The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner, held a hybrid high-level side event on the margins of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, on 12 March 2025.
The event, titled Preventing and Suppressing Nuclear Terrorism while Respecting Human Rights, highlighted the importance of integrating the respect for human rights in the fight against terrorism, including nuclear terrorism.
The side event discussed the human rights protections embedded in the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT), the additional human rights norms applicable to ICSANT, and implications for national counter-terrorism frameworks.
Featuring the participation of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Prof. Ben Saul, the event brought together, both in-person and online, close to 200 representatives from States, intergovernmental organizations and civil society organizations, fostering an essential dialogue on ICSANT and ensuring that States parties’ obligations are implemented in accordance with international law and with due respect for human rights.
High-level representatives from UNOCT, UNODC, and the European Union addressed the opening session.
In his video message, Mr. John Brandolino, Director of the Division for Treaty Affairs of UNODC, insisted that “effective counterterrorism measures and the protection of human rights are not conflicting goals, but complementary and mutually reinforcing.”
Mr. Steven Siqueira, Deputy Director of the UN Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) of UNOCT, reminded that “the fight against nuclear terrorism requires multilateral collaboration, strong political will, and a unified commitment to both security and human rights.”
Ms. Friederike Tschampa, Head of Human Rights Section, Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, stressed that “effective counterterrorism strategies strengthen civil society and do not weaken nor target it.”
While elaborating on ICSANT’s provisions, Prof. Ben Saul highlighted that “all [counterterrorism] instruments must be interpreted consistently with State parties’ existing international law obligations under human rights law, humanitarian law, and refugee law.” He also underlined that the fair treatment provision in Article 12 of the Convention ensures that any person taken into custody under this Convention is treated in accordance with fundamental international human rights standards.
Background
The event was conducted within the framework of the European Union and the United Nations joint project on Promoting Universalization and Effective Implementation of ICSANT. The project, funded by the European Union and implemented jointly by UNOCT and UNODC, supports the universalization and effective implementation of the Convention.
ICSANT was adopted in 2005 by consensus by the United Nations General Assembly. It entered into force in 2007 and, as of March 2025, has 127 States parties.
In December 2023, the General Assembly reiterated its concern about the growing risk of linkages between terrorism and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) (A/RES/78/43). In particular, the General Assembly recognized that terrorists may seek to acquire WMD and appealed to all Member States to consider adherence to ICSANT while encouraging States parties to review their implementation.
