At a two-day conference of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the ICJ called on the OSCE to take practical steps aimed at enhancing human rights compliance while countering terrorism.
The OSCE conference addressed the subject of Strengthening Regional Co-operation, Criminal Justice Institutions and Rule of Law Capacities to Prevent and Combat Terrorism and Radicalization that Leads to Terrorism and was held in Vienna, Austria, on 12 and 23 November 2012.
Addressing the aim of the conference to identify best practices, the ICJ’s Representative to the United Nations, Alex Conte, spoke on trends in national legislative responses to the countering of terrorism, specifically concerning compliance with the rule of law and human rights and the combating of conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism and to radicalization. He recommended that the OSCE:
- Continue with its encouragement of participating states to ratify and implement the universal terrorism-related conventions, including the four most recent conventions, as well as any international human rights treaties to which they are not yet parties.
- In doing so, pick up on the best practices identified by the former UN Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism with a view to ensuring that domestic implementing legislation is in compliance with, and is applied in a manner consistent with, human rights and the rule of law, in order to avoid laws and practices that might create conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism and to radicalization.
- Organise structured workshops for judges and the legal profession, including with reference to the best practices mentioned.
- Establish mechanisms through which participating states can be assisted in undertaking a review of new and existing implementing legislation
OSCEConference-CounterTerrorismAndROL-Agenda (download conference agenda in PDF)
