Terrorism and Human Rights

Abstract

Every human being is held entitled for human rights on the basis of simple characteristic of human being, and the same concept has also been recognized under the framework of international law in the shape of major human rights law instruments. Some of the human rights are even inalienable and non-derogable even in cases when some of them can be derogated under the need of the time. Terrorism being a great threat and violation of human rights is not disputed but protection of these rights during counter terrorism operations is also most relevant and requires discussion, because various abuses have been reported in the recent history regarding the violations of human rights during the conduct of counter terrorism operations and abuse of process on the pretext of counter terrorism measures. It has also been observed by the international bodies and organizations that the violations committed during counter terrorism operations are as much serious in nature as the acts of terrorism themselves and make no difference between the acts of terrorists and those who claim to be acting against them for elimination of the same. Some of the main reasons behind the violations of human rights are that the definition of terrorism itself has not been agreed upon among the states of the World claiming to be the eliminators of terrorism, and the same is due to the personal interests of the states and particularly the powerful states, because terrorists of one state or nation may be the heroes and freedom fighters of the other, and the freedom fighters of one may be the terrorists for the other one. On the basis of this reason, most of the times powerful states succeed to get control over the insurgents and use their own measures and parameters for the use of force, collateral damage, and principles of necessity which cause apprehension for the violations of human rights.