Human rights and the fight against terrorism - The Council of Europe Guidelines (2005)

Terrorism, or the threat of it, is a burden shared by most countries in the world.The Council of Europe believes that an effective fight against terrorism fully respecting human rights is possible.The guidelines affirm states'obligation to protect everyone against terrorism, and reiterate the need to avoid arbitrariness. They also stress that all measures taken by states to combat terrorism must be lawful,and that torture must be prohibited. The legal framework set out in the guidelines concerns, in particular, the collecting and processing of personal data, measures which interfere with privacy, arrest, police custody and pre-trial detention, legal proceedings, extradition and compensation of victims.The guidelines on the protection of victims of terrorist acts recognise the suffering endured by the victims and consider that they must be shown national and international solidarity and support. States are encouraged by these guidelines to provide to victims and, in appropriate circumstances, to their close family,an emergency and continuing assistance. In addition, the guidelines deal with key issues, such as the need for granting a fair and appropriate compensation to victims, facilitating their access to the law and to justice, as well as protecting their private and family life, their dignity and security.