A/HRC/RES/21/16
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
11 October 2012
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Twenty-first session
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council
21/16.
The rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association
The Human Rights Council,
Reaffirming Human Rights Council resolution 15/21 of 30 September 2010, and
recalling Council resolutions 19/35 of 23 March 2012 and 20/8 of 5 July 2012 and relevant
resolutions of the Commission on Human Rights,
Recognizing the importance of the rights of everyone to freedom of peaceful
assembly and of association to the full enjoyment of all human rights,
Recalling that, in accordance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights and as similarly prescribed in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights, no restriction may be placed on the exercise of the rights to freedom of
peaceful assembly and of association other than those that are prescribed by law and that
are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety,
public order (ordre public), the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the
rights and freedoms of others,
Reiterating the critical mandate, role, expertise and specialized supervisory
mechanisms and procedures of the International Labour Organization with respect to
employers’ and workers’ rights to freedom of association,
Taking note of the report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of
peaceful assembly and of association, 1
Reiterating the important role of new information and communications technologies
in enabling and facilitating the enjoyment of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and
of association, and the importance for all States to promote and facilitate access to the
1
GE.12-17463
The resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council will be contained in the report of
the Council on its twenty-first session (A/HRC/21/2), chap. I.
A/HRC/20/27.