PUBLISHED: MARCH 2016

This handbook by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) aims to provide guidance for the police in facilitating the right to assemble peacefully.

The handbook was written primarily for police officers working in the OSCE area who have command responsibilities, at any level, for the policing of public assemblies. It outlines key steps and principles for careful police work with assemblies through considered and proportionate policing, having at its core the aim of facilitating the right to peaceful assembly. It also provides guidance for the successful policing of assemblies based on the requirements of international human rights law and established good practice from across the OSCE area.

Although the focus of the handbook is on “assemblies”, the guidance and recommended practices are also applicable to other types of gatherings (e.g., state occasions, sporting events).