To see more statements, search all statements relating to terrorism in the media center.
2025
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul, “Gaza Amendments to Israel’s “Unlawful Combatants Law” are Inconsistent with International Law”, first published in Opinio Juris
Geneva
8 April 2025
Statement by the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism, Ben Saul, "Australian Compensation for War Crimes in Afghanistan: A Rights-Based Approach, Not Military Charity, is Needed"
Geneva
14 March 2025
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul, “More Rights, Less Terror: Marking the 20th Anniversary of the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism”, Side event on the margins of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council
Geneva
14 March 2025
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul, “Dialogue on Independent Civil Society Engagement in Counter Terrorism: The Role of Regional Organizations”, Side event on the margins of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council
Geneva
13 March 2025
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul, “Conference on National and Regional Counter-Terrorism Strategies Malta”, Side event on the margins of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council
Geneva
12-13 March 2025
Side-event on the margins of the HRC 58, "More Rights, Less Terror: Marking the 20th Anniversary of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism"
Geneva
14 March 2025
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul, “Press Conference on Gaza”, Side event on the margins of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council
Geneva
12 March 2025
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul, “Preventing and Suppressing Nuclear Terrorism while Respecting Human Rights”, Side event on the margins of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council
Geneva
12 March 2025
Statement of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul, at the 58th session of the Human Rights Council
Geneva
11 March 2025
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul, "The Abuse of Counter-Terrorism: Trends in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)", Side event on the margins of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council
Geneva
10 March 2025
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul, “Securing the Legacy: Debriefing from Paris 2024 for Future Major Sporting Events”
New York
5 march 2025
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul, “Key United Nations Counter-terrorism Activities and Achievements in 2024”, UNOCT Ambassadorial-level Briefing to Member States
New York
4 march 2025
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul, "G7 Dialogue on Transnational Repression: Turning Collective Experiences into Actionable Solution"
G7 2025, Ottawa
26 February 2025
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur on the Council of Europe's Proposed Definition of Terrorism
18 February 2025
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul, “The Pact for the Future and the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact: Strengthening Policy Interventions and Building Member State Capacities to Prevent and Counter Terrorism”, Eleventh Meeting of the Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact Committee
New York
5 February 2025
2024
Thanks and Acknowledgments
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul, “Transnational Repression in the MENA: The Role of Regional Organizations in Counter-terrorism”
United Nations Headquarters, New York
30 October 2024
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul, “Weaponising Counter-Terrorism and National Security to Imprison MENA Human Rights Defenders”
The Church Center, 777 UN Plaza, 11th Floor
29 October 2024
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul, “Oversight and Accountability in Counter-Terrorism: Lessons from Regional Experiences in Africa and the Americas”, Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations
New York
28 October 2024
Opening Statement by the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism, Ben Saul, to the Third Committee of the General Assembly
28 October 2024
Statement by the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism, Ben Saul, “Anniversary of the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel”
7 October 2024
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul, “Five Years On – Arbitrary Detentions of ISIS-affiliated Individuals in North-East Syria and the Responsibility of OSCE participating States for the Repatriation of their Nationals”, OSCE Warsaw Human Dimension Conference, Side Event organized by Reprieve and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
2 October 2024
Summary of Keynote Presentations at Recent Events
26 September 2024
Statement by the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Ben Saul - “Pact for the Future” must reinvigorate real-world respect for human rights while countering terrorism
24 September 2024
Opening Keynote Address of the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism, Ben Saul T.M.C. Asser Institute (University of Amsterdam) and International Centre for Counter-Terrorism – Advanced Summer Programme on Countering Terrorism
27 August 2024
Statement by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism, Ben Saul Human Rights Assessment of the Draft United Nations Cybercrime Convention
25 July 2024
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism, Ben Saul, Event on The Trial of Jimmy Lai, Media Freedom and Democracy in Hong Kong, The Sydney Peace Foundation at The University of Sydney
28 June 2024
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul at the Award of the 2024 Sydney Peace Prize to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, Sydney Town Hall
18 June 2024
Keynote Address of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul to the International, Fair Trial Day Conference, International Bar Association Human Rights Institute and the University of the Philippines College of Law, Session 2: Targeting Lawyers, Journalists, Activists, Civil Society Organizations and Other Human Rights Defenders in the Context of Counter-terrorism, Manila
14 June 2024
