Promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of association A/RES/73/173 their representatives, with respect to all individuals exercising their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, of expression and of association, online and offline, in cases of threat, harassment, violence, discrimination, racism and other violations and abuses committed against them, including killings, to categorically and clearly reject such practices and offences, Reiterating that domestic law and administrative provisions and their application should not hinder but enable the work of human rights defenders, including by avoiding any criminalization, stigmatization, impediments, obstructions or restrictions thereof contrary to the obligations of States under international human rights law, Deploring violations and abuses of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association by State and non-State actors, including arbitrary detentions of peaceful protestors and individuals on the basis of their political opinion and affiliation, as well as individuals identified as political opponents, 1. Calls upon States to promote a safe and enabling environment for individuals and groups to exercise their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, of expression and of association, including by ensuring that domestic legislation and procedures relating to the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, of expression and of association are in conformity with their international human rights obligations; 2. Urges States to take concrete steps to prevent and put an end to the arbitrary arrest and detention of peaceful protestors and human rights defenders for exercising their human rights and fundamental freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association, including in relation to cooperation with the United Nations and other international mechanisms in the area of human rights, and in this regard strongly urges the release of such persons detained or imprisoned in violation of the obligations of States under international human rights law; 3. Expresses deep concern about extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and the torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of persons exercising their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, of expression and of association in all regions of the world, and to this end: (a) Strongly condemns the use of harassment, intimidation and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and killings by State and non -State actors to violently suppress and silence individuals, including young people an d students, for participating in peaceful protests, including protests to call for democratic reforms; (b) Urges States to pay particular attention to the safety and protection of women and women human rights defenders from acts of intimidation and harass ment, as well as gender-based violence, including sexual assault, in the context of peaceful protests; (c) Calls upon all States to pay particular attention to the safety of journalists and media workers observing, monitoring and recording peaceful protests, taking into account their specific role, exposure and vulnerability; (d) Urges States to end their harassment and intimidation of and attacks against individuals participating in peaceful protests against racism and racial discrimination; 4. Calls upon all States to ensure that the same rights that individuals have offline, including the rights to freedom of expression, of peaceful assembly and of association, are also fully protected online, in accordance with human rights law, particularly by refraining from Internet shutdowns and content restrictions on the Internet that violate international human rights law, by ending attacks by States and taking steps to end attacks by non-State actors against journalists and other media workers covering demonstrations and protests and by ending government shutdowns 18-22269 3/4