Fighting Terrorism While Fighting Discrimination: Can Protocol No. 12 Help?

In a presentation delivered at the Seminar to Mark the Entry into Force of Protocol No. 12, James A. Goldston, executive director of the Open Society Justice Initiative, posits that antidiscrimination legislature enshrined in the European Convention can actually facilitate the development of effective counterterrorist strategy. Goldston states, "A significant challenge in Europe today is to ensure that the fight against terrorist violence is carried out effectively, intelligently, and in a non-discriminatory manner."

Tracing the parallel development of antidiscrimination law in Europe and the adoption and implementation of counterterrorist measure by European law enforcement agencies in the wake of 9/11, Goldston asserts the vital need for "consideration of the inter-relationship between the two," focusing on how Protocol No. 12 is relevant to that discussion.