International human rights documents

UNITED NATIONS (UN)

• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966)
• Convention Against Corruption (2003)
• Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006)
• Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief (1981)
• UN Human Rights Committee, General comment no. 37 (2020) on the right of peaceful assembly (Article 21)
• General Comment No. 25: The right to participate in public affairs, voting rights and the right of equal access to public service (Art. 25): CCPR/C/21/Rev.1/Add.7
• General comment No. 34 (2011), Article 19: Freedoms of opinion and expression
• Checklist – FoAA during public health emergencies, developed in the context of the COVID-19 by the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association
• A/HRC/47/L.22 (2021) Human Rights Council Resolution 47/22 (2021) on the promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the internet
• A/HRC/46/37 (2021) Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy (“Artificial intelligence and privacy, and children’s privacy”)
• A/HRC/47/L.12/Rev.1  (2021) Human Rights Council Resolution, New and emerging digital technologies and human rights
• A/HRC/47/L.1 Human Rights Council Resolution 47/1 (2021), Civil Society Space Resolution
• A/HRC/44/20 (2020) UN Human Rights Council Resolution 44/20 on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests
• A/HRC/41/41 (2019) UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association Clément Voule, Rights to freedoms of peaceful assembly and associations in the digital age
• A/HRC/41/41 (2019) Report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association
• A/HRC/38/35 (2018) Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, 6 April 2018
• A/HRC/39/29 (2018) The right to privacy in the digital age, Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
• A/HRC/RES/32/13 (2016) Human Rights Council resolution on the promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet, 1 July 2016
• A/HRC/17/27 (2011) Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Frank La Rue, 16 May 2011
• A/HRC/RES/38/7 (17 July 2018) Human Rights Council Resolution on the promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the internet
• A/HRC/38/L.17 (4 July 2018) Human Rights Council Resolution on civil society space: engagement with international and regional organization
• A/HRC/38/34 (13 June 2018) Thematic Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association
• A/HRC/RES/35/25, Art. 5 (23 June 2017), Human Rights Council Resolution on the negative impact of corruption on the enjoyment of human rights
• A/HRC/31/66 (4 Feb 2016) Joint report on the proper management of assemblies by the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association and the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
• A/70/266 (16 Sept 2015) Thematic report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association
• A/HRC/30/26 (23 July 2015) Promotion, protection and implementation of the right to participate in public affairs in the context of the existing human rights law: best practices, experiences, challenges and ways to overcome them: Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
• A/HRC/23/39 (24 April 2013) Thematic report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association
• A/HRC/20/L.13, (29 June 2012) Human Rights Council Resolution on “The promotion, protection, and enjoyment of human rights on the internet,” 
• A/HRC/20/27 (21 May 2012) Thematic Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association
• A/HRC/13/37 (28 Dec 2009) Thematic report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism
• A/64/226 (4 Aug 2009) Thematic report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
• A/RES/73/173 - General Assembly Resolution 73/173 on promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of association, 17 December 2018
• A/RES/71/199 - General Assembly Resolution 71/199 on the right to privacy in the digital age, 19 December 2016
• A/RES/56/38 (10 Jan 2002) UN General Assembly Resolution on volunteering
• OHCHR Guidelines for States on the effective implementation of the right to participate in public affairs
• CCPR/C/128/2, Human Rights Committee, Statement on derogations from the Covenant in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic
• CCPR/C/21/Rev.1/Add.11, General Comment No. 29: Article 4: Derogations during a State of Emergency
• OHCHR and freedom of expression vs incitement to hatred: the Rabat Plan of Action
• Press release: UN expert calls for immediate moratorium on the sale, transfer and use of surveillance tools
• Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism. Use of Biometric Data to Identify Terrorists: Best Practice or Risky Business?
• Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Democratic Republic of the Congo, CRC/C/COD/CO/2 (10 Feb 2009), Malawi, CRC/C/MWI/CO/2, (27 March 2009)
• Concluding Observations of the Committee against Torture, Belarus, CAT/C/BLR/CO/4 (7 Dec 2011)
• Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Ireland, CERD/C/IRL/CO/2 (14 April 2005)
• Human Rights Committee: Belyatsky et al v Belarus (24 July 2007); Korneenko et al v Belarus (31 October 2006)
• Human Rights Committee: Malcolm Ross v. Canada (26 October 2000)
• UN Special Rapporteurs Joint Statement, “Digital rights: key to inclusive and resilient world”, RightsCon 7-11 June 2021
• UN Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai, 10 Principles for the Proper Management of Assemblies: Civil Society Guide, Jan. 2017

