Enshrined in international law and an established global norm, the freedom of peaceful assembly is a fundamental right to collectively express, promote, pursue, and defend a common interest without fear of retribution. Freedom of peaceful assembly is a critical form of political participation in a healthy civil society. It shapes the debate, public policies, and strengthens governance by allowing diverse ideas to be expressed, and the voices of minority or opposition groups to be heard. There are many concrete actions OGP member countries can take, from creating channels for citizen expression to establishing guidelines that inform state responses to online and offline protests. Designing legal and institutional protections for public assembly during peace times will help countries to maintain their democracies during times of turmoil. Read more here.
Source: OGP