Event information

5 July 2021, 15:00-16:30

Downloads

Flyer >

Peaceful Protest: Use of Force by States in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Event

Police officers during a demonstration Police officers during a demonstration

The exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, freedom of expression and of participation in the conduct of public affairs, including through peaceful protests, is a legitimate means to express grievances. It is expected that the social, economic and cultural impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic will lead to rising number of such protests globally.

The most visible feature of states’ responses to peaceful protests is the use of force by law enforcement officials and this has remained true since the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This Geneva Human Rights Platform online side-event during the 47th session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council – co-organized with the Permanent Missions of Switzerland and of Costa Rica to the UN in Geneva – will discuss the use of force by states in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and will analyze the kind of weapons used, identify trends and propose avenues for further consideration and action.

Opening

  • Felix Kirchmeier, Executive Director of the Geneva Human Rights Platform

Introductory Remarks

  • Jürg Lauber, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva

Moderation

  • Catalina Devandas, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva

Panelists

  • Clément Voule, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association
  • Neil Corney, Research Associate at the Omega Research Foundation
  • Luciana Pol, Senior Fellow Security Policy and Human Rights at the Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS)

Video

Peaceful Protest: Use of Force by States in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

This online side-event during the 47th session of the UN Human Rights Council discussed the use of force by states in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and analyzed the kind of weapons used, identify trends and propose avenues for further consideration and action.

 

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

ECHR Logo News

In Highlight: ECHR Knowledge Sharing Platform

13 May 2025

Via its DHRTTDs Directory, the Geneva Human Rights Platform provides a comprehensive list and description of such key tools and databases. But how to navigate them? Which tool should be used for what, and by whom? This interview helps us understand better the specificities of the current highlight of the directory: ECHR Knowledge Sharing Platform

Read more

GHRP EU News News

Bridging Geneva and Europe: advancing human rights in the digital age

2 June 2025

The Geneva Human Rights Platform has taken its work on strengthening the international human rights system to the heart of European policymaking.

Read more

AI for Good Event Event

AI for human rights: Smarter, faster, fairer monitoring

8 July 2025, 14:00-16:00

The event, as part of the AI for Good Summit 2025 will explore how AI tools can support faster data analysis, help uncover patterns in large datasets, and expand the reach of human rights work.

Read more

Refugees Event

Unlocking Rights: Due Process and Human Rights of Refugees Deprived of Liberty

23 June 2025, 18:00-19:30

This Geneva Human Rights Platform event, organised with the Platform of Independent Experts on Refugee Rights will discuss the issue of Due Process and Human Rights of Refugees Deprived of Liberty. 

Read more

Town Hall Meeting Training

Localizing International Human Rights

8-10 October 2025

This training course, specifically designed for staff of city and regional governments, will explore the means and mechanisms through which local and regional governments can interact with and integrate the recommendations of international human rights bodies in their concrete work at the local level.

Read more

First annual conference of the Geneva Human Rights Platform Project

The Annual Conference of the Geneva Human Rights Platform

Started in June 2019

Read more

A session of the UN Human Rights Council Project

IHL Expert Pool

Started in January 2022

The IHL-EP works to strengthen the capacity of human rights mechanisms to incorporate IHL into their work in an efficacious and comprehensive manner. By so doing, it aims to address the normative and practical challenges that human rights bodies encounter when dealing with cases in which IHL applies.

Read more

Cover of the publication Publication

Briefing N° 25: Localizing Multilateralism

published on March 2025

Domenico Zipoli, Ludovica Chiussi Curzi, Kamelia Kemileva

Read more