The OSCE Human Dimension Meeting (HDIM 2026) has commenced its work in Poland’s capital, Warsaw. Running from October 5 to 15, the prestigious event brings together diplomats, human rights defenders, journalists, and representatives of international organizations from all 57 OSCE participating states. The conference features extensive discussions on human rights, fundamental freedoms, the electoral process, democracy, conflicts, international security, and peace issues.
On October 5, the first panel of the plenary session was dedicated to humanitarian issues. During the session, international human rights and international humanitarian law, humanitarian crises, and the human rights situation in conflict zones were discussed in detail.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Ahmad Shahidov, human rights defender, head of the Azerbaijan Institute for Democracy and Human Rights, shared his views on the deepening of conflicts across the OSCE geography and the peace agenda in the South Caucasus.
Before beginning his speech, the human rights defender responded to the revanchist rhetoric of the Armenian representative, stating that Azerbaijan has liberated its sovereign territories from occupation and has always respected the norms and principles of human rights and international law.
“During the 35 years of occupation, Azerbaijan’s justified position was not fully secured by international organizations, and the voices of over a million internally displaced persons went unheard. However, during the 44-day Second Karabakh War in 2020, Azerbaijan liberated its territories from occupation, restoring its territorial integrity and sovereignty,” Ahmad Shahidov noted.
Ahmad Shahidov emphasized that despite being the stronger side and achieving victory in the war, Azerbaijan attached great importance to the peace agenda immediately after the conflict and made significant efforts to sign a peace treaty with Armenia. He noted that the peace process between the two countries is currently active, mutual trade relations have been established, Azerbaijan sells its oil and energy products to Armenia, and thus both sides are demonstrating an example of peace to the entire world.
At the end of his speech, Ahmad Shahidov pointed out that previous negotiations held in various world capitals to sign a peace treaty yielded no results, and ultimately the peace document was signed in Washington DC. Highlighting the United States and its President Donald Trump as the main architects of this historic peace, Shahidov expressed his special gratitude to the US representatives seated in the hall.
