FREEDOM OF PUBLIC ASSEMBLY BETWEEN POLITICS AND INTERNATIONAL LAW

Abstract

There is presented the anlysis of the obstacles for realisation of freedom of peaceful assembly in the Eastern European countries, new members of the EU. The obstacles and probems still exist differently to many decades long tradition of peaceful gay pride parades in countries of Western Europe. There are presented the pride parades of the 2008 in cities and countries were this is just a cultural manifestation and touristic attraction held on the treets and squares during summer times. The presentation is as by the contrast, confronted by simultaneous events in cities and countries where such events regularly cause incidents, bans and even street violence. There is presented also among text’s conslusions, the ending remarcks of the Council of Europe Congress of European local and regional authorities organised on the topic freedom of public assembly as belonging to everybody. The Congress also adopted the „Resolution of freedom of assembly and expression for lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender persons”. By those documents is expressed strong condemnation of gay pride parades bans. It reminds also on the duties of local authorities in the whole Europe to secure freedom of public assembly and expression for the LGBT population without discrimination. The text also comprises presentation of the Amnesty International documents issued during the 2008 where the freedom of assembly is highlighted as one of the fundamental inheritance of modern democracy.