EU Counter-Terrorism Sanctions and International Human Rights Law

In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks European states have utilised the full force of the law in order to target those persons and entities that are either associated or linked to Al Qaida and other terrorist organisations. As a result, sanction mechanisms have been implemented on both the UN and EU level against individuals and entities that lack fundamental human rights protection. Arguably, while fighting terrorism on their soil, EU member states have been willing to sacrifice due process guarantees in their urge to combat terrorism. As a result, the assets of sanctioned individuals have been frozen, thereby stripping these individuals of financial resources necessary for everyday life. Sanjeev Thavarajah pleads in his work for the introduction of the same due process rights that are normally provided for criminal trials, in order to enable the sanctioned individuals and entities to profit from the higher standards provided for in criminal cases. As indicated in the title, this book will discuss the EU counter-terrorism sanctions regime in the context of international human right law. A special focus will also be given to the UN sanctions regime.

Sanjeev Thavarajah is a lawyer and political scientist. He has studied at the Philipps University of Marburg, the Charles University in Prague, the University of Essex and in Leicester. He has worked as a research assistant with the Institute of International Relations in Prague and was until recently employed by the European Parliament.