Day Two - Session 4: Parallel breakout sessions - Protecting the rights of victims of terrorism

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Session 4: Parallel breakout sessions - Protecting the rights of victims of terrorism

10:55?- 11:55

Victims of terrorism and their families have rights related to remedy and reparation that are articulated in international human rights and humanitarian law, regional standards, and domestic legislation. As such, the General Assembly has emphasized Member States’ commitments to those rights, particularly in resolution 73/305. This session gave an overview on the status of the protection and promotion of the rights of victims of terrorism, progress made in recent years by Member States and the international community, and existing challenges.

Breakout session 4 A: Protecting the right to privacy of victims of terrorism

Quick Links: Session and Statements | Speakers | Survey

Breakout session 4 B: Protecting against threats to physical and psychological integrity

Quick Links: Session and Statements | Speakers | Survey

Breakout session 4 A: Protecting the right to privacy of victims of terrorism

11:00 - 11:55

Room: CR.4

Reporting and information-sharing on terrorist attacks, including by authorities, the media, as well as social media platforms have a profound impact on victims’ right to privacy, and may lead to additional trauma or even exploitation. The victims’ right to privacy may be limited in the interest of satisfying the public’s right to receive accurate information in the aftermath of a terrorist attack, but only to the narrowest extent that it is necessary. Media exposure of victims can create a platform for public discussions, how to further support victims, and “humanise” those who have been affected by terrorism, as well as for the mobilization of popular support of victims. It can also have a positive role in supporting victims’ right to be recognized as such, including the right to truth and information. However, in the immediate aftermath of a terrorist attack, victims often face overwhelming attention from both the general public and the media which can lead to breaches of privacy of the victims and their families which can have a profound impact on their long-term well-being. This session discussed how to protect the right to privacy of victims of terrorism while ensuring the rights to freedom of expression and access to information of public interest. It also looked at the roles of the State and of the media in protecting privacy and consider broader digital protection issues for victims of terrorism in an age of social media.

Session and Statements for Breakout session 4 A

Time	Sessions
Friday, 09 September 11:00 – 11:55	Moderator: Dr. Ilia Siatitsa, Programme Director and Senior Legal Officer, Privacy International Panelists: Ms. Figen Murray, Director, Survivors Against Terrorism and victim of terrorism, United Kingdom? Ms. Nidhi Chaphekar, victim of terrorism, India Mr. Nicholas Rasmussen, Executive Director, Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism Mr. Dapo Olorunyomi, Chief Executive, Nigeria Premium Times, Nigeria Questions and Observations from the floor Interventions Mr. Jorge Nelson Amado Monteiro, Commander of the Special Police Unit of the National Police of Timor-Leste and Superintendent and Commander of Criminal Investigation of the National Police of Timor-Leste Mr. Rio Hada, Chief, Equality, development, and rule of law section, Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights Mr. Mark Wallace, Co-founder of Sarz Sanctuary and victim of terrorism, Australia

Breakout session 4 B: Protecting against threats to physical and psychological integrity

10:55 - 11:50

Room: CR.1

In order to fulfil their obligations under human rights law to protect the life and security of individuals under their jurisdiction, States have both a right and a duty to take effective counter-terrorism measures, to prevent and deter future terrorist attacks and to prosecute those that are responsible for carrying out such acts. This includes ensuring victims’ safety from intimidation and retaliation, as well as that of their families and witnesses before, during, and after judicial, administrative, or other proceedings that affect the interests of victims. States should also take measures to protect against secondary victimization, which is victimization that occurs through the response of institutions and individuals to the victim. This session identified?human rights-based good practices to minimize, prevent and protect victims of terrorism from the above threats and abuses, in different contexts and across different stages of the victims’ healing process, including the role of CSOs and private actors in supporting these good practices.

