The criminal law and its less restrained alternatives

Summary

Many societies instinctively and quickly reach for the criminal law as a response to terrorism. Th e first part of this chapter will explore the many dangers of relying on new and re-enforced criminal laws as the main response to terrorism. In the aftermath of 9/11, UN Security Council Resolution 1373 (2001) encouraged nations to enact new laws against terrorism without offering any guidance about how terrorism should be defined. The result was extremely broad definitions of terrorism that attempt to respond to the many vulnerabilities of modern society, but also blur the boundaries between terrorism and illegal, but non-violent, forms of dissent.

Keywords

Terrorism Human Rights

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