UN report on Belgian terrorism policy: highs and lows

The Belgian government serves as an example on how to counter national terrorism while upholding human rights obligations, according to a UN human rights expert.

The quality and implementation of Belgian policies in the fight against terrorism, measured against  international human rights obligations, were assessed by Fionnuala Ní Aoláin (pictured), UN special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism.

After a visit to Belgium at the end of May, she commended Belgium for the depth and breadth of attention by federal, regional, community and municipal authorities to the challenges of radicalisation and of social polarisation in the aftermath of the March 2016 terrorist attacks.

“The Belgian Government, with serious deliberation on the exigencies of the situation, determined that no state of emergency was necessary to address the extant security challenges,” said Ní Aoláin said, referring to three suicide bombings in Brussels which killed 32 people. “Rather, the full scope of the existing law was exercised to its full potential.”

While acknowledging the challenges in countering radicalisation, she expressed some concerns and said there was room for improvement.

Lack of support for survivors and victims

During her evaluation, Ní Aoláin met with Belgian survivors and victims of terrorism, finding “ongoing gaps in the legal framework applicable to victims of terrorism in Belgium”, according to a press release. She was specifically concerned about the lack of insurance compensation for PTSD and the psychological harm, which was a direct consequence of the terrorism.

Survivors and victims expressed to Ní Aoláin a lack of responsiveness from the government in the aftermath of the attacks. They said they felt abandoned and struggled to locate support, medical or otherwise. The Special Rapporteur urged the government to make survivors and victims of terrorism a legitimate priority.

Call for deradicalisation programmes

Ní Aoláin visited two Belgian prisons where persons charged with terrorist offences are held. She expressed concern that no systematic de-radicalisation or disengagement programmes were implemented in Belgian prisons and found isolation regimes, among other measures, a severe violation of individual rights.

Ní Aoláin especially urged the government to ensure legal protections for all its citizens, including foreign fighters abroad and especially vulnerable children in Syria and Iraq. She recommended a deeper oversight of counter-terrorism laws and policies through an independent sector, reminding the government of its prior commitment to establish a National Human Rights Institution. Specifically, Ní Aoláin suggested greater oversight for racial and ethnic profiling where counter-terrorism laws and policy may stigmatise citizens and residents of the Muslim faith.