NDI Welcomes Venice Commission Report Recognizing Election Observers as Human Rights Defenders, Hails Growing Global Consensus

WASHINGTON, DC — The National Democratic Institute (NDI) welcomes the Venice Commission’s adoption of the Report on Election Observers as Human Rights Defenders during its 141st Plenary Session this week. 

“The Venice Commission’s report underscores the growing international consensus that election observers, whether international or domestic, are critical to safeguarding essential rights and freedoms, including the right to vote and to stand for election,” said NDI President Tamara Cofman Wittes. According to the report, election observers also protect other fundamental civic and political freedoms such as freedom of assembly and association, freedom of expression, access to information, freedom of movement, and non-discrimination, as well as other broader rights.

Because election observers are human rights defenders, the Venice Commission stresses, they are entitled to protection under international and national law; and non-partisan citizen observers must be provided with additional protections, including to rights of peaceful assembly, free association (including international funding), and to access effective remedies should their rights be abrogated. The Commission’s report urges States to include specific legal protections for both national and international observers in their legislative frameworks to ensure their ability to work without interference. 

“As a global leader conducting international observation and supporting citizen observers, NDI commends the Venice Commission for joining other international bodies in recognizing the importance of international and citizen observers to the protection of core political rights,” said Richard Klein, NDI’s Director of Global Elections. “As attacks on election observers increase globally, their protection has never been more urgent; and their work is essential to sustain citizens’ fundamental right to vote,” he said.

The Venice Commission issued its report in response to a request by the Organization of American States (OAS), and the report builds upon explicit recognition of election observers as human right defenders by United Nations Special Rapporteurs and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).