Participants at OSCE/ODIHR roundtable in Washington discuss challenges, good practices in protecting freedom of peaceful assembly in North America

Challenges and good practices in protecting the freedom of peaceful assembly were the focus of a roundtable discussion in Washington D.C., organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and hosted by the George Washington University School of Law, on 18 and 19 June 2014.

Some 35 participants from, academia, the United States Congress, law enforcement agencies, government and civil society from the United States and Canada, as well as from the ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly, provided insight on legislation and examples of good practice related to freedom of association in North America.

The meeting was part of the ongoing process of revising the joint ODIHR-Venice Commission “Guidelines on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly.”  The guidelines offer advice and expertise on international freedom of assembly standards and good practice examples for legislators and other relevant stakeholders in the OSCE area.

“While there is broad consensus on the importance to protect the right to Freedom of Assembly, it is crucial and yet a continued challenge for States to strike the right balance between rights of demonstrators and States' obligation to safeguard public order and national security.” Thomas Vennen, Head of the ODIHR Democratization department, said at the opening of the meeting.

The participants discussed a variety of topics, including free speech and buffer zones, which are used in separating protesters from their objects or from designated areas, the influence of the Internet and social media, and long-term, “leaderless” assemblies, in order to formulate recommendations on addressing these issues in the next edition of the guidelines.

“Ever-evolving trends, such as the increased use of Internet platforms, and recent mass protests without clear leadership or organizing structures, pose challenges to lawmakers and practitioners alike, and may lead to a re-evaluation of key aspects of laws and policy.” said Neil Jarman, Chairperson of the ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly.

ODIHR and the Expert Panel will work on incorporating recommendations from this roundtable into the third edition of the guidelines, which are expected to be published in 2015.