[Webinar] 15 years of review: The Office of the Ombudsperson to the UN Security Council ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee

Photo credit: UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras (Security Council Authorises Ombudsperson for Al-Qaida Sanctions Regime)

Since the establishment of the Taliban and Al-Qaida sanctions regime (“1267”) by the United Nations Security Council in 1999, which evolved into the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee, over 600 individuals and entities have been subjected to travel bans, asset freezes and arms embargoes. Although playing an integral role in the fight against terrorism, such sanctions can fundamentally impact the human rights of those targeted and can also have collective impact. The establishment of the Office of the Ombudsperson to the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee was therefore a significant step forward in ensuring due process for petitioners through an independent and impartial review of delisting requests. 15 years on, the Office continues to provide a critical mechanism for due process within the 1267 sanctions regime; nevertheless, improvements to the delisting process continue to be called for. Join us on 9 September for a webinar with a panel of experts – including the current Ombudsperson, former Chief Justice of Malaysia, Mr. Richard Malanjum – to critically reflect on counter-terrorism sanctions, delisting processes, and human rights law.

The creation of the Office of the Ombudsperson allowed, for the first time, those designated under the UNSC ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida sanctions regime to challenge their listings before an independent and impartial expert. The Ombudsperson recommends to the 1267 Committee to retain or delist petitioners. In total, 106 cases have been completed through the Ombudsperson process, with 73 delisting requests granted – resulting in the delisting of 68 individuals and 28 entities.

This webinar, organised in cooperation with the Office of the Ombudsperson, will, among others, assess the 15 years of the mandate and critically reflect on the difficulties of ensuring human rights protections within the context of countering terrorism. To do so, the current Ombudsperson, Mr. Richard Malanjum, will be joined by a panel of experts, including lawyers, practitioners, and academic experts. The webinar builds upon a similar event hosted by the Asser Institute, the Office of the Ombudsperson, and the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism to mark 10 years of the mandate.

Panellists

• Mr. Richard Malanjum: Ombudsperson to the UNSC ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee
• Kimberly Prost: Judge, International Criminal Court; former Ombudsperson to the UNSC ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee
• Peter Robinson: International Criminal Trial Lawyer

Moderator

• James Patrick Sexton: PhD Researcher, T.M.C Asser Instituut and the University of Amsterdam