The Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association

A/HRC/RES/50/17View PDF

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the Human Rights Council, under agenda item 3Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development, published in 2022.

What other versions does this mandate have?

6 versions · 2010–2025

This is an older version — the most recent is A/HRC/RES/59/4

2025A/HRC/RES/59/4The rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of associationLatestCompare with previous version
2022A/HRC/RES/50/17The rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of associationCompare with previous version
2019A/HRC/RES/41/12The rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of associationCompare with previous version
2016A/HRC/RES/32/32The rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of associationCompare with previous version
2013A/HRC/RES/24/5The rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of associationCompare with previous version

Versions are identified automatically by matching titles within the same organ (~97% accuracy on a manual audit).

What subjects does this mandate have?

6 topics

Freedom of Association Freedom of Information International Obligations Internet Right of Assembly Special Rapporteurs

What does this mandate say?

14 operative paragraphs

Decides to renew the mandate of Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, as established by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 15/21, for a period of three years;

Takes note with appreciation of the work of the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, and also takes note of the reports he has submitted to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly;

Calls upon States to continue to cooperate fully with and to assist the Special Rapporteur in the performance of the mandate, to respond promptly to the mandate holder’s urgent appeals and other communications, to consider favourably the mandate holder’s requests to visit their countries, and to give due consideration to implementing the recommendations contained in the mandate holder’s reports;

Encourages all relevant stakeholders, including the United Nations and its agencies, programmes and funds, regional human rights mechanisms, national human rights institutions, civil society and the private sector, including social media messaging services and telecommunications companies, to cooperate fully with the Special Rapporteur to enable him or her to fulfil the mandate, and notes the cooperation between the Special Rapporteur and the treaty bodies, including the work on general comments, in particular Human Rights Committee general comment No. 37 (2020), and his work relating to the Guidelines for States on the effective implementation of the right to participate in political and public affairs published by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights;

Expresses concern at violations of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association;

Condemns unequivocally measures in violation of international human rights law that prevent or disrupt an individual’s ability to seek, receive or impart information online, including Internet shutdowns and online censorship, calls upon all States to refrain from and to cease such measures, and also calls upon States to ensure that all domestic laws, policies and practices are consistent with their international human rights obligations with regard to freedom of association and of peaceful assembly;

Calls upon States to respect, fully protect and fulfil the rights of all individuals to assemble peacefully and associate freely, online and offline, including in the context of elections, including persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities or expressing dissenting views or beliefs, human rights defenders, children, youth, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, individuals associated with political parties, trade unionists, migrants and others seeking to exercise or to promote these rights, and to take all measures necessary to ensure that any restrictions on the free exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, including imposed during states of emergency, are in accordance with their obligations under international human rights law, and also calls upon States to take measures, in a manner consistent with those obligations, to ensure that these rights continue to be respected and protected during crises;

Recalls that, in accordance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association can be subject to certain restrictions that are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order, the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others;

Calls upon States to establish and maintain a safe and enabling environment in which civil society actors can operate freely, including by fostering and facilitating their access to financial resources, to ensure that national legislation, policies and practices are in compliance with their international human rights obligations and commitments, and to refrain from applying laws and engaging in practices that unduly interfere with their ability to do so, including with regard to their ability to access funding;

Also calls upon States to refrain from the arbitrary or unlawful use of force by law enforcement officials against those taking part in peaceful assemblies, and from the use of digital technology to silence, unlawfully or arbitrarily surveil or harass individuals or groups for having organized, taken part in or observed, monitored or recorded peaceful assemblies, or from ordering partial or full Internet shutdowns and from blocking websites and platforms around peaceful assemblies, including peaceful protests, or key political moments;

Stresses that access to justice is an integral element of the protection of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, and calls upon States to take measures to ensure that their national legislation, policies and practices are in compliance with their international human rights obligations and commitments, and to provide timely and effective remedy and reparations, as appropriate, to victims;

Requests the Special Rapporteur to continue to report annually to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly;

Requests the Secretary-General to provide the assistance necessary to the Special Rapporteur to fulfil the mandate, in particular by placing adequate human and material resources at his or her disposal;

Decides to continue its consideration of the issue of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association in accordance with its programme of work.

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What does this mandate say?

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