Ref: 19/2008
Date: 18 June 2008
Sourani Participates in the Euro-Mediterranean Seminar on ensuring respect for human rights in the fight against terrorism in accordance with international law
Upon invitation from the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the European Commission, PCHR Director, Raji Sourani, attended the Euro-Mediterranean Seminar on ensuring respect for human rights in the fight against terrorism in accordance with international law in Prague on 16 and 17 June 2008.
The 2-day seminar included one plenary session and 4 workshops. Sourani moderated the first workshop on “Respect for Basic Principles” on the first day of the conference. It is noted that the conference enjoyed distinguished attendance that included influential governmental officials, civil society activists, and UN and EU experts.
In the first workshop, Sourani highlighted the overall situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and the Arab region as a whole. He talked about terrorism, affirming that governments cannot combat terrorism without respecting International Humanitarian Law. He pointed that violating International Humanitarian Law establishes for the rule of the jungle.
Sourani pointed that up till now there is no agreed upon international definition of terrorism, which allowed some governments to oppress civilians and violate International Humanitarian Law under the pretext of counter-terrorism. Sourani stated that there is a difference between peoples’ right to self-determination as established in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the right to resisting the occupation on the one hand, and terrorism on the other. He added that the lack of definition of terrorism resulted in mixing up between the right to self-determination and terrorism.
Sourani also stated that terrorism is not perpetrated by individuals and groups only, but also by governments that commit state-sponsored terrorism. He clearly pointed to Israeli policies against Palestinian civilians, and cited several key examples of this form of terrorism.
Sourani met several European officials and civil society activist from Europe and the Mediterranean during the conference.
