Freedom of peaceful assembly resources
Reference List
United Nations
- UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Report: Model Protocol for Law Enforcement Officials to Promote and Protect Human Rights in the Context of Peaceful Protests, A/HRC/55/60, 2024;
- UN Special Rapporteur on environmental defenders under the Aarhus Convention, ACSR/C/2023/16, 2024;
- UN Human Rights Special Procedures, Global Study on the Impact of Counter-terrorism on Civil Society and Civic Space, 2023;
- UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Report: Advancing accountability and ending impunity for serious human rights violations related to the exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, A/HRC/53/38, 2023;
- UN Special rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, Foreword to: UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Global Study on the impact of Counter-terrorism on civil society and civic space, 2023;
- UNICEF, Free and safe to protest – policing assemblies involving children, 2023;
- UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, Report: Protection human rights in the context of peaceful protests during crisis situations, A/HRC/50/42, 2022;
- UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Freedom of Assembly and of Association, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and focal point for reprisals in Africa and Chairman
of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), Joint declaration on protecting the right of peaceful assembly in times of emergency, 2022; - Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Concluding observations on the combined eighteenth to twentieth periodic reports of Brazil, CERD/C/BRA/CO/18-20, 2022;
- UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, Report: Access to justice as an integral element of the protection of rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, A/HRC/47/24, 2021;
- UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Promotion and protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Africans and of people of African descent against excessive use of force and other human rights violations by law enforcement officers, Report, A/HRC/47/53, 2021;
- UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Promotion and protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Africans and of people of African descent against excessive use of force and other human rights violations by law enforcement officers, A/HRC/47/CRP.1, 2021;
- Human Rights Committee, General comment No. 37 on the right of peaceful assembly (article 21), CCPR/C/GC/37, 2020;
- UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, report: Celebrating women in activism and civil society: the enjoyment of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association by women and girls, A/75/184, 2020;
- UNOHCHR, Guidance on Less-Lethal Weapons in Law Enforcement, 2020;
- UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Report: Impact of New Technologies on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in the Context of Assemblies, Including Peaceful Protests, A/HRC/44/24, 2020;
- United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, Comments on Human Rights Committee’s Revised Draft General Comment No. 37 on Article 21 (Right of Peaceful Assembly) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 21 February 2020;
- UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Report, A/74/349, 2019;
- UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Report, A/HRC/41/35, 2019;
- UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Report: Rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Report, A/HRC/41/41, 2019;
- UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Report: Extra-custodial use of force and the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, A/72/178, 2017;
- UNODC, Resource book on Use of Force and Firearms in Law Enforcement, 2017;
- UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association and the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Joint Report: On the proper management of assemblies, A/HRC/31/66, 2016;
- Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Concluding Observations on Kyrgyzstan, CEDAW/C/KGZ/CO/4, 2015;
- UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Report: Discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity, A/HRC/29/23, 2015;
- UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Report, A/HRC/26/29, 2014;
- Working Group on protecting human rights while countering terrorism, Counter-Terrorism Implementation, Basic Human Rights Reference Guide: The Stopping and Searching of a Person, 2014;
- Committee on the Rights of the Child, Concluding Observations on the Russian Federation, CRC/C/RUS/ CO/4-5, 2014;
- Rabat Plan of Action on the prohibition of advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, in: Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the expert workshops on the prohibition of incitement
to national, racial or religious hatred, A/HRC/22/17/Add.4, 2013; - UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Report on his mission to the United Kingdom, A/HRC/23/39/add. 1, 2013;
- UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Report, A/HRC/23/39, 2013;
- UN Special rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, Report, A/68/299, 2013;
- UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Report, A/HRC/20/27, 2012;
- UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Christof Heyns, Report: Protecting the right to life in the context of assemblies, A/HRC/17/28, 2011;
- UNODC, Handbook on police accountability, oversight and integrity, 2011;
- Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Racial discrimination against people of African descent, CERD/C/GC/34, 2011;
- Human Rights Committee, General comment No. 34 on the freedom of opinion and expression, 2011;
- Human Rights Committee, Concluding observations on Poland, CCPR/C/POL/CO/6, 2010;
- CERD, General Recommendation 32: Meaning and scope of special measures in the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms Racial Discrimination, CERD/C/GC/32, 2009;
- UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Report, A/61/267, 2006;
- Human Rights Committee, General Comment 31 on the nature of the general legal obligation imposed on States Parties to the Covenant (CCPR/C/21/Rev.1/Add. 13), 2004;
- World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance – Declaration and Programme of Action “Durban Declaration”, 2002;
- UN, Basic principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, 1990;
- Convention of the Rights of the Child, 1989;
- UN, Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials, 1979;
- ICCPR, 1966;
- UDHR, 1948;
Africa
- ACHPR, Guidelines for the Policing of Assemblies by Law Enforcement Officials in Africa, 2017;
- ACHPR, Guidelines on Freedom of Association and Assembly in Africa, 2017;
- African Charter, 1981.
