A/HCR/40/CRP.4 was re-classified with adequate charges.32 Several attacks against offices of various political parties throughout Ukraine were carried out by extreme right-wing groups in 2018. In some cases, the perpetrators physically assaulted staff in the offices.33 Such acts appear to be intended to restrict the activities of certain political parties ahead of the elections, effectively hindering political pluralism and constituting undue restrictions to the freedom of association. 25. OHCHR is concerned by a growing number of legislative initiatives proposing restrictions on freedom of association, such as those aiming at introducing additional reporting requirements for civil society organizations.34 Furthermore, the elections are increasingly used as a justification to elaborate new restrictive measures, such as requiring organizations “acting directly or covertly in the interests of the Russian Federation” to register as “agents of the aggressor State”, “as means of protecting national interests in the wake of elections”.35 In this regard, OHCHR notes that States should not stigmatize associations by equating their objectives to those of foreign agents.36 26. OHCHR remains concerned that the widely criticized e-declaration requirements imposed on anti-corruption activists in March 201737 remain in force contrary to the recommendations of the Venice Commission.38 C. Freedom of peaceful assembly On 19 August 2018, a group of unknown perpetrators violently attacked an antidiscrimination event in Mariupol. The police is investigating the incident as ‘hooliganism’, disregarding possible additional classifications based on the motives of the attack. 27. Throughout the reporting period, OHCHR documented 17 violations of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly. All of these violations affected assemblies that were organized by minority groups or those representing alternative opinions. In ten documented incidents, police failed to protect the safety of those involved in the assemblies and to take measures against those who attacked or violently disrupted the events.39 Instead, police officers 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 8 OHCHR interview, 9 December 2018. The victim told OHCHR that the police had initially classified the attack as hooliganism but later re-classified it as an “attack against a State or civic actor”. OHCHR interview, 7 January 2019. Draft law no. 6674 ‘On amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine concerning transparency of information on financing of the activities of public associations and the use of international technical assistance’, 10 July 2017. This bill failed the vote in Parliament on 3 April 2018; Draft law no. 8501 ‘On amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine concerning transparency and openness of information on the activities of charitable organizations and public associations receiving funding from foreign countries and foreign non-governmental organizations’, 20 June 2018. Pending review in the Committee. Statement of parliamentarian Maksym Burbak, at the coordination meeting in Parliament, 17 September 2018. On 20 September 2018, during his annual address in Parliament, President Poroshenko expressed support for such a legislative initiative, stating that “this law will in no way affect civil society, mass media and freedom of speech". A/HRC/38/34, Report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, 13 June 2018, paras 34-36. Law of Ukraine ‘On amendments to article 3 of the law on prevention of corruption’ no. 1975-VIII, 23 March 2017. Joint opinion (CDL-AD(2018)006) adopted by the Venice Commission at its 114th Plenary Session (Venice, 16-17 March 2018). According to the law, the heads and members of boards of anticorruption organizations had to submit their annual declarations on annual basis. See OHCHR Quarterly Report 16 February – 15 May 2018, para 87. The State has a positive obligation to facilitate peaceful assemblies, which includes the protection of participants from individuals or groups of individuals, including agents provocateurs and counterdemonstrators, who aim at disrupting or dispersing such assemblies. A/HRC/20/27, p 8, para. 27.