A/RES/62/152
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
6 March 2008
Sixty-second session
Agenda item 70 (b)
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 18 December 2007
[on the report of the Third Committee (A/62/439/Add.2)]
62/152. Declaration on the Right and Responsibility
of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society
to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized
Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolution 53/144 of 9 December 1998, by which it adopted by
consensus the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups
and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human
Rights and Fundamental Freedoms annexed to that resolution, and reiterating the
importance of the Declaration and its wide dissemination,
Recalling also all previous resolutions on this subject, in particular its
resolution 60/161 of 16 December 2005 and Commission on Human Rights
resolution 2005/67 of 20 April 2005, 1
0F
Recalling further Human Rights Council resolutions 5/1 and 5/2 of 18 June
2007, 2
1F
Noting with deep concern that in many countries persons and organizations
engaged in promoting and defending human rights and fundamental freedoms are
frequently facing threats, harassment and insecurity as a result of those activities,
including through restrictions on freedom of association or expression or the right to
peaceful assembly, or abuse of civil or criminal proceedings,
Gravely concerned that, in some instances, national security and counterterrorism legislation and other measures have been misused to target human rights
defenders or have hindered their work and safety in a manner contrary to
international law,
Gravely concerned also by the continuing high level of human rights
violations committed against persons engaged in promoting and defending human
rights and fundamental freedoms around the world and by the fact that in many
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1
See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2005, Supplement No. 3 and corrigenda
(E/2005/23 and Corr.1 and 2), chap. II, sect. A.
2
See Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-second Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/62/53),
chap. IV, sect. A.
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