General Assembly Proposals

General Assembly Resolution #27 “Freedom of Assembly” (Category: Furtherment of Democracy; Strength: Strong) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

The General Assembly,

Applauding the efforts of General Assembly Resolution #27 to establish and safeguard the fundamental right to freely associate and assemble,

Regretting the many loopholes that the resolution presents which could allow despotic governments to clamp down on free assembly, such as the lack of a definition or qualifier for “harm” in clause 3, potentially obligating governments to forbid protests or demonstrations based on minor, technical and irrelevant harms, such as increased taxes on the most wealthy in society,

Believing, despite this, that there are also many situations in which the resolution protects assemblies which cause severe threats to public safety, as detailed below,

Noting that Clause 1 of the resolution establishes the right to “peacefully assemble, associate, and protest to promote, pursue, and express any goal, cause, or view”,

Concerned, however, that Clause 1 allows denizens to abuse the rights granted by it to evade incarceration, punishment, or other repercussions for their crimes - a significant hindrance to the execution of justice, by extending the right to assemble to “all individuals” regardless of their criminal status,

Worried that clause 2 of the resolution does not prevent protests which cause harm to members of the public, for example protests organised on a public highway, those which would block the route of emergency vehicles, or protests that take place in dangerous or unhealthy conditions, as clause 2 states governments may only restrict the freedom of assembly when “individuals organizing are trespassing on private property and/or if circumstances beyond the control of the Government threaten the safety of those organizing”,

Disappointed that the resolution allows denizens to impede the proper function of government under the pretence of an assembly, as Clause 2 does not extend its provisions to public property, or to assemblies which prevent the government from functioning, such as occupying the legislative assembly of a member state,

Saddened that, while it bars those who call for violence via direct action from its protections, the resolution shields those who do so via calls for deliberate inaction, such as by urging law enforcement officers to refrain from protecting individuals of a certain racial group,

Appalled that clause 3 does not extend its prohibition to demonstrations that call for violence against the imprisoned, accused or convicted, only applying its protections to the nebulously defined group of “innocent people”,

Believing that more detailed and comprehensive legislation is required to address the issues raised in this resolution,

Hereby repeals General Assembly Resolution #27 “Freedom of Assembly”.

Co-authored by Maowi.