A/HRC/32/36/Add.3
Observations
Response to communication
557. The Special Rapporteur thanks the Government of Macedonia for responding to the
communication sent during this reporting period.
558. Regarding the large number of protestors detained and prosecuted in Skopje, the
Special Rapporteur thanks the Government’s for its detailed responses of 30 July 2015 and
18 September 2015 (MKD 2/2015). However, he expresses concern about the excessive use
of force by police used to disperse the protestors and their subsequent arrest, detention and
the charges issued against them.
559. The Special Rapporteur takes this opportunity to remind the Government of
Macedonia that the right to freedom of peaceful assembly is held by each individual
participating in an assembly and acts of sporadic violence or offences by some should not
be attributed to others whose intentions and behaviour remain peaceful in nature. In this
regard, he refers the Government to his recent report on the proper management of
assemblies (A/HRC/31/66) and stands ready to provide technical assistance to ensure that
the State’s norms comply with international human rights norms and standards governing
the right to freedom of assembly.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
560. JAL 22/12/2015. Case no. GBR 4/2015. State reply: 17/02/2016; 10/03/2016.
Allegedly a number of provisions contained in a draft bill, namely the draft “Investigatory
Powers Bill”, may unduly interfere with the right to privacy, freedom of opinion and
expression, and freedom of peaceful assembly and association, both within and outside the
United Kingdom.
561. PR 11/01/2016. “UK: UN experts urge review of surveillance bill threatening
freedom of expression”
Observations
Response to communication
562. The Special Rapporteur thanks the Government of the United Kingdom for
responding to the communication sent during this reporting period, in particular the detailed
response of 10 March 2016.
Investigatory Powers Bill
563. In relation to the Draft Investigatory Powers Bill, the draft Bill aims to protect
privacy and security by improving transparency and changing the way investigatory powers
are authorised and overseen. The Special Rapporteur highlighted concerns about overly
broad definitions and disproportionate procedures to authorize surveillance and data
retention in the draft Bill (PR 11/01/2016), as explained in his submission to the Joint
Committee on the Draft Investigatory Powers Bill, he notes with appreciation of the
consideration of his submission by the Joint Committee on the Draft Investigatory Powers
Bill in its subsequent Report.5
5
UK Joint Committee on the Draft Investigatory Powers Bill, Draft Investigatory Powers Bill Report,
(2015-16, HL 93, HC 651).
81
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