Terrorist Profiling and the Importance of a Proactive Approach to Human Rights Protection

24 Pages Posted: 18 Dec 2006

See all articles by Daniel Moeckli

Daniel Moeckli

University of Zurich, School of Law

Date Written: December 16, 2006

Abstract

In the post-9/11 and 7/7 world, law enforcement agencies are increasingly relying on terrorist profiles that are based on stereotypical group characteristics such as religion, race, ethnicity and national origin to single out persons for enhanced scrutiny. The purpose of this paper is, first, to examine whether this law enforcement method is compatible with international human rights standards and, second, to tentatively sketch some possible strategies of ensuring that law enforcement officers comply with these standards when engaging in anti-terrorism efforts. To do this, the paper looks at the police tactics employed after September 11 in three Western democracies: the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany.

Keywords: Terrorism, human rights, racial profiling, law enforcement, discrimination

JEL Classification: K14, K33, K42

Suggested Citation

Moeckli, Daniel, Terrorist Profiling and the Importance of a Proactive Approach to Human Rights Protection (December 16, 2006). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=952163 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.952163

Daniel Moeckli (Contact Author)

University of Zurich, School of Law ( email )

Raemistrasse 74/50
CH-8001 Zurich
Switzerland

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