Theoretical Approaches of the European Commission for Democracy Through Law (the Venice Commission) to the Assessment of Anti-Terrorism Legislation: international Legal Discourse and Implementation Problems

Abstract

The topic of the article is highly relevant due to the importance of basing the legislative regulation of counter-terrorism activities on international treaties in this sphere. Besides, the legislative regulation of counteracting terrorism should be developed in accordance with the current international law acts and should take into account international obligations that they entail. The authors believe that the improvement of counter-terrorism legislation is facilitated by the work of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (the Venice Commission), which conducts an expert evaluation of the national legislations of member states. The goal of this research is to analyze the current international law regulation in the sphere of counteracting terrorism and in identifying the specifics of its application by the Venice Commission in its assessment of national counter-terrorism legislations. The authors examine some issues connected with the work of the Venice Commission on preparing conclusions and recommendations that contain its assessment of the counter-terrorism legislation of a number of countries (the Republic of Moldova, the French Republic). They note the specifics of the work of the Venice Commission as a special auxiliary body of the Council of Europe that analyzes and assesses the legislative acts of member states based on the poly-functional guidelines of the Council of Europe. While assessing national legislations, the Venice Commission uses international law acts that contain, among other things, universally recognized principles and norms of international law, so the authors of the article show the significance of the international law regulation of counteracting terrorism through international treaties both between different countries and under the aegis of international organizations and integration unions; they also identify the problems connected with their implementation in national legislations. Based on the conducted research, the authors come to the following conclusions: the legislative regulation of counteracting terrorism should be amended with strict observance of the universally recognized principles and norms of international law incorporated, among other things, in international treaties; it is necessary to develop the international law regulation in the sphere of counteracting terrorism while taking into account new challenges and threats brought about by globalization and use the potential of international law instruments; international bodies play an important part in improving national counter-terrorism legislations, specifically, the Venice Commission, which, through its expert work, contributes to the development of legislation based on international legal acts.