Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The National Legislative Assembly has ratified the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism 1999 following deliberations on Tuesday, 6/08/2024.
The Convention was initially presented on 1st July 2024 by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Justice Ruben Madol Arol.
It was then referred to three specialized committees: Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Legislation and Justice, and National Security and Public Order.
However, this morning the deputy chairperson of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Scopas Taban tabled it before the august House after comparative studies and scrutiny.
“Financing Terrorism is a matter of serious concerns worldwide given its escalation and acts of terrorism in all its forms across the globe. As a member of international community, South Sudan is not immune to such practice.
“The Conventions provides obligation on states parties to criminalize such conduct as well as establishing an international legal frame work for cooperation among states in terms of prevention, financing and ensuring prosecution and punishment of offenders wherever found,” said the lawmaker.
The Convention obliges state parties to criminalize actions related to the financing of terrorism and establishes an international legal framework for cooperation among states.
This includes measures for the prevention of terrorism financing, as well as the prosecution and punishment of offenders wherever they are found.
The Convention also mandates that state parties must either prosecute or expel any person within their jurisdiction who commits, attempts to commit, participates in, collaborates with, organizes, or directs others to commit such offenses.
The primary aim of the Convention is to enhance international cooperation among states in devising and adopting effective measures to prevent the financing of terrorism and suppress it through the prosecution and punishment of perpetrators.
After thorough scrutiny, deliberations, and cross-referencing with other relevant domestic laws, it was observed that the Convention allows state parties to criminalize offenses under their own domestic law.
It also provides protection against discrimination based on political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious, or similar grounds.
The Convention further stipulates cooperation and information-sharing among state parties to take appropriate actions.
It guarantees the protection of human rights, including the right to be visited by a representative of the state and the right to be informed of one’s rights.
It also permits state parties to seek extradition through legal processes, enabling them to pursue offenders beyond their jurisdiction.
Following a brief deliberation, the members of parliament ratified the Convention, taking into account all observations and comments.
“The Convention has been ratified with all the recommendation and observations in the text accordingly, Oyet Nathaniel the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament said.
The Committee recommended that South Sudan needs to adopt a series of crime control measures in its domestic legal system, as many of the offenses outlined in the Convention are not currently provided for under domestic laws.
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