A/RES/80/213 GA

United Nations A/RES/80/213 General Assembly Distr.: General 22 December 2025 25-20975 (E) *2520975* Eightieth session Agenda item 71 (b) Promotion and protection of human rights: human rights questions, including alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 18 December 2025 [on the report of the Third Committee (A/80/545, para. 5)] 80/213. Terrorism and human rights The General Assembly, Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,1 the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 2 and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights3 and other relevant international human rights instruments, Recalling all relevant resolutions of the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Commission on Human Rights and the Human Rights Council concerning human rights and terrorism, the most recent of which are Assembly resolutions 72/180 of 19 December 2017, 72/246 of 24 December 2017, 73/174 of 17 December 2018, 74/147 of 18 December 2019, 76/169 of 16 December 2021 and 78/210 of 19 December 2023, and Human Rights Council resolutions 34/8 of 23 March 2017,4 35/34 of 23 June 2017,5 37/27 of 23 March 2018,6 40/16 of 22 March 2019,7 42/18 of _______________ 1 Resolution 217 A (III). 2 See resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex. 3 Ibid. 4 See Official Records of the General Assembly, Seventy-second Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/72/53), chap. IV, sect. A. 5 Ibid., chap. V, sect. A. 6 Ibid., Seventy-third Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/73/53), chap. IV, sect. A. 7 Ibid., Seventy-fourth Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/74/53), chap. IV, sect. A. A/RES/80/213 Terrorism and human rights 25-20975 2/8 26 September 2019,8 45/11 of 6 October 2020,9 51/24 of 7 October 2022,10 57/11 of 10 October 202411 and 58/14 of 3 April 2025,12 Emphasizing that all human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated, Reaffirming the obligation of States to respect all human rights and fundamental freedoms and the fundamental importance of respecting the rule of law, Reaffirming also its unequivocal condemnation of all acts, methods and practices of terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, wherever and by whomsoever committed, regardless of their motivation, and of the financial, material or political support of terrorism as unjustifiable in accordance with applicable international law, Renewing its unwavering commitment to strengthening international cooperation to prevent and combat terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism in all their forms and manifestations, while stressing that terrorism can only be defeated by a sustained and comprehensive approach involving the active participation and collaboration of all States and international and regional organizations, Reaffirming the primary responsibility of States to protect the population throughout their territory, and recalling in this regard that all parties to armed conflict must comply fully with obligations applicable to them under international humanitarian law related to the protection of civilians and medical personnel in armed conflict, Recognizing that terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism have a detrimental effect on the full enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and impede the full enjoyment of political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights, and that they pose a threat to the territorial integrity and security of States, the stability of Governments, the rule of law and democracy and, ultimately, to the functioning of societies and international peace and security, Emphasizing that terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group, and that tolerance, pluralism, inclusion and respect for diversity, dialogue among civilizations and the enhancement of interfaith and intercultural understanding and respect among people, including at the national, regional and global levels, while combating the escalation of hatred, are among the most important elements in the promotion of cooperation and success in preventing and combating terrorism, and welcoming the various initiatives to that end, Reaffirming that States must ensure that any measure taken to counter terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism complies with international law, in particular international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, Reaffirming also its commitment to the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy and its four pillars, as adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 60/288 of 8 September 2006, which reaffirm, inter alia, respect for human rights for all and the rule of law as being the fundamental basis of the fight against _______________ 8 Ibid., Supplement No. 53A (A/74/53/Add.1), chap. III. 9 Ibid., Seventy-fifth Session, Supplement No. 53A (A/75/53/Add.1), chap. III. 10 Ibid., Seventy-seventh Session, Supplement No. 53A (A/77/53/Add.1), chap. III, sect. A. 11 Ibid., Seventy-ninth Session, Supplement No. 53A (A/79/53/Add.1), chap. III, sect. A. 12 Ibid., Eightieth Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/80/53), chap. V, sect. A. Terrorism and human rights A/RES/80/213 3/8 25-20975 terrorism, and its eighth review, as taken note of in General Assembly resolution 77/298 of 22 June 2023, Reaffirming further that the promotion and the protection of human rights for all and the rule of law are essential to the fight against terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism, and recognizing that effective counter-terrorism measures and the protection of human rights are not conflicting goals but are complementary and mutually reinforcing, Expressing its grave concern at the phenomenon of foreign terrorist fighters and at the threat it poses to all States, including countries of origin, transit and destination, and encouraging all States to address this threat by enhancing their cooperation and developing relevant measures to tackle this phenomenon, in accordance with their obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, Deploring attacks on religious places and shrines and cultural sites that violate international law, in particular international