GE.12 -17463
Human Rights Council
Twent y-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 right s to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association
The Human Rights Council ,
Reaffirming Human Rights Council resolution 15/21 of 30 September 2010, and
rec alling Council resolutions 19/35 of 23 March 2012 and 20/8 of 5 July 2012 and relevant
resolution s 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 Co venant 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 tha t 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 other s,
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 n ote 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 communication s 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

 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.
1 A/HRC/20/ 27.
United Nations A /HRC/ RES/ 21/16

General Assembly Distr.: General
11 October 2012

Original: English

A/HRC/ RES/ 21/ 16
2
Internet and international cooperation aimed at the development of media and information
and communications facilities in all countries,
Recognizing the importance of the freedoms of peaceful assembly and of
association, as well as t he importance of civil society, to good governance, including
through transparency and accountability, which is indispensible for building peaceful,
prosperous and democratic societies,
Aware of the crucial importance of active involvement of civil societ y in processes
of governance that affect the life of people,
1. Reminds States of their obligation to respect and fully protect the rights of all
individuals to assemble peacefully and associate freely, online as well as offline, includi ng
in the context of elections, and including persons espousing minority or dissenting views or
beliefs, human rights defenders, trade unionists and others, including migrants, seeking to
exercise or to promote these rights, and to take all necessary measu res to ensure that any
restrictions on the free exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of
association are in accordance with their obligations under international human rights law ;
2. Expresses concern at violations of the rights t o freedom of peaceful assembly
and of association ;
3. Emphasizes the critical role of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and
of association for civil society, and recognizes that civil society facilitates the achievement
of the purposes and principles of the United Nations;
4. Stresse s that respect for the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of
association, in relation to civil society, contributes to addressing and resolving challenges
and issues that are important to society, such as the environment, sustainable development,
crime prevention, human trafficking, empowering women, social justice, consumer
protection and the realization of all human rights;
5. Reiterates its call upon States to cooperate fully with and assist the Special
Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peac eful assembly and of association in the
performance of his mandate;
6. Reiterates its call upon the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights to assist States to promote and protect the rights to freedom of peaceful
assembly and of as sociation, including through the technical assistance programmes of the
Office, at the request of States, and to cooperate with relevant bodies of the United Nations
system and other intergovernmental organizations to assist States to promote and protect
the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association;
7. Invites the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly
and of association to include, in his next annual report, the importance of the freedom of
peaceful assembly and of association to the work of civil society actors, including with
respect to the progressive realization of economic, social and cultural rights ;
8. Requests the Special Rapporteur to presen t an annual report to the General
Assembly ;
9. Decides to continue its consideration of the issue of the rights to freedom of
peaceful assembly and of association in accordance with its program me of work.
37 th meeting
27 September 2012
[A dopted without a vote .]