UN / COUNTERTERRORISM AND HUMAN RIGHTS

The Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism, Ben Saul, said, “wars on terror are back with a vengeance, along with their catastrophic humanitarian consequences.” UNIFEED

• Video Length: 00:01:31
• Production Date: 28 October 2024
• Asset Language: English
• Corporate Name: OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - OHCHR
• Subject Topical: HUMAN RIGHTS; TERRORISM; RULE OF LAW; HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
• Geographic Subject: PALESTINE; ISRAEL
• MAMS Id: 3292492
• Parent Id: 3292492
• Alternate Title: unifeed241028b

Description

STORY: UN / COUNTERTERRORISM AND HUMAN RIGHTS
TRT: 1:31
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 28 OCTOBER 2024, NEW YORK CITY / RECENT

Shotlist

FILE - NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, United Nations Headquarters

28 OCTOBER 2024, NEW YORK CITY

2. Various shots, press room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism:
“It feels like wars on terror are back with a vengeance, along with their catastrophic humanitarian consequences, including support for those wars by states which failed to use their influence to prevent violations of international law by other states.”
4. Med shot, reporters
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism:
“Over the past year, I've been concerned about excessive counter-terrorism laws in many countries which are misused against political activists, civil society, journalists, universities, students. Often combined with unfair trials and judiciaries which are not independent.”
6. Med shot, reporter
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism:
“We've called on all states not to provide weapons or munitions to Israel because that would breach the obligation of other states to ensure respect for humanitarian law. It would breach obligations under the Genocide Convention to prevent genocide, and it would breach for parties to the Arms Trade Treaty their obligations not to provide weapons to another state where they would be used to commit violations of international law.”
8. Wide shot, end of presser

Storyline

The Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism, Ben Saul, today (28 Oct) said, “wars on terror are back with a vengeance, along with their catastrophic humanitarian consequences.”

Saul, talking to reporters in New York after briefing the General Assembly’s 3rd committee, emphasized the “support for those wars by states which failed to use their influence to prevent violations of international law by other states.”

He said, “over the past year, I've been concerned about excessive counter-terrorism laws in many countries which are misused against political activists, civil society, journalists, universities, students. Often combined with unfair trials and judiciaries which are not independent.”

Responding to a reporter’s question, Saul said, “we've called on all states not to provide weapons or munitions to Israel because that would breach the obligation of other states to ensure respect for humanitarian law. It would breach obligations under the Genocide Convention to prevent genocide, and it would breach for parties to the Arms Trade Treaty their obligations not to provide weapons to another state where they would be used to commit violations of international law.”

Special Rapporteurs are part of the Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council and work on a voluntary basis. They are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent of any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.