04/ POLICING ASSEMBLIES IN AFRICA: Guidelines for the Policing of Assemblies by Law Enforcement Officials in Africa FOREWORD The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Commission), which is the African organ responsible for ensuring the promotion and protection of human rights in Africa, has strengthened its mandate over time through the work of its actors and informed by the actions, politics and strategies imagined by one and another. The African Commission has made good use of the many precedents and synergies that have been set up, in order to develop numerous working tools, including the present guidelines on the conduct of law enforcement officials during assemblies. These guidelines rank among some of the achievements of the African Commission, whose thirtieth anniversary we celebrate this year. The right to peaceful assembly is being severely tested, and one of the most significant challenges is, for instance, the attitude of law enforcement officials in our great African capitals especially during public demonstrations, and in a context where human rights defenders are often the first to be targeted and assaulted by the police. For this reason, the subsequent mechanisms of the African Commission, including that of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders in Africa, have made this topic a priority by adopting, these guidelines, which have thus become part of a growing legal development process. On reading the guidelines, we can safely conclude that they address issues of freedom of association and assembly, while remaining specific to policing. It is a bold and courageous undertaking. I take this opportunity to pay tribute to all our partners, a partnership which has stood the test of scientific rigour and which we know how to appreciate at its true value. These guidelines will undoubtedly enhance the organisation of peaceful assembly throughout Africa. Specifically, they will help law enforcement agents to be true defenders of human rights. APCOF Guidelines on policing assemblies TEXT.indd 4 12/04/2017 17:07:43