273. JUA 17/05/2013. Case no. MKD 1/2013. State reply: 21/06/2013.
Alleged attack on LGBT rights defenders.
274. JUA 05/07/2013. Case no: MKD 2/2013. State reply: none to date.
Allegations of on-going harassment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) rights defenders.
Observations
276. The Special Rapporteur takes note that an investigation is underway in relation to the attacks and harassment of LGBTI defenders, and looks forward to receiving additional information on the allegation in the communication sent on 17 May 2013.
277. The Special Rapporteur calls upon the authorities to “[t]ake positive measures, including affirmative action measures, to ensure that all individuals belonging to groups most at risk [such as LGBTI people] have the ability to exercise effectively their rights, including to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association” (A/HRC/26/29, para. 73(c)).
278. More generally, the Special Rapporteur remains concerned about the physical and psychological integrity of those working and advocating for the rights of LGBTI people, and working to promote equality and non-discrimination, particularly in exercising their right to freedom of opinion and expression, of association and of peaceful assembly.
279. In this regard, the Special Rapporteur refers to Human Rights Council resolution 24/5, and in particular operative paragraph 1 that “[r]eminds States of their obligation to respect and fully protect the rights of all individuals to assemble peacefully and associate freely, online as well as offline, including in the context of elections, and including persons espousing minority or dissenting views or beliefs, human rights defenders, trade unionists and others, including migrants, seeking to exercise or to promote these rights, and to take all necessary measures to ensure that any restrictions on the free exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association are in accordance with their obligations under international human rights law”.
Link to full text of the report: Report-SRAssembly-Communications and replies-2014-eng-fra-esp
Link to Special Rapporteur’s correspondence with the State:
- Correspondence-SR-FormerYugoslavRepofMacedonia-1-2013-eng (MKD 1/2013)
- Correspondence-SR-FormerYugoslavRepofMacedonia-2-2013-eng (MKD 2/2013)
Link to State’s reply: Correspondence-SR-FormerYugoslavRepofMacedonia-1-reply-2013-eng (MKD 1/2013)