human rights law and international humanitarian law, as applicable, including all deliberate destruction of relics, monuments or religious sites, Strongly condemning the recruitment and use of children to perpetrate terrorist attacks and all violations and abuses committed by terrorist groups against children and women, including killing and maiming, abduction and rape and other forms of sexual violence, and noting that such violations and abuses may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity, Deeply deploring the suffering caused by terrorism to the victims and their families, and, while stressing the need to promote and protect the rights of victims of terrorism, in particular women and children, reaffirming its profound solidarity with them and stressing the importance of providing them with proper support and assistance while respecting, inter alia, considerations regarding remembrance, dignity, respect, accountability, truth and justice, in accordance with international law, Expressing deep concern that acts of sexual and gender-based violence are known to be part of the strategic objectives and ideology of certain terrorist groups and are used as an instrument to increase their power through supporting financing and recruitment and through the destruction of communities, Recognizing that countering terrorism requires a comprehensive approach and a multidimensional strategy to tackle the factors underlying terrorism, Recognizing also the difficulties faced by the international community in addressing the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism and violent extremism, which can be conducive to terrorism, and urging Member States and the United Nations system to take measures, pursuant to international law and while ensuring national ownership, to address all drivers of violent extremism conducive to terrorism, both internal and external, in a balanced manner, Conscious that there are a number of drivers underlying radicalization to terrorism, and that development based on the principles of social justice, inclusion and equal opportunities can contribute to the prevention of terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism and to the promotion of inclusive, open and resilient societies, notably through education, and affirming the determination of States to work towards conflict resolution, to confront oppression, to eradicate poverty, to promote sustained economic growth, sustainable development, global prosperity, good governance, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all and the rule of law, to improve intercultural understanding and to promote respect for all, A/RES/80/213 Terrorism and human rights 25-20975 4/8 1. Strongly condemns all terrorist acts as criminal and unjustifiable, and expresses grave concern at their detrimental effects on the enjoyment of all human rights; 2. Reaffirms that States must ensure that any measure taken to combat terrorism complies with their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law; 3. Expresses concern that terrorists and terrorist groups have targeted communities and individuals, as well as Governments, including on the basis of religion or belief and/or ethnicity; 4. Stresses the responsibility of States to protect persons in their territory against such acts, in full compliance with their obligations under international law, and in particular international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law; 5. Expresses serious concern at the violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms and of international refugee law and international humanitarian law in the context of countering terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism; 6. Reaffirms the obligation of States, in accordance with article 4 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to respect certain rights as non‑derogable under any circumstances, recalls, in regard to all other Covenant rights, that any measures derogating from the provisions of the Covenant must be in accordance with that article in all cases, underlines the exceptional and temporary nature of any such derogations, and in this regard calls upon States to raise awareness about the importance of these obligations among national authorities involved in combating terrorism; 7. Reaffirms its commitment to the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and a balanced and integrated implementation of its four pillars, as adopted in its resolution 60/288, and at its eighth review, and recognizes the need to redouble efforts for even attention paid to and even implementation of all the pillars of the strategy; 8. Reaffirms its profound solidarity with the victims of terrorism and their families, acknowledges the importance of protecting their rights and providing them with proper support, assistance and rehabilitation while taking into account, when appropriate, considerations regarding remembrance, dignity, respect, justice and truth in such a way that promotes accountability and ends impunity, and encourages the enhancement of international cooperation and the exchange of expertise in that respect, in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations; 9. Stresses the importance of ensuring access to justice and accountability, and calls upon States to ensure that any person who alleges that his or her human rights or fundamental freedoms have been violated by measures taken or means employed to counter terrorism or violent extremism conducive to terrorism has access to justice, due process and an effective remedy, and that victims of human rights violations and abuses receive adequate, effective and prompt remedy and reparations, which should include, as appropriate, restitution, compensation, rehabilitation and guarantees of non‑repetition as a fundamental basis of any strategy to counter terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism; 10. Also stresses the importance of developing and maintaining effective, fair, humane, transparent and accountable criminal justice systems in a manner that fully respects the rights to equality and non‑discrimination in the administration of justice, Terrorism and human rights A/RES/80/213 5/8 25-20975 to a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal, to