The panel discussion Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association in 2022 and Beyond: Contemporary Challenges and Opportunities focused on the role of the Mandate of the UN human rights expert on the freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, also known as the UN Special Rapporteur. The Event was organized during the 50th session of the UN Human Rights Council, during which the Czech Republic together with other partner countries presents a resolution extending the Mandate by another 3 years.

Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic Václav Bálek made opening remarks. He underlined that the freedom of peaceful assembly and of association belongs to the Czech priorities in the UN Human Rights Council. Its protection “offline” must also apply “online”. Czech Republic promotes the online aspects and the role of digital technologies in the current resolution. Permanent Representatives of Lithuania and Maldives, Human Rights Ambassador of the USA and Deputy Permanent Representative of Mexico also made their remarks during the side event.

Peggy Hicks, Director of the Thematic Engagement, Special Procedures and Right to Development Division at the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, talked about challenges and opportunities around the freedom of peaceful assembly and of association such as unclear and broad legislation on the use of modern technologies, slow reactions to threats, technical capacities of civil society and strengthened engagement of technological companies.

Special Rapporteur Clement Voule, a representative of the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) Francesca Restifo and a human rights defender from OVD-Info Aleksandr Lakhmutov discussed the Mandate’s impact and its practical contribution. They demonstrated with specific examples how the Mandate supports states and civil society through advisory work, legal analysis, guidelines and by following individuals cases of violations of the freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. Representatives of the civil society appreciated the cooperation with the Special Rapporteur.

The Side Event was organized by the Permanent Mission of the Czech Republic together with the Permanent Mission of Lithuania, in cooperation with Permanent Missions of Indonesia, Maldives, Mexico and the USA as well as with CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation and with kind support of the EU Delegation in Geneva. The Event was co-sponsored by non-governmental organizations World Movement for Democracy, European Centre for not-for-profit law and International Centre for not-for-profit law.