Session and Statements for Breakout session 4 B

Time	Sessions
Friday, 09 September 10:55 – 11:50	Moderator: Prof. Jeanne Sulzer, International Human Rights Lawyer, Law Professor and consultant at 51吃瓜 Office of Counter-Terrorism, 51吃瓜 Counter-Terrorism Centre Panelists: Mr. Tomás Caballero Martinez, President, Victims of Terrorism Foundation and victim of terrorism, Spain Mr. Max Boon, Founder, Victims’ Voices Initiative and victim of terrorism, The Netherlands Ms. Susilaningtias S. H., Deputy Chair/Commissioner LPSK, Witness and Victim Protection Agency, Indonesia Ms. Odette Chesnot, Founder, Lebanese Association of Victims of Terrorism, Lebanon Questions and Observations from the floor Interventions Ms. Erik Mortensen, Board Member of the Norwegian National Support Group after 22 July and victim of terrorism, Norway Ms. Terry Sears, Executive Director of Tuesday's Children and victim of terrorism, United States of America Mr. Lev Altan, Executive Director, Victim's Support Europe Mr. Matthew Lamberth, Federal Agent of the Australian Federal Police and victim of terrorism, Australia

Speakers for Breakout session 4 A

Image of Dr. Ilia Siatitsa at the UN Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism 2022

Dr. Ilia Siatitsa

Programme Director and Senior Legal Officer, Privacy International

Dr Ilia Siatitsa is Programme Director and Senior Legal Officer at Privacy International. She is a qualified lawyer and PhD holder in International Law from the University of Geneva. Ilia’s work at PI focuses on research, advocacy and litigation on surveillance and human rights. As a human rights expert, she also explores the impact of new technologies on human rights beyond the right to privacy. She recently published a book titled “Serious violations of human rights: On the emergence of a new special regime” by OUP.

Image of the Ms. Figen Murray at the UN Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism 2022

Ms. Figen Murray

Director, Survivors Against Terrorism and victim of terrorism, United Kingdom

Ms. Murray's son was killed in the attack on Manchester Arena on 22 May 2017. Following the attack, Ms. Murray is a Director of Survivors Against Terror network who are working towards a UK Charter for victims of terrorism. Ms. Murray works on security of venues, media intrusion and preventing violent extremism by talking in schools. Her achievements, which she cites as a duty to her son, include a master’s degree in counter-terrorism, talks to thousands of schoolchildren about the effects of radicalisation, an OBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours, and her work on proposed venue security legislation in the UK statute book.

Image of the Ms. Nidhi Chaphekar at the UN Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism 2022

Ms. Nidhi Chaphekar

Victim of terrorism, India

Ms. Chaphekar is a survivor of the deadliest suicide bombing attacks of ISIS at Brussels Zaventem airport on march 22nd 2016. She was a cabin manager of Jet Airways, who was to operate a flight from Brussels to Newark but got gravely injured in the bombing. Sustaining more than 20% burns, multiple fractures, crushed bones, ruptured eardrums, body pierced with metal shrapnels, and much more, she was put in an induced coma on a ventilator, but she still survived. She underwent 20 plus surgeries. Her photograph taken just after the blast became the face of the Brussels terror attack. Ms. Chaphekar is a TEDx speaker, motivator, change evangelist, and The Author of her book Unbroken.

Image of the Mr. Nicholas Rasmussen at the UN Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism 2022

Mr. Nicholas Rasmussen

Executive Director, Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism

Nicholas Rasmussen is the inaugural Executive Director of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT). A national security professional with more than 27 years in U.S. government service, Rasmussen held senior counterterrorism posts at the White House and in the U.S. Intelligence Community from 2001 to 2017. He concluded his government career as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), leading more than 1,000 professionals from across the Intelligence Community, federal government, and federal contractor workforce.

Image of the Mr. Dapo Olorunyomi at the UN Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism 2022

Mr. Dapo Olorunyomi

Chief Executive, Nigeria Premium Times, Nigeria

Dapo Olorunyomi is the co-founder, CEO, and publisher of the newspaper Premium Times, Nigeria's leading investigative news platform. In 2020, he was a co-recipient of the international human rights award of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). He became an ICIJ board member in 2019. Previous to this, he served as policy director and chief of staff at Nigeria’s leading anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. In 2017, the Nigeria Union of Journalists awarded him its Press Freedom award. That same year, the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence announced him as recipient of its Lifetime Award.

