Identity Statement

Reference Code

HU OSA 318-0-6

Title

Project Files

Date(s)

1982 - 2007

Description Level

Series

Extent and medium (processed)

58 Archival boxes, 7.25 linear meters

Content and Structure

Scope and Content (Abstract)

The series comprises materials related to projects: meetings, conferences, seminars, and trainings, fact-finding missions that were organized, sponsored or frequented by IHF and, accordingly, they include memos, correspondence, mission files, and reports.
Many of these files were created, maintained and exchanged in close collaboration between the General Secretariat and the National Helsinki Committees.

IHF strived to improve, promote and implement human rights standards through thematic and regional projects, which changed their scope and content in time according to international events and actual priorities of IHF.

Prior to the fall of the Communist dictatorships in Eastern Europe, IHF had conducted quite a few unprecedented missions into the Soviet Union and its satellites to inquire about human rights conditions and the situation of Helsinki monitors and other human rights defenders and activists. Documents accumulated during missions to and events organized in Budapest, Prague, Warsaw and Moscow can be found in this series.

One of the most important set of files dating from the post-1989 transition period is the one related to the fact-finding mission to Croatia in 1993. These contain tens of individual cases files of human rights abuses committed against Serb nationals (mainly) working for the former Yugoslav National Army (JNA) on the territory of the newly independent Croatia, including expulsion, forced eviction, confiscation of property or denial of certain jobs based on ethnic grounds.

The rest of the files from the mid and late nineties deal mainly with events, programs, conferences, and seminars on monitoring, promoting and protecting human rights, and intercultural living. Other topics covered are trial monitoring and fair trial conditions in Albania, environmental issues and the rule of law in Russia, and election fraud, hate speech, media freedom and territorial disputes in the Balkans.

Also included are documents relating to participation in transnational projects such as PHARE or TACIS, which were aimed at restructuring the economies of, promoting transition to a market economy and establishing democracy and the rule of law in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Accruals

Not Expected

Conditions of Access and Use

Conditions governing access

Some files, especially those on fact-finding missions, contain sensitive data, therefore can be restricted.

Description Control

Archivist's note

Processed by Branislav Kovacevic, Oana Girlescu, Ephrem Birhanu, Andrei Voinea, Craita Curteanu and Csaba Szilagyi, 2002-2003 and 2012-2013; revised by Csaba Szilágyi, 2013.