United Nations
General Assembly
A/RES/60/158
Distr.: General
28 February 2006
Sixtieth session
Agenda item 71 (b)
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 16 December 2005
[on the report of the Third Committee (A/60/509/Add.2 (Part II))]
60/158. Protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms
while countering terrorism
The General Assembly,
Reaffirming the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,
Reaffirming also the fundamental importance, including in response to terrorism
and the fear of terrorism, of respecting all human rights and fundamental freedoms
and the rule of law,
Recalling that States are under the obligation to protect all human rights and
fundamental freedoms of all persons,
Acknowledging the important contribution of measures taken at all levels against
terrorism, consistent with international law, in particular international human rights
law and refugee and humanitarian law, to the functioning of democratic institutions
and the maintenance of peace and security and thereby to the full enjoyment of human
rights, as well as the need to continue this fight, including through international
cooperation and the strengthening of the role of the United Nations in this respect,
Deeply deploring the occurrence of violations of human rights and fundamental
freedoms in the context of the fight against terrorism, as well as violations of
international refugee law and international humanitarian law,
Recognizing that the respect for human rights, the respect for democracy and the
respect for the rule of law are interrelated and mutually reinforcing,
Recognizing also that all States must fully respect the non-refoulement
obligations under international refugee and human rights law, while at the same time
bearing in mind relevant exclusion provisions under international refugee law,
Welcoming the various initiatives to strengthen the promotion and protection of
human rights in the context of counter-terrorism adopted by the United Nations and
regional intergovernmental bodies, as well as by States,
Noting the declarations, statements and recommendations of a number of human
rights treaty monitoring bodies and special procedures on the question of the
compatibility of counter-terrorism measures with human rights obligations,
05-49708