Читать книгу Macrovictimización, abuso de poder y victimología: impactos intergeneracionales - Gema Varona Martínez - Страница 11

The European Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism18 adopted by the Council of Europe in 1977 constitutes one of the first main instruments in the field of terrorism. This Convention was subsequently amended by the Protocol amending the European Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism of 200319 in order to facilitate the extradition of terrorists through the “de-politicization” of terrorist offenses.

Following the Madrid bombings of 2004, the Council of Europe stressed the need for additional efforts to fight terrorism and adopted a series of instruments in 200520. Besides the repression of terrorist acts, victims of terrorism have received increasing attention within the Council of Europe. Already in 1999, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe asked the Committee of Ministers “to consider the incorporation of the principle of fuller protection for victims of terrorist acts at both national and international level”21. However, no concrete action was taken before the New York attacks of 11 September 2001. Since then, the Council of Europe has adopted a series of instruments to improve support and assistance to victims of terrorism and their families. While various texts concern the assistance to direct victims of terrorist acts (such as the Guidelines on the protection of victims of terrorist acts adopted in 200522 and revised in 201723), indirect victims of terrorism are also subject to several instruments that aim to protect their rights (such as the Guidelines on Human Rights and the Fight against Terrorism of 2002)24.

We will examine the main provisions provided by these instruments, by distinguishing those relating to direct victims (a) from those that protect indirect victims of terrorism (b). Though it should be noted that the rights of immediate family members of deceased direct victims will be addressed together with the ones of direct victims, because of their higher similarity