Rocks, hard places and human rights: anti-terrorism law and policy in Arab states

Democratization Terrorism Human Rights

This chapter provides an overview of legislative developments in Arab states following the passage of Security Council Resolution 1373, focusing on definitions of ‘terrorism’ and ‘terrorist offences’. It considers the Arab Convention for the Suppression of Terrorism before proceeding to review the responses of a number of individual states. Moves at the beginning of the century towards political reform and the opening of public space for dissent and criticism are challenged by the exigencies of the ‘war on terror’. Certain practices in violation of human rights in Arab states have apparently been endorsed by the US alongside a stated policy focus on ‘democratization’ in the region.