A/RES/73/173 Promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of association acknowledging the importance of these instruments for the promotion and the protection of all human rights, Bearing in mind that all human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated, Reaffirming that everyone has the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association and that no one may be compelled to belong to an association, Recognizing that the effective exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association is essential for the enjoyment of other human rights and freedoms and constitutes a fundamental pillar for building a democratic society and strengthening democracy, as it provides individuals with invaluable opportunities to, inter alia, express their political opinions, engage in literary and artistic pursuits and other cultural, economic and social activities, engage in religious observances or other beliefs, form and join trade unions and cooperatives and elect leaders to represent their interests and hold them accountable, Recalling the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, of expression and of association, which encompass organizing, participating in, observing, monitoring and recording assemblies, and expressing concern at the criminalization, in all parts of the world, of individuals and groups solely for having organized, taken part in or observed, monitored or recorded peaceful protests, Recognizing that transparent, responsible, accountable, open and participatory government, responsive to the needs and aspirations of the people, is the foundation on which good governance rests and that such a foundation is one of the indispensable conditions for the full realization of human rights, including the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, of association and of expression, Stressing, therefore, that everyone, including persons espousing minority or dissenting views or beliefs, must be able to express his or her grievances or aspirations in a peaceful manner, including through public protests, without fear of reprisal or of being intimidated, harassed, injured, sexually assaulted, beaten, arbitrarily arrested and detained, tortured, killed or subjected to enforced disappearance, Encouraging all States to avoid using force wherever possible during peaceful protests and to ensure that, where force is absolutely necessary, no one is subjected to excessive or indiscriminate use of force, Gravely concerned by the grave and growing threats, risks and dangers faced by all individuals, online and offline, for exercising their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, of expression and of association, particularly members of civil society, including but not limited to human rights defenders, including women human rights defenders, indigenous human rights defenders and those addressing envi ronmental issues, and those defending persons belonging to minorities, including religious minorities, as well as those defending youth, persons with disabilities and older persons, labour leaders, individuals who may face multiple and intersecting forms o f discrimination, including on the basis of gender, and journalists and media workers who report on their work, as well as by the prevalence of impunity for violations and abuses against them in many countries, where they face threats, harassment and attacks and suffer insecurity, including through undue restrictions on, inter alia, the rights to freedom of opinion, of expression, of association and of peaceful assembly, and through the abuse of criminal or civil proceedings, or acts of intimidation and reprisal intended to prevent their cooperation with the United Nations and other international bodies in the field of human rights, Stressing the responsibility of Member States and encouraging stakeholders in all sectors of society and in their respective communities, including Governments and 2/4 18-22269