Terrorism, as a political and legal phenomenon, has roots in ancient history. Unfortunately, criminals continue to pursue their goals by committing acts that are recognized under international and national law as terrorist. Terrorism knows no borders and is a global threat.
According to Ukrainian legislation, terrorist activity includes:
- planning, organizing, preparing, and carrying out terrorist acts;
- incitement to commit terrorist acts, violence against individuals or organizations, destruction of material objects for terrorist purposes;
- recruitment, arming, training, and use of terrorists;
- propaganda and dissemination of terrorist ideology;
- financing knowingly terrorist groups (organizations) and providing other support to them.
In 1934, after the assassination of King Alexander I of Yugoslavia in Marseille and the French Foreign Minister Louis Barthou, as well as the Polish Interior Minister Bronisław Pieracki, Poland appealed to the League of Nations for international sanctions against terrorism, primarily seeking to deny political asylum to emigrants.
On April 29, 1958, the multilateral Geneva Convention on the High Seas was concluded, which included provisions for combating terrorism on the open sea—piracy.
On December 16, 1970, the Hague Convention on the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft was adopted. On September 23, 1971, the Montreal Convention on Offenses Against Civil Aviation was adopted to regulate international cooperation against terrorist acts threatening civil aviation.
On December 14, 1973, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Persons enjoying International Protection, including diplomatic agents was adopted.
On January 26, 1977, the Council of Europe signed the Convention on the Fight against Terrorism in Strasbourg.
Since 1973, the United Nations has maintained a Special Committee on Terrorism, working mainly in three areas:
- developing and harmonizing legal norms, preparing international treaties and conventions;
- identifying and studying the causes of terrorism;
- developing counter-terrorism measures.
In 1999, the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism was adopted. According to Article 8 of the Convention: “Each state shall take, for the purposes of possible confiscation under its domestic law, measures to identify, detect, block, or seize any funds used or allocated for the commission of crimes within the scope of this Convention, as well as funds derived from such crimes. Each State Party may consider entering agreements with other States on a regular basis or in specific cases concerning funds obtained through confiscation, and consider mechanisms by which confiscated funds may be used to compensate victims or their families.”
The Convention led to practical measures to create effective control systems for financial flows at both international and national levels. The priority of this international cooperation was reinforced by UN Security Council Resolution 1373, adopted on September 28, 2001 (4385th meeting), which highlighted measures to eliminate terrorist financing. It states that:
a) all states shall prevent and stop the financing of terrorist acts;
b) introduce criminal liability for intentionally transferring or collecting funds for terrorist purposes;
c) immediately freeze funds and other financial assets or economic resources of persons involved in terrorism or associated organizations;
d) prohibit their citizens or organizations on their territory from providing funds, financial assets, or economic resources for the benefit of terrorists or related organizations.
On March 5, 2019, by Presidential Decree No. 53/2019 the President of Ukraine approved the Concept of Combating Terrorism in Ukraine.
Useful information and resources:
Terrorism as a criminal phenomenon: evolution and preventive measures
Current issues in counter-terrorism in Ukraine
Counter-terrorism as a guarantee of national security
“Foreign experience in counter-terrorism: lessons for Ukraine” – Analytical note
Guidelines on how to act in emergency situations
Reporting suspicious individuals or terrorist intentions:
Email: [email protected]
24/7 free hotline of the Security Service of Ukraine: +380 80 050 1482