A/HRC/30/64
47.
With reference to the impact of counter-terrorism measures on international
humanitarian law, one delegate stated that the Government had paid a colossal price for the
ongoing war on terrorism, and deemed that all States were responsible for avoiding
casualties of non-combatants or “collateral damage”. The delegate stated that it was vital to
ensure respect for the rule of law and due process of law and to avoid illegal practices such
as torture, incommunicado detention and extrajudicial killings.
48.
Participants noted that, although terrorist acts jeopardized peace and security and
threatened social and economic development, the option of launching wars in the name of
countering terrorism must be meticulously considered. The so-called “war on terrorism”
had fostered an ideology of fear and repression that ultimately created enemies and
promoted violence. Also, some Governments used terrorism as an excuse to subvert
political opponents.
49.
The international community and States should do more to strengthen education,
training, awareness-raising and development because they were important bulwarks against
isolation, disenchantment and radicalization of youth. With regard to ensuring that counterterrorism measures respected human rights, the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task
Force Office had developed basic human rights reference guides and specific modules to
build the capacity of law enforcement bodies. The Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task
Force Office worked with a wide range of national and regional partners, most recently the
African Union, to ensure their compliance with the United Nations Global CounterTerrorism Strategy. It conducted training for police, worked with partners to combat the
financing of terrorism and collaborated with national actors to find ways to build trust
between civil society actors and the security establishment. However, such capacitybuilding interventions threatened to be undermined by the corrosion of State legitimacy that
occurs when a State undertakes counter-terrorism measures that disrespect due process.
50.
Several delegates referred to the need to tackle the root causes of terrorism,
including by preventing the spread of violent extremism through different media. One
delegate’s Government had engaged in preventive actions against terrorism, published a list
of wanted persons, worked with international organizations to bring perpetrators of
terrorism to justice, created a rehabilitation centre to provide intellectual rehabilitation for
former terrorists and provided significant financial support to an international counterterrorism centre in 2005. The delegate stated that international efforts should focus on three
vital dimensions: prevention, deterrence and security, and policymaking.
51.
Member States highlighted the need for more global coordination. Regarding
coordination efforts, one delegate’s Government had coordinated with counter-terrorism
and judicial practitioners worldwide, including at the International Centre for CounterTerrorism, in the Netherlands, and the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of
Law, in Malta; another delegate stressed that success in the fight against terrorism went
hand in hand with progress in strengthening cooperation and exchange of information at the
international, regional and subregional levels and it had worked as part of the global
initiatives against international terrorism.
V. Conclusions
52.
In their concluding remarks, the panellists highlighted the enduring value of
the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which remains of core
relevance almost 10 years after its adoption. While the fourth pillar of the Strategy
specifically focuses on human rights, it was emphasized that the entire Strategy rests
on human rights principles. Respect for those principles is a prerequisite to any
effective counter-terrorism response. Measures taken in breach of these principles
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