Countering Terrorism and the Right to a Fair Trial
The right to a fair trial, as set out in Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is a fundamental pillar of the rule of law. In the fight against terrorism, states have a duty to hold terrorists accountable for their crimes whilst upholding the obligation to respect due process in the administration of justice.
The right to a fair trial provides that ‘everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.’
At the core of Article 10 are the related but distinct principles of independence and impartiality. That is, courts should be free to operate without outside interference, and those accused should be judged solely on the evidence without fear or favour.
While Article 10 contains
STRIVE Juvenile Nigeria empowers Youth Peace Champions and community members to engage in intergenerational dialogue for peace
Since the emergence of Boko Haram and its affiliates in Nigeria, millions of people have been displaced and thousands of vulnerable children exposed to recruitment and victimization. This amounts to a massive humanitarian and developmental crisis in the North East region, especially in Borno State, the epicenter of the insurgency. However, even while families have been torn apart, livelihoods put on hold and peace destabilized, we have seen the power of resilience and concerted efforts from stakeholders to restore peace and reignite hope.
It is crucial that these efforts directly involve those who have been significantly affected by the ruinous activities of terrorist and violent extremist groups. Communities must be at the heart of designing interventions and driving positive change. A whole-of-society approach that prioritizes locally-built solutions is