A/HRC/19/2 1. Recognizes the need to reflect on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests; 2. Welcomes the holding of the panel discussion on the issue of the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests by the Human Rights Council at its eighteenth session and the active participation of States and other stakeholders therein; 3. Takes note of the summary of the panel discussions prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights;54 4. Acknowledges that peaceful protests can occur in all societies; 5. Recalls that States have the responsibility, including in the context of peaceful protests, to promote and protect human rights and to prevent human rights violations, in particular extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, arbitrary arrest and detention, enforced disappearances, and torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and calls upon States to avoid the abuse of criminal and civil proceedings or threats of such acts at all times; 6. Encourages all States to avoid using force wherever possible during peaceful protests, and to ensure that, where force is absolutely necessary, no one is subject to excessive or indiscriminate use of force; 7. Calls upon States, and where applicable relevant governmental authorities, to ensure adequate training of law enforcement officials and military personnel and to promote adequate training for private personnel acting on behalf of a State, including in international human rights law, and, where appropriate, international humanitarian law; 8. Requests the High Commissioner to prepare and submit a thematic report to the Human Rights Council, prior to its twenty-second session, on effective measures and best practices to ensure the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests; 9. Encourages relevant thematic special procedures mandate holders, including the Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, to contribute to the above-mentioned thematic report; 10. Requests the High Commissioner, in preparing the thematic report, to draw from the experience of treaty bodies and to seek the views of States and relevant partners, such as United Nations agencies, regional organizations, national human rights institutions and civil society organizations; 11. Decides to consider the above-mentioned report and possible next steps at its twenty-second session under agenda item 3. 55th meeting 23 March 2012 [Adopted without a vote.] 54 GE.13-14768 A/HRC/19/40. 97