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CoE on combat drones: states must "scrupulously respect" limits set by int'l law

Xinhua, April 24, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) passed a resolution on Thursday calling for member states to "scrupulously respect the limits placed on targeted killings under international law" concerning the use of unmanned combat drones.

The resolution, adopted with 42 votes in favor, 5 against, and 8 abstentions, states the assembly is "alarmed at the high number of lethal drone attacks, which have also caused considerable unintended 'collateral damage' to non-combatants, in contrast with the 'surgical' nature of such strikes claimed by those launching them."

Assembly members showed concern about the civilian cost of drone operations when speaking during the debate that preceded adoption of the resolution.

"We need to draw a clear distinction between fighters and civilians," said Arcadio Diaz Tejera of Spain, the rapporteur who created the report on which the resolution was founded.

The resolution also makes strong calls for greater oversight in the use of combat drones, saying that member states should "lay down clear procedures for authorizing strikes, which must be subject to constant supervision by a high-level court and ex post evaluation by an independent body."

In addition, the assembly has recommended to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe (CoE), Thorbjorn Jagland, to intervene with an Article 52 investigation, asking every member state to investigate and report on how its use of combat drones or cooperation with the drone operations of another state are in compliance with the European Charter of Human Rights.

Jagland has the right to refuse to use his Article 52 powers. The last time they were exercised was in 2005, when the Secretary General asked member states to investigate their participation in the secret detention and transportation of terrorism suspects identified by foreign intelligence services.

The PACE resolution arrives on the same day that United States authorities released information that an American drone strike in January killed an American and an Italian hostage while targeting an Al-Qaeda base in the border area between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The United States is a nation with observer status in PACE, and so considered a participating state being called upon by the resolution. Enditem