FIGHTING TERRORISM, AN INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENON WHICH THREATENS DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS AS WELL AS INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY AND WHICH HAMPERS DEVELOPMENT; MEASURES NEEDED ON THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVELS TO PREVENT ACTS OF TERRORISM

Resolution adopted by 1225 votes to 30, with 8 abstentions
by the 95th Inter-Parliamentary Conference
(Istanbul, 19 April 1996)

The 95th Inter-Parliamentary Conference,

Deeply disturbed by the pernicious effects of the rapid development of terrorist practices, by the attempts of terrorists in certain countries to impose their political, economic social and religious views through oppression and the threat or use of force against the democratically expressed will of the people, and by their obstruction of the establishment of internal security and stability by State authorities, which threatens international peace and security,

Stressing that the danger of terrorist acts is that they undermine the structures and institutions of society, thereby sowing political instability, weakening the ability of States to confront the problems of development and compromising both the foundations of the democratic system and the fundamental freedoms of citizens and their right to express their opinions, principles and beliefs,

Emphasizing that a further danger of terrorist acts is that such acts contravene all international instruments calling for respect and protection of human rights through legal means, in accordance, in particular, with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which proclaims the advent of a world in which human beings enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want as the highest aspiration of mankind as a whole,

Recognizing that terrorism is a complex phenomenon which stems inter alia from various political, economic and social factors. The refuge and/or support given by some countries or interests to terrorists enable them to carry out their operations with impunity, a factor which has become one of the most serious causes of terrorism,

Aware that absence of democracy, failure to respect human rights and refusal to settle disputes by peaceful means are decisive factors in the development of terrorism,

Underscoring the importance of confronting terrorism worldwide by political, economic and security measures, as well as through regional and international co-operation to eliminate its effects,

Considering that terrorism is often linked to crimes which have widespread effects on society, such as the illicit transfer of arms, drug trafficking and money laundering, and that it also causes the displacement of populations, which first and foremost affects women and children,

Recalling all the relevant international documents and instruments, including UN and IPU resolutions, relating to all forms of violence and terrorism, and in particular:

• The Convention on Offences and Certain Other Acts Committed On Board Aircraft (Tokyo Convention, 1963);
• The Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft (The Hague Convention, 1970);
• The Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Civil Aviation (Montreal Convention, 1971);
• The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Internationally Protected Persons, including Diplomatic Agents (1973);
• The International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages (1979);
• The Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (1980);
• The Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts of Violence at Airports Serving International Civil Aviation (1988);
• The Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation, With Related Protocol (1988);
• The Convention on the Marking of Plastic Explosives for the Purpose of Identification (1991);
• The Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (1949);

1. Strongly condemns all forms of terrorism;

2. Vigorously condemns, as human rights violations, all criminal attempts to assassinate or kidnap Heads of State or government and other officials and citizens, the rape of women as well as attacks on public and private establishments and embassies;

3. Urges the international community in the immediate term to strengthen its determination to fight terrorism, by consolidating and furthering democracy and by working towards the elaboration of an international convention capable of protecting the world against terrorism and providing for sanctions against any State which proves to be an accomplice or exporter of terrorism, which gives safe haven to and supports terrorists or enables them clandestinely to carry out their acts of terrorism on the territory of another State, and also providing for the extradition of terrorists who escape from their country of origin or for their prosecution in the country of their apprehension;

4. Considers that those charged with or convicted of terrorist crimes shall not be accorded any special status before the law, if their acts constitute a violation of accepted international norms and conventions, and that political motives shall not be accepted as a defense against extradition in such cases;

5. Believes that a significant number of transnational organized crimes are directly perpetrated by terrorist organizations, that it is necessary for the act of terrorism to be considered as a crime which requires terrorists to be extradited and handed over to the authorities of the affected country so that the latter may bring criminal proceedings against them or execute sentences passed on them, and that it is also necessary to implement the relevant recommendations of the IXth UN Congress on the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders, held in Cairo from 29 April to 8 May 1995;

6 Calls on all States which have not yet done so to become parties to the international conventions concerning the problem of terrorism, to harmonize their domestic legislation with the provisions of such conventions and to take all appropriate measures at the national level for the prompt elimination of terrorism once and for all;

7. Urges all States to co-operate, particularly by exchanging pertinent experiences and information on measures capable of preventing and combating terrorism, by concluding treaties on the extradition and prosecution of terrorists, by refusing to grant terrorists political asylum and by concluding relevant new international conventions;

8. Calls for the establishment of an international code of ethics to strengthen international co-operation in all fields in order to rid the world of terrorism;

9. Considers that the massacre of refugees in a camp under the protection of the United Nations constitutes an act of State terrorism;

10. Recommends that all States strengthen democracy, promote human rights and favour dialogue and negotiation in the settlement of both internal and international disputes, as a means of preventing terrorism.