Summary

The Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination visited Austria from 21 to 29 June 2018. Pursuant to its mandate, the Working Group focused on the phenomenon of foreign fighters as mercenary-related actors and on the private security industry in the country. The Working Group notes that, among European countries, Austria had one of the highest per capita numbers of citizens who travelled abroad to major conflict zones in 2014 and 2015. The report addresses the motivational factors that prompted individuals to travel to conflict areas such as those in Iraq and the Syrian Arab Republic. The report also focuses on an immigration detention centre operated by a multinational private security company in Vordernberg and on the general framework regulating the private security industry. The Working Group makes recommendations to address issues concerning both foreign fighters and private security companies.