AN ASSESSMENTOF THE IMPACT OF COUNTER TERRORISM ON NON DEROGABLE RIGHTS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW

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Author

Presented To

Department of Law

ABSTRACT
International Human Rights Law provides adequate safeguard and protection against Human Rights violation even in times of Public Emergency which threatens the life of a nation such as when a state faces the threat of continuous terrorist attack. On the other hand, the problem of terrorism which has gained notoriety since after the 9/11 attacks in America has impacted heavily on international law, particularly international Human Rights Law. This research thus addresses a few of these legal problems such as those relating to non-derogable rights, the Ticking Bomb Theory and the principle of state responsibility.To contextualize and analyze these problems properly in the light of the topic of research, this research identified some research problems such as; whether State Parties are justified in acting outside the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights especially the Article 4 which provides for the adequate safe guards and protection against human rights violations in times of public emergency which threatens the life of a nation; Whether also, the fear of imminent terrorist attacks or a credible terrorist plot can serve as a justification for the re introduction of torture as a permissible interrogative technique on certain hardened terrorists. This research examined the arguments relied upon by some states , particularly the US in justifying measures taken by them to combat terrorism outside the provisions of the International Human Rights Legal Framework. It also examined critically the Ticking Bomb theory and certain international conventions prohibiting the practice of torture as an interrogative tool with a view to determining the legality or otherwise of it. The research employed a doctrinal method of research throughout the entire work which include online resource materials, books journals, Newspapers Articles, Reports, Conference papers, Case laws and statutes both of which constitute primary and secondary sources of law. On the whole, this research found amongst other things that there is a lack of adequate international regulatory safeguards that is supposed to ensure proper oversight and control of military operations especially with respect to measures taken by states parties in combating terrorism. It also found that there is a lack of transparency in implementing counter terrorism measures amongst state parties, especially by the conspicuous ways state parties deliberately neglect or ignore the responsibility to investigate facts and allegations relating to human rights abuses in the course of enforcing counter terrorism measures. It was also discovered that the ticking bomb theory provided no valid justification for the selective use of torture in fighting and preventing terrorism. In the light of its findings, this research also thus recommended inter alia for the provision of a more effective and better monitoring structure and also a better regulatory safe guards and protection to ensure proper oversight and control of military operations of state parties and their Secret Service Agencies. It also recommended the promotion of transparency in implementing counter terrorism measures and the empowerment of international courts and quasi-judicial committees like the Human Rights Committee to ensure the proper enforcement of the accountability of states parties with respect to cases of Human Rights abuses. Lastly, it recommended an absolute ban on the use and practice of torture in line with the current standard of international law and the subsisting international human right mechanism.