ANNEX TO RESOLUTION NO: 59/26-P
CONVENTION
OF THE ORGANISATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE
ON
COMBATING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM
The Member States of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference,
Pursuant to the tenets of the tolerant Islamic Sharia which reject all forms of violence and terrorism, and in particular specially those based on extremism and call for protection of human rights, which provisions are parallelled by the principles and rules of international law founded on cooperation between peoples for the establishment of peace;
Abiding by the lofty, moral and religious principles particularly the provisions of the Islamic Sharia as well as the human heritage of the Islamic Ummah.
Adhering to the Charter of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, its objectives and principles aimed at creating an appropriate atmosphere to strengthen cooperation and understanding among Islamic States as well as relevant OIC resolutions;
Adhering to the principles of International Law and the United Nations Charter as well as all relevant UN resolutions on procedures aimed at eliminating international terrorism, and all other conventions and international instruments to which states acceding to this Convention are parties and which call, inter alia, for the observance of the sovereignty, stability, territorial integrity, political independence and security of states, and non-intervention in their international affairs;
Proceeding from the rules of the Code of Conduct of the Organization of Islamic Conference for Combating International Terrorism;
Desiring to promote cooperation among them for combating terrorist crimes that threaten the security and stability of the Islamic States and endanger their vital interests;
Being committed to combating all forms and manifestations of terrorism and eliminating its objectives and causes which target the lives and properties of people;
Confirming the legitimacy of the right of peoples to struggle against foreign occupation and colonialist and racist regimes by all means, including armed struggle to liberate their territories and attain their rights to self-determination and independence in compliance with the purposes and principles of the Charter and resolutions of the United Nations;
Believing that terrorism constitutes a gross violation of human rights, in particular the right to freedom and security, as well as an obstacle to the free functioning of institutions and socio-economic development, as it aims at destabilizing States;
Convinced that terrorism cannot be justified in any way, and that it should therefore be unambiguously condemned in all its forms and manifestations, and all its actions, means and practices, whatever its origin, causes or purposes, including direct or indirect actions of States;
Recognizing the growing links between terrorism and organized crime, including illicit trafficking in arms, narcotics, human beings and money laundering;
Have agreed to conclude this Convention, calling on all Member States of the Organization of the Islamic Conference to accede to it.
PART I
Definition and General Provisions
Article 1
For the purposes of this Convention:
a) Convention on "Offences and Other Acts Committed on Board of Aircrafts" (Tokyo, 14.9.1963).
b) Convention on "Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft" (The Hague, 16.12.1970).
c) Convention on "Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Civil Aviation" signed at Montreal on 23.9.1971 and its Protocol (Montreal, 10.12.1984).
d) Convention on the "Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Persons Enjoying International Immunity, Including Diplomatic Agents" (New York, 14.12.1973).
e) International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages (New York, 1979).
f) The United Nations Law of the Sea Convention of 1988 and its related provisions on piracy at sea.
g) Convention on the "Physical Protection of Nuclear Material" (Vienna, 1979).
h) Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts of Violence at Airports Serving International Civil Aviation-Supplementary to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Civil Aviation (Montreal, 1988).
i) Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Fixed Platforms on the Continental Shelf (Rome, 1988).
j) Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation (Rome, 1988).
k) International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings (New York, 1997).
l) Convention on the Marking of Plastic Explosives for the purposes of Detection (Montreal, 1991)
Article 2
a. Peoples' struggle including armed struggle against foreign occupation, aggression, colonialism, and hegemony, aimed at liberation and self-determination in accordance with the principles of international law shall not be considered a terrorist crime.
b. None of the terrorist crimes mentioned in the previous article shall be considered political crimes.
c. In the implementation of the provisions of this Convention the following crimes shall not be considered political crimes even when politically motivated:
1. Aggression against kings and heads of state of Contracting States or against their spouses, their ascendants or descendants.
2. Aggression against crown princes or vice-presidents or deputy heads of government or ministers in any of the Contracting States.
3. Aggression against persons enjoying international immunity including Ambassadors and diplomats in Contracting States or in countries of accreditation.
4. Murder or robbery by force against individuals or authorities or means of transport and communications.
5. Acts of sabotage and destruction of public properties and properties geared for public services, even if belonging to another Contracting State.
6. Crimes of manufacturing, smuggling or possessing arms and ammunition or explosives or other materials prepared for committing terrorist crimes.
d. All forms of international crimes, including illegal trafficking in narcotics and human beings money laundering aimed at financing terrorist objectives shall be considered terrorist crimes.
PART II
Foundations of Islamic Cooperation for Combating Terrorism
Chapter I
In the Field of Security
Division I
Measures to Prevent and Combat Terrorist Crimes.
Article 3
(A) Preventive Measures:
(B) Combating Measures:
Division II
Areas of Islamic cooperation for preventing and combating terrorist crimes.
