Right to Dissent

The Right to Dissent explains the international legal standards and underlying principles and interpretations of the standards that comprise the international legal framework protecting the right to dissent and protest as an essential part of democratic rights.

Rights to participate in public affairs and engage in debate and criticism of state and corporate actions are under threat around the world. Critics of government action and government sanctioned corporate activities—human rights defenders, democracy proponents, land and environment activists—are increasingly under threat for exercising internationally protected rights. 

Dissent involves the exercise of individual and societal freedoms of expression, association, assembly and the right to participate in public affairs. These freedoms encompass rights to receive and impart information, inspire debate and influence decision making about issues of public concern. International human rights law imposes duties on states to respect, protect, and fulfill the right to dissent and to prevent unlawful restrictions. These rights are routinely misunderstood and increasingly violated with dissenters facing dire consequences including wrongful arrest, arbitrary imprisonment, displacement and death. Global Witness reports “2015 was the worst year on record for the killing of land and environmental defenders—people defending their land, forests and rivers,” with 185 land and environmental activists murdered in 17 countries. “The increasing number of killings of land and environmental defenders is symptomatic of wider trends that are undermining basic human rights and repressing civil society in many countries. More and more governments are introducing measures to restrict freedom of expression and association, and are attempting to choke off funding to civil society organisations.  There are increasing threats too from the criminalization of defenders – a tool used to silence dissent in Africa, Latin America and South East Asia.”

The Right to Dissent is intended to provide activists, human rights workers, police, public servants, corporate actors, government authorities, lawyers, judges and others with the knowledge and tools necessary to better ensure rights, protect the lives and liberty of activists, enable meaningful participation in public life and promote the rule of law through enhancing knowledge and awareness of international human rights law concerning the right to dissent.

Your copy of the Right to Dissent can be accessed or downloaded here. http://www.lrwc.org/the-right-to-dissent-international-law-obligations-to-respect-protect-and-fulfill-the-right-to-participate-in-public-affairs-by-engaging-in-criticism-opposition-and-dissent-advance-edition-for-co/

The Right to Dissent was researched and written by Lois Leslie BSocSc (Hons) LLB LLM, with editing assistance from Connor Bildfell BCom JD, and Gail
Davidson LLB. Layout and design by Christopher Gully.