The Global Fight Against Terrorism and its Perpetrators: ...Correcting a 'Wrong' by a 'Wrongful' Means?

Abstract

Since the ugly attack on the United States on the 11th of September, 2001, the global community has understood clearly that the issue of terrorism and terrorists is indeed a major threat to global peace and stability. The former Secretary-General of the United Nations; Kofi Annan, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and others in the UN system have emphasized that while taking measures to counter terrorism, human rights norms must be rigorously respected. There is no doubt however that measures taken by countries in combating terrorism have become a license for disregard of human rights. The aim of this report therefore is to briefly examine how the fight against terrorism affects human rights, in particular, on issues like targeted killing, arrest and detention of prisoners abroad, adoption of national laws limiting human rights in case of allegations of terrorism, the use of torture and inhumane treatment as well as on refugee and asylum law.

Keywords: Terrorism, Human Rights, Targetted killing, Arrest and Detention of Prisoners Abroad, Torture, Refugee and Asylum Law