A/HRC/30/64
28.
Policymakers increasingly recognized the important role that victims of terrorism
and their stories could play in efforts to counter violent extremism. UNODC integrated
programmes on victims of terrorism in its technical assistance to Member States.
Strengthening criminal justice responses to support victims enhanced the resilience of
States to counter terrorism and violent extremism.
29.
Developing the capacity of States to ensure rule of law-based responses to terrorism
was underscored as being the most important factor in preventing terrorism and violent
extremism. Several General Assembly and Security Council resolutions identified human
rights violations as major factors conducive to terrorism, including, to a significant extent,
human rights violations committed in the context of countering terrorism. There was often a
perception in United Nations forums that the right to security and the security of rights
were, by definition, limiting, if not in contradiction with one another. That is a totally faulty
perception because both concepts are complementary. There is no security if the right to
security of person is not properly recognized and protected. Likewise, there is no right to
security of person if the protection and security of all other rights are not ensured. The
Chief of Implementation Support Section III concluded by quoting the Secretary-General:
“Missiles may kill terrorists. But I am convinced that good governance is what will kill
terrorism.”6
IV. Summary of the discussion
30.
During the ensuing discussion, contributions were made by representatives of
Albania (on behalf of a group of States), Algeria, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, China, Cuba,
Denmark (on behalf of the Nordic States), Ecuador (on behalf of the Community of Latin
American and Caribbean States), Egypt, Estonia, Hungary (on behalf of a group of States),
India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Ireland, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Namibia, the
Netherlands, the Niger, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Switzerland (on behalf of a
group of States), the Syrian Arab Republic, the United States of America and Viet Nam, as
well as the Council of Europe, the European Union, the Holy See and the International
Organization of la Francophonie. Statements by Australia, Brazil, Fiji, Iraq, Lebanon,
Libya, Mauritania, Norway, the Russian Federation, South Africa, the Sudan and Tunisia
were not delivered owing to lack of time. Copies of their statements were, however, posted
on the Human Rights Council extranet.
31.
Representatives of the following national human rights institutions and NGOs also
took the floor: Human Rights Council of Morocco, Human Rights Watch (in a joint
statement with International Service for Human Rights and International Federation for
Human Rights Leagues), Al Salam Foundation, CIVICUS World Alliance for Citizen
Participation, Friends World Committee for Consultation (in a joint statement with
Amnesty International), Organization for Defending Victims of Violence, Arab
Commission for Human Rights and Amuta for NGO Responsibility.
A.
Effect of terrorism on the enjoyment of human rights
32.
Many delegates began their statements by offering condolences to the people of
Tunisia, France, Kuwait and Egypt, which had recently suffered terrorist attacks, and the
people of the Syrian Arab Republic, Iraq and Nigeria, who were victims of terrorist attacks
on an almost daily basis. Most delegates found that terrorism constituted a serious
6
8
See the Secretary-General’s remarks at the G7 working session on Terrorism, held at Schloss Elmau,
Germany, on 8 June 2015.
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