A/HRC/16/51 I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted to the Human Rights Council pursuant to Council resolution 15/15. In the report, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism lists his activities from 1 August to 10 December 2010 and focuses thematically on 10 areas of best practice in countering terrorism. 2. With regard to upcoming country missions, the Special Rapporteur awaits dates or invitations for visits to Algeria, Chile, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, the Russian Federation and Thailand, and for a follow-up visit to Egypt. The Special Rapporteur has sent visit requests also to Burkina Faso and Nigeria, both partnering countries for the Integrated Assistance for Countering Terrorism initiative of the Counter-terrorism Implementation Task Force. Such fact-finding missions would also allow the Special Rapporteur to contribute to the identification of gaps in the implementation of pillar IV of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.1 II. Activities of the Special Rapporteur 3. On 9 September 2010, the Special Rapporteur participated in the 2010 review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy at the International Peace Institute in New York, where he was a panellist in a discussion organized by the Working Group on Protecting Human Rights while Countering Terrorism of the Counter-terrorism Implementation Task Force. 4. From 10 to 13 September, the Special Rapporteur conducted on-site consultations on the law and practice of Iceland in countering terrorism. He met with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and the national police, as well as with two judges of the Reykjavik District Court. The Special Rapporteur also visited the country’s largest prison, Litla-Hraun, and conducted confidential interviews with Icelandic and foreign prisoners. 5. On 16 and 17 September 2010, the Special Rapporteur convened the fifth expert panel meeting in support of his mandate at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy, to discuss thematic issues related to his mandate. The event was co-funded by the Åbo Akademi University Institute for Human Rights through its project to support the mandate of the Special Rapporteur. 6. From 25 to 28 October 2010, the Special Rapporteur was in New York to present his report (A/65/258) to the Third Committee of the General Assembly. The report focused on the question of compliance with human rights by the United Nations when countering terrorism. The Special Rapporteur had formal meetings with the Counter-Terrorism Committee and the Al Qaida and Taliban Sanctions Committee of the Security Council. He met with the Deputy Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations, the Deputy Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate, representatives of the Centre on Global Counterterrorism Cooperation and the Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. He attended a reception at the General Consulate of Finland and participated in a panel discussion on the Security Council and the rule of law, co-organized by the Permanent Mission of Austria to the United Nations and the Rule of 1 4 General Assembly resolution 60/288, annex.