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Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
January 21, 2013

http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/RegularSession/Session22/A.HRC.22.28.pdf

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Summary

The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 19/35 requesting the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare and submit a thematic report on effective measures and best practices to ensure the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests.

Member States, regional organizations, national human rights institutions and civil society organizations provided input for this report. In accordance with resolution 19/35, this report also includes information drawn from treaty bodies and relevant thematic special procedure mandate holders.

Based on the input provided, the report outlines examples of effective measures and best practices to promote and support the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests. It concludes that peaceful protests are a fundamental aspect of a vibrant democracy. The promotion and protection of peaceful protests require not only an adequate legal framework but also continuous efforts for their effective implementation. Dialogue between protest organizers, administrative authorities and the police, as well as human rights training programmes for police forces, including on the use of force during protests, can contribute to the promotion and protection of the human rights linked to peaceful protests.

Introduction

1. In its resolution 19/35, the Human Rights Council requested the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare and submit a thematic report to the Council, prior to its twenty-second session, on effective measures and best practices to ensure the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests.

2. The Council encouraged relevant thematic special procedures mandate holders, including the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, to contribute to this report. It further requested the High Commissioner for Human Rights, to draw on the experience of treaty bodies and to seek the views of States and relevant partners, such as United Nations agencies, regional organizations, national human rights institutions and civil society organizations when preparing the report.1

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