Canada successfully puts hostage diplomacy centre stage at the UN Human Rights Council

Canada just marked another important milestone in the fight against hostage diplomacy.??

For the first time, an official side event on arbitrary detention for diplomatic leverage was held at the UN, highlighting the international community’s collective resolve to address the egregious practice of states using foreign citizens as bargaining chips.?

The event, Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations: Building Global Solidarity, was co-hosted by Canada, Belgium, and Argentina on the margins of the 56th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on June 26.??

With the support of 15 co-sponsor countries from around the world, Julie Sunday, Canada’s Senior Official for Hostage Affairs (SOHA), joined a panel of experts for a discussion underscoring why this complex issue matters to all countries, not least because of the profound, long-lasting and intolerable human suffering that it causes for victims, survivors and their families.

Panelists:

• Dr. Shaheen Sardar Ali, Member, Independent International Panel on Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations?

• Mr. Olivier Vandecasteele , Hostage Survivor, Founder, Protect Humanitarians ?

• Ms. Lara Symons, Chief Executive, Hostage International ?

• Ms. Stephanie Foggett , Research Fellow, The Soufan Center ?

• Dr. Dr Matthew Gillett , Chair Rapporteur, United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention ??

• H.E. Mr. Carlos Mario Foradori, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, and Permanent Representative of Argentina to the United Nations in Geneva?

• Dr. Julie Sunday , Canada’s Senior Official for Hostage Affairs??

• H.E. Marc Pecsteen de Buytswerve, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative of Belgium to the United Nations in Geneva?

“The common factor in all these cases is the human suffering. Hostages are left feeling abandoned, while their families feel helpless with no clarity on the charges or legal process,” explained Lara Symons, Chief Executive of Hostage International. “The impact of arbitrary detention continues even after release and carries real consequences.”?

There was clear consensus from speakers that global solidarity is imperative if we are to deter the use of hostage diplomacy as a tool of statecraft.??

"We bear a responsibility, as states, to protect our citizens. Yet, when it comes to combatting arbitrary detention, we know that it can be challenging to go it alone,” said Julie Sunday, Senior Official for Hostage Affairs (SOHA). “If we are to effectively address and deter this issue, we need to work together.”

Part of SOHA’s mandate is to raise awareness of the principles outlined in the Declaration Against Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations and facilitate international dialogue with the goal of stopping the use of arbitrary detention as a mechanism of leverage.?

Panelists also reiterated that effective deterrence requires coordinated action on the part of the international community, and effort from a broad range of stakeholders. Civil society and academia have a critical role to play in this space through advocacy and awareness-raising, data collection, and by being the “eyes and ears” on the ground, as noted by Dr. Matthew Gillett, Chair Rapporteur of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.??

Panelists agreed on the need to bolster research and information sharing in order to better understand the impact, trends, scope and potential implications of this practice and also increase support to survivors and families during their struggle and recovery. In her intervention, Stephanie Foggett, Research Fellow at The Soufan Center, highlighted the impact that hostage diplomacy has on people and countries, as well as its increasing prevalence as a coercion tool by some states.?

“Each case of hostage taking is a human tragedy,” she said. “The practice violates the human rights of those impacted and undermines important strides towards global cooperation, travel and trade. The growing prevalence of this form of coercive diplomacy has raised alarm bells. In some cases, foreign governments have surpassed terrorist and militant groups as the predominant hostage takers of citizens.”?

The need to hold perpetrators responsible – through justice and accountability - was also emphasized by speakers, along with the need to determine how best to leverage, adapt or strengthen existing international norms, tools and mechanisms so that affected States and survivors can get justice and reparation.

Addressing this serious human rights and security threat requires much work. Momentum is building, as a broad range of partners, including states, civil society, academia, and survivors are deepening collaboration in efforts to deter this reprehensible practice.

Global solidarity works. By presenting a united front and speaking with one voice, we can deter, and eventually end, the practice of hostage diplomacy.