Speakers for Breakout session 4 B

Image of Prof. Jeanne Sulzer at the UN Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism 2022

Prof. Jeanne Sulzer

International Human Rights Lawyer, Law Professor and consultant at 51吃瓜 Office of Counter-Terrorism, 51吃瓜 Counter-Terrorism Centre

Jeanne Sulzer is an attorney at law in the fields of International Criminal Law, Human Rights and Terrorism with expertise in strategic litigation and assisting victims of international crimes at the national and international level. She is the head of the International Justice Commission of Amnesty International France. Ms. Jeanne is a University Lecturer at and has held senior positions with International Human Rights organizations and has extensive advocacy and training experience including on Gender based violence. She is a full-time UNOCT consultant who leads the technical side and implementation of the Model Legislative Provisions Project.

Image of the Mr. Tomás Caballero Martinez at the UN Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism 2022

Mr. Tomás Caballero Martinez

President, Victims of Terrorism Foundation and victim of terrorism, Spain

Tomás Caballero Martínez (Pamplona, 1965), is the president of the Victims of Terrorism Foundation. His father, Tomás Caballero Pastor, a councelor for the Unión del Pueblo de Navarra in the Pamplona City Council, was assassinated by the terrorist group ETA on May 6, 1998. He is a defender of the memory of the victims of terrorism and strongly advocates for a fair and truthful account of what happened in Spain due to terrorism. Professionally, Tomás is engaged in the private sector, mainly with the group Iberdrola. He holds a degree in Industrial Engineering, Business Sciences, Investment and Financing and a doctorate with a Diploma of Advanced Studies (DEA) from the University of Navarra and a degree in Economics and Business Administration and Management from the UNED.

Image of the Mr. Max Boon at the UN Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism 2022

Mr. Max Boon

Founder, Victims’ Voices Initiative and victim of terrorism, The Netherlands

Max Boon obtained his Master’s Degree in Southeast Asian Affairs & Management at Leiden University (2002), after which he served in many different roles advising organisations on political, economical and public affairs in Indonesia. Since surviving the 2009 JW Marriott terrorist bomb attack in Jakarta in which he lost both his legs, Max has been working on countering violence extremism in the country. He co-founded the Victims’ Voices initiative in 2013, and to document the lessons learned from the years in the field, he co-authored ‘From Victims of Terrorism to Messengers for Peace: A Strategic Approach’, published in 2020 by UNODC.

Image of the Ms. Susilaningtias S. H. at the UN Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism 2022

Ms. Susilaningtias S. H.

Deputy Chair/Commissioner LPSK, Witness and Victim Protection Agency, Indonesia

Ms. Susilaningtias, SH., MH. is currently working as Vice-Chairperson at the Witness and Victim Protection Agency of the Republic of Indonesia (LPSK) since 2019. She used to work as an expert in LPSK for more than 8 years. During her duty in LPSK as an expert, she took responsibility for providing protection for witnesses and fulfilling the rights of victims in the criminal justice system. She was also a public interest lawyer and had been involved in working on the issues of the environment and the rights of indigenous people before joining LPSK.

Image of the Ms. Odette Chesnot at the UN Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism 2022

Ms. Odette Chesnot

Founder, Lebanese Association of Victims of Terrorism, Lebanon

Art therapist specializing in the psychological trauma of war. PhD student in clinical psychology. Lecturer at Paris VI (DU in psychic trauma). Member of the Medico-Psychological Society. Founder of the Lebanese Association of Victims of Terrorism (AVT-L). She carries out actions to help victims in France, Lebanon and Iraq. She created a psychological support program for the families of French soldiers who died in combat. She also leads an awareness project against radicalization in schools in Lebanon and Iraq.

51吃瓜

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