Article 4
Contracting States shall cooperate among themselves to prevent and combat terrorist crimes in accordance with the respective laws and regulations of each State in the following areas:
First: Exchange of Information
1- Contracting States shall undertake to promote exchange of information among them as such regarding:
2- Contracting States shall expeditiously inform any other Contracting State regarding available information about any terrorist crime perpetrated in its territory aimed at undermining the interests of that State or its nationals and to state the facts surrounding the crime in terms of its circumstances, criminals involved, victims, losses, devices and methods utilized to carry out the crime, without prejudicing investigation and inquiry requisites.
3- Contracting States shall exchange information with the other Parties to combat terrorist crimes and to inform the Contracting State or other States of all available information or data that could prevent terrorist crimes within its territory or against its nationals or residents or interests.
4- The Contracting States shall provide any other Contracting State with available information or data that will:
5- The Contracting States undertake to respect the confidentiality of information exchanged between them and shall refrain from passing it to any non-Contracting States or other parties without prior consent of the source country.
Second: Investigation
Each Contracting State pledges to promote cooperation with other contracting states and to extend assistance in the field of investigation procedures in terms of arresting escaped suspects or those convicted for terrorist crimes in accordance with the laws and regulations of each country.
Third: Exchange of Expertise
Fourth: Education and Information Field
The Contracting States shall cooperate in:
danger of terrorist groups against the stability and security of Islamic States.
Chapter II
In the Judicial Field
Section I
Extraditing Criminals
Article 5
Contracting States shall undertake to extradite those indicted or convicted of terrorist crimes, requested for extradition by any of these countries in compliance with the rules and conditions stipulated in this Convention.
Article 6
Extradition shall not be permissible in the following cases:
Article 7
If the person requested for extradition is under investigation or trial for another crime in the requested State, his extradition shall be postponed until the investigation is disposed of or the trial is over and the punishment implemented. In this case, the requested State shall extradite him provisionally for investigation or trial on condition that he shall be returned to it before execution of the sentence issued in the requested State.
Article 8
For the purpose of extraditing crime perpetrators according to this Convention, the domestic legislations of Contracting States shall not have any bearing as to their differences with respect to the crime being classified as a felony or misdemeanor, nor as to the penalty prescribed for it.
Section II
Rogatory Commission
Article 9
Each Contracting State shall request from any other Contracting State to undertake in its territory rogatory action with respect to any judicial procedures concerning an action involving a terrorist crime and in particular:
Article 10
Each Contracting State shall implement rogatory commissions related to terrorist crimes and may reject the request for implementation with respect to the following cases.
Article 11
The request for rogatory mission shall be implemented promptly in accordance with the provisions of the domestic laws of the requested State and which may postpone its implementation until its investigation and prosecution procedures are completed on the same subject or until the compelling reasons that called for postponement are removed. In this case the requesting State shall be informed of this postponement.
Article 12
The request for a rogatory commission related to a terrorist crime shall not be refused on the grounds of the rule of transaction confidentiality for banks and financial institutions. And in the implementation of the request the rules of the enforcing State are to be followed.
Article 13
The procedure, undertaken through rogatory commission in accordance with the provisions of this Convention, shall have the same legal effect as if it was brought before the competent authority in the State requesting rogatory commission. The results of its implementation shall only be utilized within the scope of the rogatory commission.
Section 3
Judicial Cooperation
Article 14
Each Contracting State shall extend to the other contracting parties every possible assistance as may be necessary for investigation or trial proceedings related to terrorist crimes.
Article 15
Article 16
The request for trial on the basis of para (1) of the previous article, entails the suspension of procedures of prosecution, investigation and trial in the territory of the requesting State except those relating to the requisites of cooperation, assistance or rogatory commission sought by the State requested to hold the trial procedures.
Article 17
Article 18
The State requested to hold trial may undertake all measures and procedures stipulated by its legislation regarding the accused both before and after the request for trial is received.
Section 4
Seized Assets and Proceeds of the Crime
Article 19
If the extradition of a subject is decided, the Contracting State shall hand over to the requesting State the assets and proceeds seized, used or related to the terrorist crime, found in the possession of the wanted subject or with a third party.
Article 20
The State requested to hand over the assets and proceeds may undertake all necessary custodial measures and procedures for the implementation of its obligation. It may also retain them provisionally if required for penal action implemented therein or hand them to the requesting State on condition that they shall be returned for the same purpose.
Section 5
Exchange of Evidence
Article 21
A Contracting State shall see to it that the evidence and effects of any terrorist crime committed on its territory against another Contracting State are examined by its competent organs and may seek assistance to that end from any other Contracting State. Moreover, it shall take every necessary step to safeguard the evidence and proof of their legal relevance. It may communicate, if requested, the result to the country whose interest were targeted by the crime. The State or States which have assisted in this case shall not pass this information to others.