COUNCIL OF EUROPE

• European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1950)
• Convention on Access to Official Documents (2009)
• Convention 108 for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data (1981)
• Code of Good Practice for Civil Participation in the Decision-Making Process, CONF/PLE(2009)CODE1
• Expert Council on CSO Law, Second annual report on the internal governance of non-governmental organizations (January 2010)
• Guidelines for civil participation in political decision making, CM (2017)-83 final  (adopted 27 September 2017)
• PACE Resolution 1577 (2007): towards decriminalisation of defamation and corresponding
• PACE Resolution 2226 on New restrictions on NGO activities in Council of Europe member States (adopted 27 June 2018)
• Protecting the Right to Freedom of Expression under the European Convention on Human Rights; A handbook for legal practitioners, 2017
• Recommendation R(91) 10 on the Communication to Third Parties of Personal Data Held by Public Bodies (adopted 9 September 1991)
• Recommendation No.R (94)4 of the Committee of Ministers of Member States on the Promotion of Voluntary Service (adopted 1994)
• Recommendation No. R (2000) 7 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the right of journalists not to disclose their sources of information (adopted 8 March 2000)
• Recommendation Rec(2001)19 on the participation of citizens in local public life (adopted 6 Dec 2001)
• Recommendation N (2002)2 on access to official documents (adopted Feb 21, 2002)
• Recommendation 1814 (2007) (adopted 4 Oct 2007)
• Recommendation 2007(2) on media pluralism and diversity of media content (adopted 31 Jan 2007)
• Recommendation CM/Rec(2007)14 on the legal status of non-governmental organisations in Europe, art. 76-77 (adopted 10 Oct 2007)
• Recommendation CM/Rec (2014)7 on the protection of whistleblowers and Explanatory Memorandum (adopted 30 April 2014)
• Recommendations and declarations of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in the field of media and information society (2016)
• Recommendation CM/Rec(2007)2 on legal regulation of lobbying activities in the context of public decision making (adopted 22 March 2017)
• Council of Europe report DGI(2017)9, “Information Disorder: Toward an Interdisciplinary framework for research and policymaking”
• Recommendation CM/Rec(2018)1 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on media pluralism and transparency of media ownership (adopted 7 March 2018)
• Council of Europe; SG/Inf(2020)11, Respecting democracy, rule of law and human rights in the framework of the COVID-19 sanitary crisis. A toolkit for member states; 7 April 2020, Point 2.3
• CM/Rec(2020)1 - Recommendation CM/Rec(2020)1 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the human rights impacts of algorithmic systems, 8 April 2020
• Council of Europe Commissioner For Human Rights Recommendation (2019) “Unboxing artificial intelligence: 10 steps to protect human rights”
• Council of Europe, Consultative Committee of Convention 108, Guidelines on Facial Recognition (2021)

COUNCIL OF EUROPE, EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS

• Article 11: The Conduct of Public Assemblies in the Court’s Case-Law (2013)
• Bagiyeva v. Ukraine (2016)
• Big Brother Watch and Others vs United Kingdom, par 303-387 (2018)
• Cojocaru v. Romania (2015)
• Eon v. France (2013)
• Guja v. Moldova (2008)
• Gunduz v. Turkey (2003)
• Handyside v. United Kingdom (1976)
• Jersild v. Denmark (1994)
• Lingens v. Austria (1985)
• Magyar Helsinki Bizottság v. Hungary (2016)
• Manole and Others v. Moldova (2009)
• National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education v. United Kingdom (16 April 1998)
• Piechowicz v. Poland (2012)
• Roemen Schmit v. Luxembourg (2003)
• Roman Zakharov v. Russia (2015)
• Sener v. Turkey (2000)
• Shimovolos v. Russia (2011)
• Sigurdur A Sigurjónsson v. Iceland (1993)
• Van Rossem v. Belgium (2005)
• Varga v. Romania (2011)
• Y.Y. v Turkey (2015)
• European Court of Human Rights: Guide on Article 15 of the European Convention on Human Rights, Derogation in time of emergency

EUROPEAN UNION

• Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (2000)
• EU Framework decision on combating certain forms and expressions of racism and xenophobia (2014)
• EU General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679
• EU Human Rights Guidelines on Freedom of Expression, Online and Offline (2014)

ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND CO-OPERATION IN EUROPE (OSCE)

• Fundamental Principles on the Status of Non-Governmental Organisations in Europe (2004)
• International practices on confidence-building measures between the state and the civil society organizations (Dec 2010)
• Istanbul Document (1999)
• Charter for European Security (1999)
• Joint Declaration on freedom of expression and the internet by the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (“OSCE”) Representative on Freedom of the Media, the Organisation of American States (“OAS”) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and the African Charter of Human and People’s Rights (“ACHPR”) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information (1 June 2011)
• Joint Declaration on international mechanisms for promoting freedom of expression by the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media and the OAS Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression (10 Dec 2002)
• OSCE/ODIHR-Venice Commission Joint Guidelines on Freedom of Association
• OSCE Recommendations on enhancing the participation of associations in public decision-making processes (2015)
• OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Special Report: Handling of the Media During Political Demonstrations (21 June 2007)

ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD)

• Recommendation Concerning Guidelines on the Protection of Privacy and Transborder Flows of Personal Data (2013)
• Recommendation of the Council on Principles for Transparency and Integrity in Lobbying, Annex (2018)

FINANCIAL ACTION TASK FORCE (FATF)

• Financial Action Task Force Recommendations and International standards on combating money laundering and financing of terrorism & proliferation
• Recommendation 8 and Interpretive note to recommendation 8