Americas
- IACHR, Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Protest and Human Rights – Standards on the rights involved in social protest and the obligations to guide the response of the State, 2019, OEA/Ser.L/V/II, CIDH/RELE/INF.22/19;
- IACHR, Annual Report 2015, Chapter IV.A., “The Use of Force”;
- IACHR, Criminalization of the Work of Human Rights Defenders, OEA/Ser.L./V./II., Doc. 49/15, 31 December 2015;
- IACHR, Report on Citizen Security and Human Rights, 2009, OEA/Ser.L/V/II., Doc. 57;
- IACHR, Report on the situation of Human rights defenders in the Americas, OEA/Ser.L/V/II.124,Doc. 5 Rev. 1, 2006;
- Siracusa Principles on the Limitation and Derogation Provisions in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1985;
- ACHR, 1969.
Europe
- ECtHR, Guide on Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights – Freedom of Assembly and Association, 2024;
- ECRI, Preventing and combating racism and intolerance within law enforcement agencies Factsheet, 2023;
- Omega Research Foundation, OSCE, Guide on Law Enforcement Equipment Most Commonly Used in the Policing of Assemblies, 2021;
- European Fundamental Rights Agency, Facial recognition technology: fundamental rights considerations in the context of law enforcement, 2020;
- OSCE/ODIHR, Handbook on Monitoring Freedom of Peaceful Assembly, Second Edition, 2020;
- Venice Commission, OSCE/ODIHR, Guidelines on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly, (3rd edition), 2020;
- OSCE-ODIHR, Human Rights Handbook on Policing Assemblies, 2016;
- Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Observations on the human rights situation in Azerbaijan: an update on freedom of expression, freedom of association, freedom of assembly and the right to property, CommDH(2014)10, 23 April 2014;
- Council of Europe, Report by Commissioner for Human Rights following his visit to Spain from 3 to 7 June 2013, CommDH(2013)18, 2013;
- European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), Electrical discharge weapons – Extract from the 20th General Report of the CPT, 2010;
- OSCE-ODIHR, Guidelines on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly, 2nd edition,
2010; - ECRI, General policy recommendation No. 11 on combating racism and racial discrimination in policing, 2007;
- ECHR, 1950.
MENA
- Arab Charter, 2004.
