
Charter 77 (''Charta 77'' in Czech and Slovak) was an informal civic initiative in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic from 1976 to 1992, named after the document Charter 77 from January 1977. Founding members and architects were Jiří Něm ...
.
After the Velvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution ( cs, Sametová revoluce) or Gentle Revolution ( sk, Nežná revolúcia) was a non-violent transition of power in what was then Czechoslovakia, occurring from 17 November to 28 November 1989. Popular demonstrations agains ...
of November 1989 and the split of Czechoslovakia
, rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי,
, common_name = Czechoslovakia
, life_span = 1918–19391945–1992
, p1 = Austria-Hungary
, image_p1 ...
, the Czech Helsinki and Slovak Helsinki Committee were reformed as separate groups. The Czech Helsinki Committee continued working closely with other Helsinki committees and consulting with the Council of Europe
The Council of Europe (CoE; french: Conseil de l'Europe, ) is an international organisation founded in the wake of World War II to uphold European Convention on Human Rights, human rights, democracy and the Law in Europe, rule of law in Europe. ...
. From monitoring and educating on Human Rights
Human rights are Morality, moral principles or Social norm, normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for ce ...
, to counseling centers and legal services the Czech Helsinki Committee continued to grow, and even spawned a separate Refugee Counseling Center and Citizenship Counseling Center. The mission today is similar and branching out to encompass areas such as prisoner's rights, women and children's rights, and asylum seekers.
References
External links
Human Rights Digital Library
U.S. Commission on Security & Cooperation in Europe
Human Rights Watch
The Internet Archive
{{Authority control
Civil rights organizations
Human rights organizations based in the Czech Republic
Organizations based in Prague
1988 establishments in Czechoslovakia
Organizations established in 1988