EDRi's input on violent extremism for UN Human Rights Commissioner
| 23 Mar 2016: posted by the editor - Human Rights | |
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By Maryant Fernández Pérez, EDRi In this context, the United Nations (UN) Resolution 30/15 asked the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to issue “a report on the best practices and lessons learned” to show how human rights protection and promotion contribute to prevent and counter violent extremism. On 18 March, EDRi responded to UN Commissioner for Human Rights' call for input. Our response to the High Commissioner's consultation follows a joint open letter to the Commissioner and a joint submission for the UN Human Rights Council that EDRi co-signed on 4 February 2016. First, we highlight the lack of accuracy, misuse and confusion between and of the concepts of “terrorism” and “violent extremism”. Secondly, EDRi provides input regarding the threat that counter-terrorism measures is having vis-à-vis our human rights and fundamental freedoms, such as the human right to privacy and the fundamental right to data protection and freedom of expression. Thirdly, we bring to the attention of the Commissioner the coercion exerted by certain states of private entities without any accountability, international human rights safeguards or respect of the rule of law. In light of the problems highlighted above, EDRi recommended the Commissioner to follow the recommendations that EDRi-member Article 19 had already outlined. Stakeholders are invited to provide input to the UN Commissioner for Human Rights and his office by 11 April 2016.
Tags: Violent extremism, terrorism, UN |
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