Photo: UN WEB TV
Intervention by the Nordic-Baltic States - Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden in the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association during the 80th Session of the Third Committee of the General Assembly
Delivered by Oļegs Iļģis, Deputy Permanent Representative of Latvia to the UN
New York, 16 October 2025
Madam Chair,
I speak on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic States.
We thank Madam Special Rapporteur for the report.
Threats to the freedom of peaceful assembly and of association by Governments show that civic spaces around the world are increasingly under pressure.
We are particularly concerned about the proliferation of so-called
“foreign-agent” laws and their dire consequences for civil society. As You, Madam Special Rapporteur, have mentioned in the report - by weaponizing these laws States have broadened restrictions and tightened control over civil society’s participation and access to resources. These laws are one of the tools used to systematically curtail human rights and fundamental freedoms and to stigmatize, silence, intimidate and dismantle civil society, with an emphasis on its underrepresented parts.
It is alarming that Governments are resorting to more intrusive and aggressive tactics to deliberately prevent and deter people from exercising their human rights. We are gravely concerned by the use of excessive force against peaceful protesters and their arbitrary arrests. States must respect their international obligations to the rights to peaceful assembly and association.
Madame Special Rapporteur, how can the international community help civil society organisations and human rights defenders to counter foreign agent laws?
I thank you!