What are the general conditions for organising meetings, processions or pickets?
important All meetings, processions or pickets must be registered with the respective municipality in advance.
To register a meeting, procession or picket, the organiser of the event must submit an application to the local competent police department in which the event is to be held. You should submit the application for a public event no later than seven days before the start of the event. Peaceful gatherings and public protests should be reported no later than five days before the start of the event, and exceptionally for particularly justified reasons, you can submit the report no later than 48 hours before the start of the gathering. The law lists the requirements for the application and the procedure for its submission.
The law also lists exceptions for which notice need not be given.
After notice is given, the police may allow or conditionally allow the event to take place. It may also decide to prohibit it.
What human rights violation may there be?
If you are prohibited or held back from conducting a lawful meeting, procession or picket, your right to assembly or freedom of expression may have been violated.
Any restrictions on the freedom of assembly or freedom of expression must be prescribed by law, pursue a legitimate aim, and be necessary in a democratic society. If they fail to meet any one of these three requirements, such a restriction cannot be considered justified.
Read more about freedom of assembly and freedom of expression in this Guide.