Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms While Countering Terrorism, Dr. Fionnuala D. Ní Aoláin
Statement by the Delegation of the United States of America
As Delivered by Mr. Jesse Lynch
United Nations Human Rights Council – 49th Session
March 14, 2022
Thank you Mr. Vice President and thank you Madam Special Rapporteur.
The United States stands in solidarity with our allies and partners working to counter terrorist threats at home and abroad. We stand with victims of terrorism and their families and want to make sure their voices are heard.
Our comprehensive, whole of society efforts seek to protect our citizens and infrastructure and provide the resilience needed to prosper while also safeguarding human rights without fear of violent retaliation.
We also stand with those falsely accused of terrorist acts by governments as a way to repress them and interfere with their full enjoyment of human rights. In this spirit, we note the Special Rapporteur’s open letters on Hong Kong.
The United States continues to take important steps to ensure our own actions to counter terrorism are in lockstep with our values as a nation. We ask that all states work to ensure our counterterrorism efforts respect human rights and fundamental freedoms consistent with international law.
Question: How can we prevent the abuse of international mechanisms for the purpose of suppressing the freedom of expression, and how can we better assist victims?
Thank you.
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