The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has adopted new guidelines aimed at enhancing the prosecution of violent extremism conducive to terrorism. These guidelines, developed by the Committee on Counter-Terrorism (CDCT), provide strategies for prosecuting violent far-right, far-left, and other sympathisers under terrorism charges.
The guidelines focus on various stages of prosecution, including investigation, charging, and the ways of proving the elements of terrorist offences. They stress the need for criminal justice authorities to understand how these groups operate, particularly their flexible structures and the distinctive operational strategies.
Key aspects of the guidelines include investigation techniques which include surveillance and financial investigations, cross-border co-operation and collaboration between agencies, and prevention of ‘radicalisation’, especially in prisons.
The text reaffirms the importance of combating terrorism and violent extremism in line with human rights standards, as guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights.
Read the full summary on the Council of Europe website.
Related…
Human Rights and the Globalization of Counter-Extremism (Report, 2016)
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