Freedom of peaceful assembly, sometimes used interchangeably with the freedom of association, is the individual right or ability of people to come together and collectively express, promote, pursue, and defend their collective or shared ideas. The right to freedom of association is recognized as a human right, a political right and a civil liberty.
The terms freedom of assembly and freedom of association may be used to distinguish between the freedom to assemble in public places and the freedom to join an association. Freedom of assembly is often used in the context of the right to protest, while freedom of association is used in the context of labor rights and in the Constitution of the United States is interpreted to mean both the freedom to assemble and the freedom to join an association.
Human rights instruments
Freedom of assembly is included in, among others, the following human rights instruments: Universal Declaration of Human Rights – Article 20 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights – Article 21 European Convention on Human Rights – Article 11 American Convention on Human Rights – Article 15
National and regional constitutions that recognize freedom of assembly include: Bangladesh – Articles 37 and 38 of the Constitution of Bangladesh guarantee the freedom of association and assembly. Brazil – Article 5 of the Constitution of Brazil Canada – S. 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which forms part of the Constitution Act, 1982 France – Article 431-1 of the Nouveau Code Pénal Germany – Article 8 GG (Grundgesetz, Basic Law) Hungary – Article VIII (1) of the Fundamental Law India – Fundamental Rights in India Indonesia – Article 28E(3) of the Constitution of Indonesia Ireland – Article 40.6.1° of the Constitution, as enumerated under the heading "Fundamental Rights" Italy – Article 17 of the Constitution Japan – Article 21 of the Constitution of Japan Macau Basic Law - Article 27 Malaysia – Article 10 of the Constitution of Malaysia Mexico – Article 9 of the Constitution of Mexico Netherlands - Articles 8 and 9 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands New Zealand – Section 16 New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 Norway – Section 101 of the Constitution of Norway Pakistan - Article 16 of the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973 Philippines – Article III, Section 4 of the Constitution of the Philippines Poland – Article 57 of the Constitution of Poland Russia – Articles 30 and 31 of the Constitution of Russia guarantee the freedom of association and peaceful assembly. South Africa Bill of Rights – Article 17 Spain – Article 21 of the Spanish Constitution of 1978 Sweden – Chapter 2 of The Instrument of Government Taiwan (Republic of China) – Article 14 guarantees freedom of assembly and association. Turkey – Articles 33 and 34 of the Constitution of Turkey guarantee the freedom of association and assembly. UAE – The UAE Constitution protects freedom of peaceful assembly. United States – First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States
See also
Free speech zone
Right to protest
Strategy-31
Unlawful assembly
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association
References
External links
Guidelines on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly OSCE/ODIHR, 2007
Guidelines on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly (2nd edition) Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR, 2010