---
title: ":Cordial invitation to a side event onFreedom of Assembly and Association: Countering Persecution and Pushback on  Civil Society"
slug: "cordial-invitation-to-a-side-event-onfreedom-of-assembly-and-association-countering-persecution-and-pushback-on-civil-society"
post_type: "post"
published_at: "2012-06-21T17:14:22+01:00"
modified_at: "2012-06-21T16:15:30+01:00"
author: "CIHRS"
url: "https://cihrs.org/cordial-invitation-to-a-side-event-onfreedom-of-assembly-and-association-countering-persecution-and-pushback-on-civil-society/?lang=en"
category:
  - "United Nations Human Rights Council"
---

# :Cordial invitation to a side event onFreedom of Assembly and Association: Countering Persecution and Pushback on  Civil Society

![](https://cihrs.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/logos-sd21-6.jpg "logos sd21-6")

**Friday, 22 June 2012, 12h00 - 14h00**

**Palais des Nations, Room XXV**

**The freedoms of peaceful assembly and association are fundamental to civil society and**

**citizen action but continue to be widely violated through suppression of protests and**

**restrictions on the formation, advocacy and resources of civil society organisations.**

**Democratic and authoritarian states alike have increasingly erected extralegal and legislative**

**barriers limiting the scope and reach of civil society. This event brings together the UN**

**Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association with**

**key national and international civil society leaders to engender discussion on how**

**persecution and pushback on civil society can be countered.**

 **Speakers:****Maina Kiai**

**(UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association)**

**Netsanet Belay**

**(Policy and Research Director, CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation)**

**Nozima Kamalova**

**(Legal Aid Society of Uzbekistan)**

**Adilur Rahman Khan**

**(Odhikar, Bangladesh)**

**Ryota Jonen**

**(Senior Manager, World Movement for Democracy)**

**David Moore**

**(Vice President-Legal Affairs, International Center for Not-for-Profit Law)**

 **Moderator:****Gerald Staberock**

**(Secretary General, World Organization against Torture)**

Refreshments will be provided