Terrorism and freedom of expression in international law

The focus of the international effort to prevent terrorism through legal measures has gradually shifted over the years. First came the criminalization of terrorist acts themselves, followed by criminalization of the provision of forms of material support to terrorism such as financing. Subsequently, international law turned to addressing the social processes leading to terrorism, focusing on preventing the spread of terrorist ideology. This chapter focuses on the principal legal measure adopted in this latter context, namely the criminalization of incitement to terrorism, as manifest in two international instruments, UN Security Council Resolution 1624 (2005) and the Council of Europe’s Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism (Council of Europe Convention). Resolution 1624 (2005) was adopted in the wake of the July 2005 suicide bombings in London.