The document (Reg.No.2450) aims at settling public relations connected with implementation and protection of the right to right to freedom of peaceful assembly.
While scrutinizing the bill for the repeated second reading the Committee upheld the new version of the title of the document: "On Freedom of Peaceful Assembly".
Article 14 of the bill regulating the peculiarities of holding spontaneous peaceful assembly was significantly refined.
In particular, bodies of executive power or local self-government bodies are obliged to:
- ensure the safety of both participants and other persons present at the venue of spontaneous peaceful assembly;
- ensure cooperation between the authorized representative of executive power or local self-government body and the internal affairs body together with participants of spontaneous peaceful assembly.
Article 16 regulating the restriction of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly was also refined. The new version of the article stipulates that:
"The number of participants of peaceful assembly; holding simultaneous peaceful assemblies, including, counter assemblies; holding simultaneous peaceful, mass or secure events, including holidays, concerts and visits of officials cannot serve as a ground to restrict freedom of peaceful assembly.
The restriction of freedom of peaceful assembly can only be applied to the concrete peaceful assembly.
Imposing restrictions on freedom of peaceful assembly or preference in its implementation based on race, color, political, religious and other beliefs, gender, ethnic or social origin, property status, place of residence, on linguistic or other grounds is not allowed, etc."
The bill was significantly refined taking into account the joint conclusion of the Venice Commission and OSCE/ Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of October 19, 2010. Provisions of the bill were brought in line with the international standards on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, in particular, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of 1950 and the OSCE Guidelines. Experience of the European Court of Human Rights and Administrative Courts of Ukraine was also taken into consideration while considering the bill.
The working group including people?s deputies of Ukraine, representatives of Presidential Administration of Ukraine, Secretariat of Cabinet of Ministers, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Administrative Court and the NGOs, was set up to refine the bill.