IHL Talks: The impact of counter-terrorism laws and policies on IHL and humanitarian action

Thursday 26 January I 13:00-14:00
Villa Moynier (120B rue de Lausanne) I Geneva

Counter-terrorism is a major concern of many governments today. Since 9/11 and more recently after the attacks in Belgium, France, Germany, Lebanon, Tunisia or Turkey, states have adopted new counter-terrorism measures and legislation intended to address the threat of terrorism. The steps taken are diverse, ranging from surveillance to emergency legislation as well as the use military force against designated terrorist groups abroad. In some instances, more restrictive conditions of financing and the risk of criminal sanctions in cases of ‘material support’ to listed terrorist organizations – a notion which has been broadly interpreted by US case law- have impacted the implementation of certain IHL rules as well as humanitarian assistance. This has reduced the scope of action of humanitarian agencies and NGOs. In that context, this third IHL Talk will discuss the legal regime governing terrorism, in particular how IHL addresses acts of terrorism and what is the relationship with other international treaties. More generally, experts will discuss the legal and operational challenges counter-terrorism has created for IHL and humanitarian action.

Keynote speaker

Ambassador Valentin Zellweger, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations and the other international organisations in Geneva

Moderation

Gunilla von Hall, Foreign correspondent in Geneva for the Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet

Panelists

Sandra Krähenmann, Research Fellow, Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights
Carla Ruta, Legal Adviser, Geneva Call

About the IHL Talks

The IHL Talks are a new series of events, hosted by the Geneva Academy, on international humanitarian law and current humanitarian topics. Every two months at lunchtime, academic experts, practitioners, policy makers and journalists discuss burning humanitarian issues and their regulation under international law.