14 Human Rights in Counter-Terrorism Investigations demonstrate that the respect for human rights is the cornerstone of law enforcement efforts to counter terrorism. Respect for human rights in counter-terrorism investigation and prosecution is a pre-condition to effectively preventing terrorism. Failure to respect and protect human rights is one of the conditions conducive to terrorism; human rights-compliant investigations are, therefore, key in any effort to counter this security threat.17 Respect for human rights – of terrorism suspects, victims, witnesses and police officers alike – also ensures that the innocent are not wrongly convicted and that the offenders do not walk free. Respect for human rights principles is, therefore, a practical necessity, essential to effective investigation. That is what this manual is about. In recent years, ODIHR and the OSCE Transnational Threats Department have produced a number of manuals and guidebooks designed to strengthen democratic policing in OSCE participating States and to protect human rights while countering terrorism.18 In particular, in 2007 ODIHR published Countering Terrorism, Protecting Human Rights: A Manual.19 This is a comprehensive, thorough and detailed examination of the international legal and human rights standards that apply to the fight against terrorism and has been used successfully as part of training programmes throughout the OSCE region. It is of value to police officers, prosecutors, judges, lawyers, academics and civil society organizations. 17 18 19 United Nations General Assembly, Resolution 60/288, “The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy”, 20 September 2006, <http://www.un.org/en/terrorism/strategy-counter-terrorism.shtml> and OSCE Ministerial Council, Ministerial Statement, “Supporting the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy”, Madrid, 30 November 2007, <http://www.osce.org/mc/29544>. Guidebook on Democratic Policing by the Senior Police Adviser to the OSCE Secretary General (Vienna: OSCE, 2008), <http://www.osce.org/spmu/23804>; Good Practices in Building Police-Public Partnerships by the Senior Police Adviser to the OSCE Secretary General (Vienna: OSCE, 2008), <http://www.osce.org/spmu/32547>; Good Practices in Basic Police Training – Curricula Aspects (Vienna: OSCE, 2009); <http://polis.osce.org/ library/f/3555/2732/OSCE-AUS-SPM-3555-EN-2732>; Trafficking in Human Beings: Identification of Potential and Presumed Victims – A Community Policing Approach (Vienna: OSCE, 2011), <http://www.osce.org/node/78849>; and Guidelines on Human Rights Education for Law Enforcement Officials (Warsaw: OSCE/ODIHR, 2012), <http://www.osce. org/odihr/93968?download=true>. Countering Terrorism, Protecting Human Rights: A Manual, (Warsaw: ODIHR, 2007) <http:// www.osce.org/odihr/29103>.