APPENDIX INTERNATIONAL ELECTION DISPUTES STANDARDS Introduction There are no international election disputes standards per se. Resolving election disputes involves international standards that are to be found across the wider spectrum of electionrelated rights and rules and those associated with due process of law requirements and judicial independence. The recognition of the rights associated with voting requires a judicial or administrative response to their potential denial. The right to challenge decisions, actions or failures to act in connection with an election, may therefore be considered as part of these rights. However, the right to seek redress is of little value without, among other things, an impartial and independent judiciary that can enforce the laws equitably and efficiently. This also infers that the requirements of due process of law are met by fair procedures, including notice to the defendant and an open trial before a competent tribunal with the right to counsel. Therefore, the international texts and conventions compiled below are presented in two sections. The first section sets out the human rights standards related to elections while the second section is focused on standards referring to due process of law and judicial independence. This presentation gives an overview of the spectrum of rights and principles involved in the resolution of election disputes. These standards are based primarily on OSCE commitments, and generally accepted international standards, which have been developed based on international legal instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966), and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1950) and the protocols thereto. 25