Summary

Lawyers and legal practitioners play a crucial role in helping to ensure full respect for the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and access to justice. They do so by supporting organizations’ and individuals’ ability to comply with any procedures required by law for the exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; by working to ensure that individuals and groups are protected against violations and abuses in the context of peaceful assemblies; by holding those responsible for violations to account; by pursuing remedies for those whose human rights have been violated in the context of peaceful assemblies; and by promoting structural changes oriented towards the reform of systems which may lead to violations of the rights to freedom of assembly and association.

This report provides not only a set of key principles on the role of lawyers in upholding the rights to freedom of assembly and association but also a non-exhaustive list of practical recommendations for lawyers, aimed at supporting them in their work to provide access to justice in the context of peaceful assemblies.

The Special Rapporteur hopes that these guidelines will offer a useful practical tool for lawyers engaged in supporting peaceful assemblies, and that they will inspire new legal initiatives in this area.