a review of detention and to the presumption of innocence and other fundamental judicial guarantees, such as due process, in accordance with their obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international humanitarian law and international refugee law; 11. Urges States to fully comply with their obligations under international law while countering terrorism, in particular international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, with regard to the absolute prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; 12. Also urges States to take all steps necessary to ensure the right of anyone arrested or detained on a criminal charge to be brought promptly before a judge or other officer authorized by law to exercise judicial power and the entitlement to trial within a reasonable time or release; 13. Further urges States to safeguard the work of civil society by ensuring that counter-terrorism laws and measures are consistent with and are applied in a manner that fully respects human rights, particularly the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association; 14. Urges States to ensure that measures taken to counter terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism are not discriminatory, and not to resort to profiling based on stereotypes founded on ethnic, racial or religious grounds or any other ground of discrimination prohibited by international law; 15. Also urges States to ensure, in accordance with their obligations under international law and national regulations, and whenever international humanitarian law is applicable, that counter-terrorism legislation and measures do not impede humanitarian and medical activities or engagement with all relevant actors as foreseen by international humanitarian law; 16. Recognizes the important role of religious leaders and institutions, local communities and community leaders in promoting tolerance and in preventing and countering terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism; 17. Also recognizes the important role of women in preventing and countering terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism, and requests States to consider, when appropriate, the impact of counter-terrorism strategies on women’s and children’s human rights, and to seek consultations with their respective organizations when developing strategies to counter terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism; 18. Urges States to ensure that gender equality and non‑discrimination are taken into account when shaping, reviewing and implementing all counter-terrorism measures and to promote the full and effective participation of women in these processes; 19. Also urges States to take measures to ensure that counter-terrorism laws and implementing measures are consistent with and are applied in a manner that fully respects the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the obligations of States under international human rights law, in particular the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, with a view to ensuring respect for the principles of legal certainty and legality; 20. Strongly condemns terrorist acts and all acts of violence committed by terrorist groups, including trafficking in persons, kidnapping and hostage-taking with demands for ransom and/or political concessions, and the continued systematic and widespread abuses of human rights perpetrated by such groups, and calls upon all A/RES/80/213 Terrorism and human rights 25-20975 6/8 Member States to prevent terrorists from benefiting from ransom payment and political concessions and to secure the safe release of hostages, in accordance with applicable legal obligations, while noting the initiatives in this regard, including the Algiers Memorandum on Good Practices on Preventing and Denying the Benefits of Kidnapping for Ransom by Terrorists; 21. Urges States to do all they can, in accordance with their obligations under international law, to prevent any political, material or financial support from reaching terrorist groups, to deny terrorists safe haven, freedom of operation, movement and recruitment and to criminalize the wilful provision or collection by any means, directly or indirectly, of funds by their nationals or in their territories with the intention that the funds be used, or with the knowledge that they are to be used, by terrorist groups for any purpose, and to bring to justice or, where appropriate, extradite the perpetrators of terrorist acts or any person who supports, facilitates or participates, or attempts to participate, in the financing, planning or preparation of terrorist acts; 22. Calls upon States to refrain from providing support to entities or persons involved in terrorist acts, including support in establishing propaganda platforms advocating hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, including through the Internet and other media, and emphasizes in this regard the key importance of full respect for the right to freedom of opinion and expression as set out in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; 23. Urges States to adopt rehabilitation and reintegration strategies for returning foreign terrorist fighters, in line with good practices, such as those set out in the Hague- Marrakech Memorandum on Good Practices for a More Effective Response to the Foreign Terrorist Fighter Phenomenon of the Global Counterterrorism Forum, and to adopt a comprehensive approach that includes, inter alia, the development of national centres for counsel and the prevention of radicalization to violence, which can play an important role together with criminal justice responses; 24. Renews its commitment to strengthening international cooperation to prevent and counter terrorism in accordance with international law, including the Charter, international human rights law and international humanitarian law, including through technical cooperation, capacity-building and the exchange of information and intelligence on countering terrorism, and in that regard calls upon States and relevant regional and subregional organizations, as appropriate, to continue to implement the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and its four pillars; 25. Strongly encourages relevant United Nations