PART III
Mechanism for Implementing Cooperation
Chapter I
Extradition Procedures
Article 22
The exchange of extradition requests between Contracting States shall be undertaken directly through diplomatic channels or through their Ministries of Justice or their substitute.
Article 23
A request for extradition shall be submitted in writing and shall include:
1. The original or an authenticated copy of the indictment, arrest order or any other instruments of identical weight issued in line with the conditions stipulated in the requesting State's legislation.
2. A statement of the acts for which extradition is sought specifying the dates and places, where these acts were committed and their legal implications along with reference to the legal articles under which they fall as well as a copy of these articles.
3. Description, in as much detail as possible, of the subject wanted for extradition and any other information such as to determine his identity and nationality.
Article 24
1. The judicial authorities in the requesting State may approach the requested State by any channel of written communication and seek the preventive arrest of the wanted subject pending the arrival of the extradition request.
2. In this case the requested State may effect the preventive arrest of the wanted subject. However, if the request for extradition is not submitted together with the necessary documents listed in the above article, the subject whose extradition is sought may not be detained for more than thirty days as of the day of his arrest.
Article 25
The requesting State shall send a request together with the documents listed in Article 24 of this Convention. If the requested State accepts the request as valid, its competent authorities shall implement it in accordance with its legislation and shall promptly notify the requesting State of the action undertaken.
Article 26
Article 27
If the requested State requires additional clarification to ascertain the conditions stipulated in this chapter, it shall notify the requesting State thereof and fix a date for provision of such clarifications.
Article 28
If the requested State received a number of extradition requests from various countries related to the same or diverse acts, this State shall decide upon these requests bearing in mind the circumstances and in particular the possibility of subsequent extradition, date of receiving the requests, degree of the danger of the crime and where it was committed.
Chapter II
Measures for Rogatory Commissions
Article 29
Rogatory Commission requests must specify the following:
Article 30
Article 31
Requests for rogatory commission and accompanying documents shall be signed or stamped with the seal of a competent authority or that authorized by it. These documents shall be exempted from all formal procedures that could be required by the legislation of the requested State.
Article 32
If the authority that received the request for rogatory commission was not competent enough to deal with it, it shall automatically transfer it to the competent authority in its country. If the request is forwarded directly the answer shall reach the requesting State in the same manner.
Article 33
Any refusal for rogatory commission shall be explained.
Chapter III
Measures for Protecting Witnesses and Experts
Article 34
If the requesting State deems that the appearance of the witness or expert before its judicial authorities is of special importance, reference thereto shall be made in its request. The request or summons shall include an approximate statement in terms of compensation, travel expenses, accommodation and commitment to make these payments. The requested State shall invite the witness or expert and inform the requesting State about his/her reply.
Article 35
Article 36
Article 37
1. The requesting State shall undertake all necessary measures to ensure the protection of a witness or expert from publicity that could endanger him, his family or his property as a result of his testimony and in particular:
a) To ensure confidentiality of the date and place of his arrival as well as the means involved.
b) To ensure confidentiality of his accommodation, movements and locations where he may be found.
c) To ensure confidentiality of the testimony and information given to the competent judicial authorities.
2. The requesting State shall provide necessary security required by the condition of the witness or expert and of his family, and circumstances of the case and types of expected risks.
Article 38
1. If the witness or expert who is summoned to the requesting State is imprisoned in the requested State, he shall be provisionally transferred to the location of the hearing at which he is to testify according to conditions and times determined by the requested State.
Transfer may be denied:
2. The transferred witness or expert shall remain in detention in the territory of the requesting State until he is repatriated to the requested Tate unless the latter requests his release.
PART IV
Final Provisions
Article 39
This Convention shall be ratified, or adhered to, by the Signatory States and the instruments of ratification or accession shall be deposited with the General Secretariat of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference not exceeding a period of thirty days as of the date of ratification or accession. The General Secretariat shall inform all Member States about any deposition and date of such instruments.
Article 40
1. This Convention shall enter into force thirty days after the deposit of the seventh instrument of ratification or accession at the OIC General Secretariat.
2. This Convention shall not be applicable to any other Islamic State until it deposits its instruments of ratification or accession with the General Secretariat of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference and after a period of thirty days of the date of deposition.
Article 41
It is not permissible for any Contracting State to make any reservation, explicitly or implicitly in conflict with the provisions of this Convention or deviating from its objectives.
Article 42
1. A Contracting State shall not withdraw from this Convention except by a written request to the Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.
2. Withdrawal shall be affective six months after the date of sending the request to the Secretary General.
This Convention has been written in English, Arabic and French of equal authenticity, of one original deposited with the General Secretariat of the Organization of the Islamic Conference which shall have it registered at the United Nations Organization, in accordance with the provisions of Article 102 of its Charter. The General Secretariat shall communicate approved copies thereof to the Member States of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.
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