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul at the First National Inter-Agency Workshop, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Countering Foreign Terrorist Fighters: Global Programme on Preventing and Countering Terrorism, Session 3: Rule of Law and Human Rights-based Approaches in FTF Investigations, Dar Es Salaam
11-13 June 2024
Keynote Address of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul at the Pan-African Human Rights and Social Justice Conference on Human Rights and Counter-terrorism, Nairobi
9 June 2024
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul at the United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee, Open Briefing on “Criminalization of Terrorist Offences and Strengthening of International Cooperation in Bringing Terrorists to Justice”, United Nations Headquarters, New York
6 June 2024
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul at the Launch of the Scoping Study on Independent Civil Society – United Nations Counter-terrorism Engagement, United Nations Headquarters, New York
29 May 2024
Opening Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul at the International Conference on the Investigation and Prosecution of Terrorism Offences Committed in the Context of Armed Conflict, Council of Europe Committee on Counter-Terrorism, Strasbourg
15 May 2024
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (33rd Session), Item 6(c), Vienna
15 May 2024
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul, at the Global Counter-terrorism Forum, Border Security Management (BSM) Initiative Workshop: Approaches to Border Security and Management – Best Practices in Responding to Transnational Strategic Cross-Border Security Issues
17 April 2024
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur on human rights and counterterrorism, Ben Saul, at the Open Briefing to Australian Parliamentarians, hosted by the Parliamentary Friends of Amnesty International
17 April 2024
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur on human rights and counterterrorism, Ben Saul, at the side event “Five Years after the territorial defeat of Da’esh/ISIL: Ending violations against children in northeast Syria”
20 March 2024
Statement of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul, at the 55th session of the Human Rights Council
12 March 2024
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights, Ben Saul, Briefing for United Kingdom Parliamentarians on Arms Transfer to Israel in the Gaza Conflict
12 March 2024
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul, GCTF Transregional Meeting on Oversight and Accountability in Counter-Terrorism Initiative, Nairobi
26 February 2024
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Ben Saul, at the Tenth UN Global Counter-Terrorism Compact Coordination Committee Meeting on Strategic Coordination of Counter-Terrorism Initiatives in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities
24-25 January 2024
2023
Statement by the Special Rapporteur on Counter-terrorism and Human Rights at the UNODC commemorative event entitled: "Mainstreaming Human Rights into Criminal Justice Responses to Terrorism" held on the margins of the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
11 December 2023
Statement of the Special Rapporteur on the Development, Use and Transfer of Commercial Spyware
17 October 2023
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, at the Arria Formula Meeting on “Enhancing the capacities of Member States to ensure a gender-responsive approach to counter-terrorism”.
UN Headquarters, 26 June 2023
Statement by the Special Rapporteur at the CT PHARE – Platform for Human Rights Engagement Expert group meeting on “Human rights issues while countering terrorism” (hosted by IIJ), Malta.
21-22 March 2023
2022
Statement by the Special Rapporteur at the OSCE Regional Expert Workshop in Central Asia on the Protection of Vulnerable Targets Against Terrorist Attacks, Tashkent, 16-18 November 2022
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, at the UNSC Counter-Terrorism Committee Special Meeting, Delhi, 25 October 2022
Remarks by the Special Rapporteur at the High-Level Launch of UNODC’s Global Programme on Preventing and Countering Terrorism, 24 October 2022
Statement of the Special Rapporteur at the 49th session of the Human Rights Council, 15 March 2022
Statement by the Special Rapporteur at the HRC49 Side Event “Terrorizing Human Rights Defenders: Counter-Terrorism as a Tool of Repression in the MENA Region” (Hosted by the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies), 10 March 2022
2021
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur at the Informal Counter-Terrorism Committee convening hosted by Tunisia, 16 December 2021.
Statement of the Special Rapporteur at the 76th session of General Assembly, 13 October 2021.
The Human Rights Situation in Afghanistan & Victims of Terrorism: Accountability to Safeguard the Rights of Victims of Terrorism and Human Rights Defenders, 6 July 2021, Closing remarks and joint Statement by Special Procedures.
Statement by the Special Rapporteur at the Side-Event "Upholding human rights and promoting gender responsiveness while countering terrorism in the age of transformative technologies", 29 June 2021
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Fionnuala Ní Aoláin at the Side-Event "The importance of model legal provisions to develop and strengthen comprehensive national assistance plans for victims of terrorism", 25 June 2021
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur at the International Expert Group Meeting on the Protection of Vulnerable Targets and Unmanned Aircraft Systems. 6-7 October 2021
2020
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur Fionnuala Ní Aoláin at the UNOCT-UNCCT Virtual Roundtable of Counter-Terrorism and Countering PCVE Entities, 8 – 10 December 2020
Statement by the Special Rapporteur at the Virtual open briefing of the Counter-Terrorism Committee on "The role of judges, prosecutors and defence counsel in bringing terrorists to justice, including the effective use of battlefield or military-collected evidence", 12 November 2020
SRCT statement at the GCTF Initiative on Ensuring the Effective Implementation of Countering the Financing of Terrorism Measures while Safeguarding Civic Space, 13 October 2020.
