Canada presented the Declaration in the second half of last year. As a country that maintains high standards of human rights protection, Slovenia joined the Declaration in November last year. The issue of arbitrary detention in state-to-state relations has not been adequately addressed so far and, in practice, it is frequently applied as political leverage in inter-state relations, particularly by countries with a low level of democracy and human rights protection, to achieve their political objectives. The Declaration was supported by more than 50 countries around the world, including most EU Member States.

In his statement, Minister Logar underlined that the right of an individual not to be arbitrarily arrested or detained is guaranteed by international law, binding states to refrain from this unacceptable practice, as such acts can severely damage bilateral relations and mutual trust.

Minister Logar added that Slovenia, a staunch supporter of initiatives aimed at strengthening human rights and protecting individuals from state repression, understands the Declaration in the wider context of promoting the common values of democracy and the rule of law. The Declaration is a valuable contribution to correcting such violations.