statement of concern

Police restrict sound and stage truck at weekly Free Palestine rally

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MALS has raised serious concerns regarding Victoria Police's operational decision to impose harmful, unfair, and arbitrary restrictions on the right to freedom of assembly, and failing to consider and act compatibly with human rights protections provided by the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities.

MALS legal observers and protest organisers confirm that Victoria Police have begun placing restrictions on the use of a sound and stage truck that has been regularly and safely used without incident at Melbourne's weekly Free Palestine rallies since October 2023.

These restrictions also unduly affect Deaf rally attendees by restricting the visibility of Auslan interpreters and rally speakers.

Read our Statement of Concern, including recommendations at this link:

statement of concern

Discriminatory policing, excessive force & obstruction of LOs at pro-Palestine counter-rally

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MALS legal observers documented several incidents of discriminatory policing, excessive use of force, and obstruction of legal observers (LOs) at a pro-Palestine counter-rally in Melbourne on Sunday 19 May 2024.

Held in response to the Never Again Is Now event organised by a pro-Zionist Christian organisation, the counter-rally was met with discriminatory policing against pro-Palestine protesters, disproportionate mobilisation of hundreds of police officers from various units, and obstruction of LOs that stopped them documenting police misconduct and providing legal support information to arrestees.

Read our Statement of Concern, which provides recommendations to Victoria Police and other authorities to ensure the right to protest is upheld for all, at this link:

human rights research

Human right report finds Australia's civil liberties rating continues to drop

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Human Rights Measurement Initiative (HRMI) has found that a significant number of people in Australia do not enjoy democratic rights and civil liberties, with Indigenous people most affected.

HRMI's 2024 Rights Tracker assessed how well the Australian government respects four civil and political rights that strengthen democratic empowerment including freedom of assembly and association, freedom of opinion and expression, freedom to participate in government, and freedom of religion and belief.

With a below average performance compared to similar countries, Australia achieved an overall score 6.4 out of 10 on empowerment rights, with a drop in rating for three of the four rights assessed.

The report also identified the groups most at risk of having their civil and political rights violated in Australia are Indigenous people, refugees and asylum seekers, and people of particular ethnicities.

know your rights

Do you know what to say if a cop wants to talk to you?

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Do I have to talk to police if they talk to me? 

Is there such a thing as an ‘off the record’ conversation with police?

What can I say if I'm arrested and interviewed?

Talking to cops can be stressful, especially if you don't know what rights you have or what police can and can't do.

Check out our quick guide to what to say- and not say- when talking to cops.

human rights

Declaration+25 sets new international standards to protect human rights defenders

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Presented at the 56th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council last week, Declaration+25 comes 25 years after the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (HRDs).

The result of a year-long consultation with human rights organisations, lawyers, and over 700 human rights defenders from around the world, Declaration+25 includes calls for States to protect HRDs who defend the right to protest by:

• recognising, protecting, and respecting the rights to freedom of assembly and expression at national, regional, and international levels

• developing robust national legal frameworks grounded in international law to ensure safe and enabling environments that enable people to mobilise for positive change 

• repealing any laws, policies, or practices that stigmatise or criminalise HRDs or restrict the rights to freedoms of expression, assembly, and public participation

• protecting access to information and communication technologies and protecting against technology-related rights violations such as Internet shutdowns

mals membership

Get involved- become a member of MALS!

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MALS defends civil and political rights by training activists, creating and sharing resources on the right to protest in Victoria, training and fielding Legal Observers to monitor and report on police actions, and linking activists with supportive law firms and community legal centres.

Becoming a MALS member means you can contribute to shaping our campaigns, participate in planning and decision-making, join working groups, and help increase our impact as we protect the right to protest!