UN’s Scheinin: ‘Terrorism being used to legitimise state violence’ in North Africa

While addressing the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council on Tunisia, Special Rapporteur Martin Scheinin said “broad and vague terrorism definitions and their abusive use to suppress dissent prove to be a galvanising factor in society. Making reference to Tunisia’s Ben Ali, and Gaddafi in Libya, Mr Scheinin told the Geneva based conference that it was necessaery to strictly define terrorist acts, so as thier definitions cannot be used to justify repression of opposition voices.