Regional courts
Inter-American Court of Human Rights
- IACtHR, Case of Alvarado Espinoza y otros Vs. México, Judgment, November 28, 2018, Serie C No. 370;
- IACtHR, Case of Cruz Sánchez et al. v. Peru, Series C No. 292, Judgment, 17 April 2015;
- IACtHR, Case of López Lone et al. v. Honduras, Series C No. 302, Judgment, 5 October 2015;
- IACtHR, Case of Cepeda Vargas v. Colombia, Series C No. 213, Judgment, 26 May 2010;
- IACtHR, Case of the Caracazo v. Venezuela, Judgment, 29 August 2002;
- IACtHR, Advisory opinion OC-5/85, 13 November 1985;
European Court of Human Rights
- ECtHR Case of Laurijsen and others v. The Netherlands, Application 56896/17, 56914/17, 56917/17 and 57307/17, Judgment, 21 November 2023;
- ECtHR, Geylani and Others v. Türkiye, Application 10443/12, Judgment of 12 September 2023;
- ECtHR, Case of Communauté genevoise d’action syndicale (CGAS) v. Switzerland, Application 21881/20, Judgment, 15 March 2022;
- ECtHR, Case of Annenkov and others v. Russia, Application No. 31475/10, Judgment, 25 July 2017;
- ECtHR, Case of Barseghyan v. Armenia, Application no. 17804/09, Judgment, 21 September 2021;
- ECtHR, Case of Catt v. United Kingdom, Application 43514/15, Judgment, 24 January 2019;
- ECtHR, Case of Saghatelyan v. Armenia, Application 23086/08, Judgment, 20 September 2018;
- ECtHR, Case of Bayev and Others v. Russia, Application 67667/09, Judgment, 20 June 2017;
- ECtHR, Case of Lashmankin and Others v. Russia, Application 57818/09, Judgment, 7 February 2017;
- ECtHR, Case of Novikova and Others v. Russia, Applications 25501/07, 57569/11, 80153/12, 5790/13 and 35015/13, Judgment 12 September 2016;
- ECtHR, Case of Kudrevičius and Others v. Lithuania, Application 37553/05, Judgment, 15 October 2015;
- ECtHR, Case of Promo Lex and Others v. Moldova, Application 42757/09, Judgment, 24 February 2015;
- ECtHR, Case of Pentikäinen v. Finland, Application 11882/10, Judgment, 20 October 2015;
- ECtHR, Case of Roman Zakharov v. Russia, Application 47143/06, Judgment, 4 December 2015;
- ECtHR, Case of Yilmaz Yildiz and others v. Turkey, Application 4524/06, Judgment, 14 October 2015;
- ECtHR, Case of Grămăda v. Romania, Application 14974/09, Judgment, 11 February 2014;
- ECtHR, Case of Taranenko v. Russia, Application No. 19554/05, Judgment, 15 May 2014;
- ECtHR, Case of Primov and others v. Russia, Application 17391/06, Judgment, 12 June 2014;
- ECtHR, Case of Vyerentsov v. Ukraine, Application 20372/11, Judgment, 11 April 2013;
- ECtHR, Case of Gün and others v. Turkey, Application 8029/07, Judgment 18 June 2013;
- ECtHR, Case of Sáska v. Hungary, Application 58050/08, Judgment, 27 February 2013;
- ECtHR, Case of Genderdoc-M. v. Moldova, Application 9106/06, Judgment, 12 September 2012;
- ECtHR, Case of Fáber v. Hungary, Application 40721/08, Judgment, 24 July 2012;
- ECtHR, Case of Najafli v. Azerbaijan, Application No. 2594/07, Judgment, 2 October 2012;
- ECtHR, Case of Schwabe and M.G. v. Germany, Applications 8080/08 and 8577/08, Judgment, 1 December 2011;
- ECtHR, Case of Shimovolos v. Russia, Application 30194/09, Judgment, 21 June 2011;
- ECtHR, Case of Nisbet Özdemir v. Turkey, Application 23143/04, Judgment, 19 January 2010;
- ECtHR, Case of Gillan and Quintan v. United Kingdom, Application 4158/05, Judgment, 12 January 2010;
- ECtHR, Case of Christian Democratic People’s Party v. Moldova (No. 2), Application 25196, 2 February 2010;
- ECtHR, Case of Alekseyev v. Russia, Application 4916/07, 25924/08 and 14599/09, Judgment, 21 October 2010;
