COPENHAGEN, 9 December 2022 – Following the reported uncovering of an alleged plot in Germany to overthrow the constitutional order earlier this week, leaders of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s human rights committee today emphasized that democracy cannot be taken for granted, and that societies must be vigilant about anti-democratic tendencies.

Nikoloz Samkharadze (Georgia), Farah Karimi (Netherlands), and Johan Büser (Sweden) – the Chair, Vice-Chair and Rapporteur, respectively, of the OSCE PA’s Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions – expressed their collective concern that challenges to democratic principles are coming under attack also in countries with long traditions of democratic governance. Stressing the importance of parliamentary and democratic engagement on these sensitive issues, they issued the following joint statement:

“This suspected plot in Germany, which apparently targeted the Bundestag as well as other democratic institutions, and last year’s attack on the United States Capitol are vivid reminders that democracy cannot be taken for granted. We parliamentarians must be vocal in our support for the rule of law and ensure that our social structures are robust and can meet the challenges that may come. When democracy is at stake, public attention is absolutely critical. We therefore welcome the ongoing investigation into this apparent plot, and encourage the authorities to be as transparent as possible regarding this group and its plans.”

The human rights leaders expressed their solidarity with their parliamentary colleagues in Germany, and welcomed the seriousness with which the alleged plot was being taken. Noting that tomorrow is International Human Rights Day, they also stressed the importance of upholding principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.