agencies, including those involved in supporting counter-terrorism efforts, to take into account in their technical assistance with regard to counter-terrorism efforts, whenever appropriate, the elements necessary for building national capacity in order to strengthen criminal justice systems and the rule of law and to continue to facilitate the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, due process and the rule of law, while countering terrorism; 26. Requests all Governments to cooperate fully with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism in the performance of his mandated tasks and duties; 27. Urges States and the international community and encourages civil society to take measures, as appropriate, including through education, awareness-raising, the media and human rights education and training, to promote a culture of peace, justice and human development, ethnic, national and religious tolerance and respect for all religions, religious values, beliefs and cultures and to effectively address the Terrorism and human rights A/RES/80/213 7/8 25-20975 conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism and that make individuals and groups more vulnerable to the effects of terrorism and to recruitment by terrorists; 28. Emphasizes that mutual respect, tolerance, pluralism, inclusion and respect for diversity, dialogue among civilizations and the enhancement of interfaith and intercultural understanding, and combating intolerance, discrimination and hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence on the basis of religion or belief, or any other basis, including at the national, regional or global levels, are among the most important elements in promoting cooperation and success in preventing and combating terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism, and welcomes the various initiatives to that end; 29. Acknowledges that the active participation of civil society organizations can strengthen ongoing governmental efforts to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism and to assess the impact of terrorism on the enjoyment of all human rights, and calls upon States to ensure that measures to counter terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism and to preserve national security do not hinder the work and safety of such organizations and are in compliance with the obligations of States under international law, in particular international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law; 30. Urges States to safeguard the right to privacy in accordance with international law, in particular international human rights law, and to take measures to ensure that interference with or restriction of that right are not arbitrary, are adequately regulated by law and are subject to effective oversight and appropriate redress, including through judicial review or other means; 31. Calls upon Member States to remain alert to the use of information and communications technology for terrorist purposes and to cooperate to prevent and counter violent extremist propaganda and incitement to violence on the Internet and social media, including by developing effective counter-narratives, and to prevent terrorists from recruiting and raising funds online for terrorist purposes, while respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, in compliance with their obligations under international law, and stresses the importance of cooperation with civil society and the private sector in this endeavour; 32. Expresses its concern at the increasing use, in a globalized society, by terrorists and their supporters, of information and communications technology, in particular the Internet and other media, to advocate, commit, incite, recruit for, fund or plan terrorist acts, urges States to take appropriate preventive measures in this regard while acting in full compliance with their obligations under international law, and reiterates that such technologies can be powerful tools in countering the spread of terrorism, including by promoting tolerance, dialogue among peoples and peace; 33. Invites all treaty bodies, special procedure mandate holders, international and regional human rights mechanisms and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, within their respective mandates, to pay due attention to the negative impact of terrorism on the enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and on alleged violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism, and to report regularly to the Human Rights Council; 34. Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism to continue to contribute to the work of the Office of Counter-Terrorism through, inter alia, participation in the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact; A/RES/80/213 Terrorism and human rights 25-20975 8/8 35. Encourages the Security Council, the Counter-Terrorism Committee and the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate to strengthen, within their mandates, the links, cooperation and dialogue with relevant human rights bodies, giving due regard to the promotion and protection of human rights and the rule of law in their ongoing work relating to counter-terrorism; 36. Encourages relevant United Nations bodies and entities, in particular those participating in the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact and international, regional and subregional organizations, which provide technical assistance upon request, to step up their efforts to ensure respect for international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, as well as the rule of law, as an element of technical assistance, including in the adoption and implementation of legislative and other measures by States; 37. Calls upon international, regional and subregional organizations to strengthen information-sharing, coordination and cooperation in promoting the protection of human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law while countering terrorism; 38. Requests the Secretary-General to submit a report on the implementation of the present resolution to the Human Rights Council and to the General Assembly at its eighty-second session. 69th plenary meeting 18 December 2025

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