National human rights institutions key to counter-terrorism measures in line with human rights, participants say at ODIHR event

National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) play an indispensable role in ensuring respect for and protection of human rights in the context of national security as counter-terrorism measures expand, often at the expense of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, participants said today at an event organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

Discussions focused on how counter-terrorism measures are often adopted through fast-track procedures and without adequate democratic and human rights oversight, in a growing securitization framework. NHRIs can be important actors in demanding greater transparency in the processes for adopting and implementing such measures, participants highlighted at the event held on the margins of the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference today.

"Securitization can have far-reaching implications for the rule of law and human rights, particularly where measures responding to perceived security threats risk limiting fundamental freedoms such as assembly, association, expression and privacy", said Alyson Kilpatrick, Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) and Member of the Board of the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI). "It is essential that States enable NHRIs to play a meaningful role in this area - in particular through access to information, participation in consultations and follow-up to their recommendations - to help ensure that security policies remain firmly grounded in human rights and the rule of law."

"Faced with the increasing number of anti-terrorism laws and measures, NHRIs need to regularly call on the authorities and warn the public about the human rights violations they cause. NHRIs must also confront the normalization of these measures", said Thomas Dumortier, Legal Advisor at the French NHRI National Consultative Commission on Human Rights.

NHRIs need more capacity, knowledge and resources to address the impact of securitization on respect for human rights, while cooperation is also essential. "As NHRIs that work on counter-terrorism issues are fighting an uphill battle, they have to cooperate closely with civil society organisations and international bodies to amplify the choir of human rights voices," emphasized Eric Töpfer, Senior Researcher and Policy Adviser at the German Institute for Human Rights.

ODIHR has been active for 20 years now in promoting a human rights-compliant approach to countering terrorism. The Office also supports NRHIs across the OSCE region as a key component of the national and international human rights protection system.