- ECtHR, Case of Gsell v. Switzerland, Application 12675/05, Judgment 8 October 2009;
- ECtHR, Case of Társaság a szabadságjokokért v. Hungary, Application 37374/05, Judgment, 14 April 2009;
- ECtHR, Case of Eva Molnar v. Hungary, Application 10346/05, Judgment, 7 October 2008;
- ECtHR, Case of Makhmudov v. Russia, Application 35082, Judgment, 26 July 2007;
- ECtHR, Case of Bukta and others v. Hungary, Application 25691/04, Judgment 17 July 2007;
- ECtHR, Case of Barankevich v. Russia, Application 10519/03, 26 July 2007;
- ECtHR, Case of Öllinger v. Austria, Application 76900/01, Judgment, 29 June 2006;
- ECtHR, Case of Oya Ataman v. Turkey, Application 74552/01, Judgment, 5 December 2006;
- ECtHR, Case of Stankov and the United Macedonian Organisation Ilinden v. Bulgaria, Application 29221/95 and 29225/95, Judgment, 2 October 2001;
- ECtHR, Case of Chassagnou and others v. France, Application 25088/94, 28331/95 and 28443/95, Judgment, 29 April 1999;
- ECtHR, Case of Socialist Party and Others v. Turkey, Application 20/1997/804/1007, Judgment, 25 May 1998;
- ECtHR, Case of Ergi v. Turkey, Application 66/1997/850/1057, Judgment, 28 July 1998;
- ECtHR, Case of Güleç v. Turkey, Application 54/1997/838/1044, Judgment, 27 July 1998;
- ECtHR, Case of McCann v United Kingdom, Application 180984/91, Judgment, 27 September 1995;
- ECtHR, Case of Ezelin v. France, Application 11800/85, Judgment, 26 April 1991;
- ECtHR, Case of Plattform “Ärzte für das Leben” v. Austria, Application 10126/82, Judgment, 21 June 1988;
- ECtHR, Guzzardi v. Italy, Application 7367/76, Judgment, 6 November 1980;
- ECtHR, Engel and others v the Netherlands, Application 5100/71; 5101/71; 5102/71; 5354/72; 5370/72, Judgment, 8 June 1976;
Court of Justice of the European Union
- CJEU, Eugen Schmidberger, Internationale Transporte und Planzüge v. Austria, C-112/00, Judgment, 11 June 2003;
Amnesty publications
- Amnesty International Netherlands, 25 Rules For The Deployment And Use Of Kinetic Impact Projectiles In Law Enforcement, 2023;
- Amnesty International Netherlands, Kinetic Impact Projectiles in Law Enforcement – An Amnesty International Position Paper, 2023;
- Amnesty International Netherlands, Batons and Other Handheld Kinetic Impact Weapons, 2022;
- Amnesty International, Omega Research Foundation, Grasping the nettle: Ending Europe’s Trade in Execution and Torture Technology, 2021;
- Amnesty International Netherlands, Chemical Irritants in Law Enforcement – An Amnesty International Position Paper, 2021;
- Amnesty International Netherlands, Projectile Electric Shock Weapons – An Amnesty International Position Paper, 2019;
- Amnesty International, Omega Foundation, Combating Torture: The Need for Comprehensive Regulation of Law Enforcement Equipment, 2018;
- Amnesty International, Omega Research Foundation, The Human Rights Impact of Less Lethal Weapons and other Law Enforcement Equipment, 2015;
- Amnesty International, The Netherlands, Use of Force: Guidelines for the Implementation of the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, 2015;
- Omega Research Foundation, Amnesty International, The Human Rights Impact of Less Lethal Weapons and other Law Enforcement Equipment, 2015;
- Amnesty International, Fair Trial Manual, 2nd edition, 2014;
Other publications
- ICRC, To Serve and To Protect, 2014;
- Omega Research Foundation, Visual Guide to Law Enforcement and Security Equipment, 2021;