The exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association in the context of elections 2013, para. 21
Paragraph- Paragraph text
- Fundamentally, the Special Rapporteur believes that all peaceful assemblies held during the electoral process, whether or not in support of the ruling party or the incumbent Government, should be entitled to equal treatment. Such assemblies should receive equal protection and facilitation from the State, in fulfilment of its positive obligation in this regard, irrespective of which category or group the demonstrators belong to. In this connection, the Special Rapporteur warns against the increased vulnerability of the aforementioned marginalized groups or groups most at risk from attacks, derogatory comments, stigmatization, and undue restrictions, with a view to serving political agendas, often from different parties. Some of them may also face the revocation of passports and work permits for having taken part in solidarity protests. As a consequence, peaceful assemblies organized by such groups, which may want to seize the opportunity of elections to draw attention to their respective plights, are adversely impacted. The Special Rapporteur is horrified by the aforementioned incidents in Guinea in September 2009, where many women participating in the demonstration or present in the area were stripped naked and sexually assaulted, including by gang rape, both at the stadium and in detention. In Zimbabwe, demonstrators peacefully advocating women rights were brutalized in the context of elections. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, five students were among those killed by security forces in June 2009.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Women
- Year
- 2013
- Paragraph type
- Other
- Reference
- SR Freedom of Assembly, Report to the UNGA (2013), A/68/299, para. 21.
- Paragraph number
- 21
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