SRCT intervention at ODIHR Expert consultation on human rights challenges related to information gathering and sharing and new technologies in border management in the counter-terrorism and freedom of movement context, June 2020.
Remarks of the SR on human rights and countering terrorism at the UNOCT 2020 Virtual Counter-Terrorism Week, 9 July 2020
Statement on repatriation and prosecution of foreign fighters and their families, Joint Regional High-level Conference convened by the OSCE, UNOCT and Switzerland, in cooperation with the Albanian OSCE Chairmanship on “Foreign Terrorist Fighters – Addressing Current Challenges” (11-12 February 2020).
Statement of the Special Rapporteur at the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council, 4 March 2020.
2019
Remarks at the Council on Foreign Relations Gender, Human Rights and Counter-Terrorism, Friday January 11th, 2019 by Fionnuala Ní Aoláin
Joint Statement on Human Rights and Humanitarian Concerns Related to Conflict Affected Women and Children in Syria and Iraq, 11 November 2019
Statement of the Special Rapporteur at the 7th World Congress against death penalty, February 2019.
Statement of the Special Rapporteur at the Launch the ICJ Report “Human Rights of Victims of Terrorism: A Compilation of Selected International Sources”, December 2019.
Joint UN – Hungary Regional conference for Central Europe on prevention of radicalization to terrorism (Budapest)
Remarks of the Special Rapporteur to the Open Briefing of the Counter-Terrorism Committee on “Integrating Gender into the work of the Committee and CTED”
Statement of the Special Rapporteur Ms. Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, at the 74nd session of the General Assembly, 16 October 2019, New York.
Special Rapporteur’s Position for the Expert Consultation on Returning ‘Foreign Fighters’ and Their Families to Europe, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, 25 September 2019, Paris
Statement of the Special Rapporteur Ms. Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, at the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum, 23 September 2019, New York.
2014
Special Rapporteur's statement to the 69th session of the General Assembly, 23 October 2014
Special Rapporteur's statement to the 25th session of the Human Rights Council, 11 March 2014
2013
Special Rapporteur’s statement to the 68th session of the General Assembly, 25 October 2013
Special Rapporteur’s statement to the 22nd session of the Human Rights Council, 5 March 2013
2012
Special Rapporteur’s statement to the 67th session of the General Assembly, 2 November 2012
Special Rapporteur’s statement to the 20th session of the Human Rights Council, 20 June 2012
2011
Statement by the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism at the 66th session of the General Assembly, 20 October 2011
Intervention by Ben Emmerson, Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, 19 September 2011
Special Rapporteur’s statement to the 17th session of the Human Rights Council – Panel discussion on the issue of the human rights of victims of terrorism, 1 June 2011
Special Rapporteur’s statement to the 16th session of the Human Rights Council - Panel discussion on the issue of human rights in the context of action taken to address terrorist hostage taking, 11 March 2011
Special Rapporteur’s statement to the 16th session of the Human Rights Council, 7 March 2011
2010
Special Rapporteur’s statement to the 65th session of the General Assembly, 26 October 2010
Special Rapporteur’s statement to the 14th session of the Human Rights Council, 1 June 2010
Special Rapporteur’s statement to the 13th session of the Human Rights Council, 8 March 2010
2009
Special Rapporteur's statement to the 64th session of the General Assembly, 26 October 2009
Special Rapporteur's statement to the tenth session of the Human Rights Council, 10 March 2009
2008
Special Rapporteur's statement to the 63rd session of the General Assembly, 22 October 2008
2007
Special Rapporteur's statement to the sixth resumed session of the Human Rights Council on the review of the mandate, 13 December 2007
Special Rapporteur's statement to the sixth resumed session of the Human Rights Council on his reports, 12 December 2007
Special Rapporteur's statement to the fourth session of the Human Rights Council, 26 March 2007
Special Rapporteur's statement to the 62nd session of the General Assembly , 29 October 2007
2006
Special Rapporteur's statement to the 61st session of the General Assembly, 25 October 2006
Special Rapporteur’s statement to the 2nd session of the Human Rights Council, 25 September 2006
2005
Special Rapporteur's statement to the 60th session of the General Assembly, 26 October 2005
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