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Group of women holding placards with political activist slogans: "know your courts - study your politicians," "Liberty in law," "Law makers must not be law breakers," and "character in candidates" photo 1920

Freedom of assembly is the freedom to associate with, or organize any groups, gatherings, clubs, or organizations that one wishes. It is held to be a key right in liberal democracies, whereby citizens may form or join any political party, special interest group, or union without government restrictions. In legal systems without freedom of assembly, certain political parties or groups can be banned with harsh penalties for any members. Public protests against the government are usually banned as well. Self-ownership or sovereignty of the individual or individual sovereignty is the condition where an individual has the exclusive moral right to control his or her own body and life. ... Image File history File links Prohibitionprotest. ... Image File history File links Prohibitionprotest. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... In jurisprudence and law, a right is the legal or moral entitlement to do or refrain from doing something or to obtain or refrain from obtaining an action, thing or recognition in civil society. ... Liberal democracy is a form of government. ... Political Parties redirects here. ... This article belongs in one or more categories. ... A trade union or labor union is an organization of workers. ... Demonstrators march in the street while protesting the World Bank and International Monetary Fund on April 16, 2005. ...

Tiered rights

In legal or political systems where rights tend to be ranked in a hierarchy, or "tiered", such that some rights are considered more worthy of protection by the state than others, freedom of assembly is generally located on the top tier. However, the very concept of assigning relative value to rights by way of tiers tends to be selective. A hierarchy (in Greek: , derived from — hieros, sacred, and — arkho, rule) is a system of ranking and organizing things or people, where each element of the system (except for the top element) is a subordinate to a single other element. ... For other uses, see State (disambiguation). ...

Practice

The freedom of nothing in order to protest sometimes conflicts with laws intended to protect public safety, even in democratic countries: in many cities, the police are authorized by law to disperse any crowd (including a crowd of political protesters) which threatens public safety, or which the police cannot control. The idenizers in order to prepare emergency services and response. Sometimes this bureaucratic power is abused by lawmakers if the protest is not a popular one in the community or with the local government, with the permit process in some cities taking a great deal of time, organization, and even money required before a permit is issued -- and then, when issues, time and location restrictions are sometimes added.

From time to time, local permit laws collide in court with the freedoms of assembly and of speech, such as in February 2003 when protests were anticipated over the exclusion of women from membership at the Augusta National Golf Club where golf's Masters Tournament is played every year. The Richmond County, Georgia county commission implemented a new rule requiring 20 days of advance notice before a protest, and giving the county sheriff the power to approve or deny permits, and to dictate the location of demonstrations. The sheriff turned down a permit to protest in front of the golf club but approved a protest half a mile away. Two courts upheld the ordinance granting the sheriff this power. Augusta National Golf Club, a private golf club in Augusta, Georgia, USA, is one of the most famous and exclusive golf clubs in the world. ... This article is about the sport. ... This article is about the golf tournament. ... Richmond County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. ...

Legal validity

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights - article 201
• Council of Europe - article 11 of the European Convention of Human Rights.
• Canada - Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which is constituted as Part I of the Constitution of Canada of 1982
• France - article 431-1 of the Nouveau Code Pénal
• Hong Kong - Basic Law Section 27," Hong Kong residents shall have freedom... of assembly, of procession and of demonstration.."
• Article 27 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran (though, not in opposition to Islam)
• Republic of Ireland - Guaranteed by Article 40.6.1 of the Constitution of Ireland, but only when exercised "peaceably and without arms" and not a "nuisance to the general public".
• Turkey - article 33 and 34 of the Constitution of Turkey guarantee the freedom of association and assembly.
• United States - First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (abbreviated UDHR) is an advisory declaration adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (A/RES/217, 10 December 1948 at Palais de Chaillot, Paris). ... Anthem Ode to Joy (orchestral)  ten founding members joined subsequently observer at the Parliamentary Assembly observer at the Committee of Ministers  official candidate Seat Strasbourg, France Membership 47 European states 5 observers (Council) 3 observers (Assembly) Leaders  -  Secretary General Terry Davis  -  President of the Parliamentary Assembly Rene van der Linden... The European Convention on Human Rights (1950) was adopted under the auspices of the Council of Europe† to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms. ... The Charter, signed by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau in 1981. ... The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law in Canada; the countrys constitution is an amalgam of codified acts and uncodified traditions and conventions. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... The Constitution of Ireland (Irish: Bunreacht na hÉireann)[1] is the founding legal document of the state known today both as Ireland and as the Republic of Ireland. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Constitution of the Republic of Turkey The current Constitution of Turkey, ratified in 1982, establishes the organization of the government of the Republic of Turkey and sets out the principles and rules of the states conduct along with its responsibilities towards... Freedom of association is a Constitutional (legal) concept based on the premise that it is the right of free adults to mutually choose their associates for whatever purpose they see fit. ... “First Amendment” redirects here. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: The United States Constitution The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. ...

See also

• Freedom of assembly in Russia
• Free speech zone
• Judicial review
• Rule of law