A/HRC/26/29 recommended its repeal, as it found that it encouraged the stigmatization and discrimination of LGBTI children and the targeting and persecution of the LGBTI community (CRC/C/RUS/CO/4-5, para. 25). 31. The Special Rapporteur strongly condemns the recent wave of laws, regulations and practices in some parts of the world designed to silence, intimidate and harass those who promote the human rights of LGBTI people through public assemblies. The aforementioned law in the Russian Federation makes “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations”, which includes gay pride events or any assembly supporting LGBTI rights, punishable by administrative fines of up to 5,000 roubles for citizens and up to 100,000 roubles for foreigners and subjects the latter to deportation. Public assemblies are at the heart of an active civil society and a functioning democracy. Tolerance of others, pluralism and broadmindedness must be harnessed. As stated previously, it is not necessary to agree with what people do, but as long as it is done peacefully, and does not incite violence and hatred, it should be allowed.20 32. Numerous jurisdictions have in recent years banned peaceful protesters from covering their faces during demonstrations, motivated by fears that demonstrators who wear masks or hoods could engage in violence and escape punishment due to their concealed identities. Besides the fact that violent acts during peaceful demonstrations are already illegal under the laws of virtually every jurisdiction, the Special Rapporteur is concerned that bans on face coverings during assemblies are in some circumstances used to target particular groups and improperly curtail their right to freedom of peaceful assembly. 33. There may be legitimate and non-criminal reasons for wearing a mask or face covering during a demonstration, including fear of retribution. For example, in Egypt, article 6 of the 2013 law on protests and demonstrations prohibits the wearing of a mask to hide the face during any assembly. That provision contains no exceptions and could be used to discriminate against women who wear the niqab, effectively preventing them from participating in public meetings or protests. Such laws may also be used against individuals with medical disabilities who wear face masks for medical purposes. Certain peaceful protest movements in the Arab world, Western Europe, North America and elsewhere have adopted the use of the Guy Fawkes mask as an emblem. The mask is particularly popular among youth and student protest movements. The donning of this mask can be as much a political statement — a way of identifying with one’s fellow demonstrators and a worldwide movement — as it is an attempt to conceal identity. 34. Individuals with disabilities frequently face difficulty in staging peaceful assemblies due to limitations related to their disabilities. Those obstacles include the inability to gain access to the forms and notification procedures (for example, due to a lack of regulations or forms in Braille or other accessible formats) and to Government offices where a notification of assembly may be lodged. In that respect, the Special Rapporteur urges States to strive for implementation of article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which called for States to recognize the equal right of all persons with disabilities to live in the community, with choices equal to others, and to take effective and appropriate measures to facilitate full enjoyment by persons with disabilities of that right and their full inclusion and participation in the community. Similarly, a lack of multilingual forms may also pose an obstacle to indigenous and minority groups and any other individuals or groups not fluent in the primary language of the local jurisdiction. 35. Moreover, the assemblies of religious, ethnic and cultural minorities have been selectively targeted. In Rakhine State, Myanmar, for example, Emergency Act 144 was 20 See, for example A/HRC/19/40, para. 17. 11