ISTANBUL, 8 October 2025 – Members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Ad Hoc Committee on Countering Terrorism (CCT) played a leading role this week in the Global Parliamentary Conference on Counter-Terrorism and Prevention of Violent Extremism, held on 7–8 October 2025 in Istanbul, Türkiye.
OSCE PA Delegation at the Global Parliamentary Conference on Counter-Terrorism and Prevention of Violent Extremism, Istanbul, 8 October 2025Organized by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) in partnership with the Shura Council of the State of Qatar, the conference brought together parliamentarians from around the world, experts, and representatives of international organizations to elaborate concrete parliamentary recommendations for the forthcoming review of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in 2026.
The OSCE PA delegation included Kamil Aydın (Türkiye), Chair of the CCT; Emanuele Loperfido (Italy), Vice-Chair; Tsogtbaatar Damdin (Mongolia); Jevrosima Pejović (Montenegro); and Ricardo Tarno (Spain).
Addressing the session on “Addressing Emerging Threats: Legislative and Policy Responses to Technological Misuse in Terrorism,” CCT Chair Kamil Aydın underlined the urgent need for parliaments to adapt their legislative and oversight frameworks to the challenges posed by artificial intelligence and digital radicalization. He recalled the OSCE PA’s recent resolutions on Artificial Intelligence and the Fight against Terrorism (2024) and on Preventing Youth Radicalization through Education and Media Literacy (2025) as forward-looking examples of parliamentary action.
“Our safety depends not on choosing between technology and security, but on making sure human values guide how we develop and use technology,” Aydın said. “This is not only the challenge before us – it is also our opportunity to lead.”
Chair of CCT Kamil Aydın addressing the Global Parliamentary Conference on Counter-Terrorism and Prevention of Violent Extremism, Istanbul, 8 October 2025He warned, however, that technological responses must never come at the expense of democratic principles and rights. “Lasting security will never be achieved through authoritarian shortcuts,” he stressed. “It rests on resilience – on educating our societies, fostering critical thinking, and ensuring rigorous parliamentary oversight of all counter-terrorism initiatives.”
Vice-Chair Emanuele Loperfido delivered a keynote address on “Informing Future Guidance: Key Legislative and Oversight Themes for Parliamentary Action.” Drawing on eight years of OSCE PA experience, he proposed concrete ways to reinforce the parliamentary dimension of global counter-terrorism efforts, including through its formal recognition at UN level, the creation of a global parliamentary observatory and new mechanisms for structured dialogue with the United Nations.
“Democratic institutions are not obstacles to counter-terrorism – they are its foundation,” Loperfido declared. “It is through parliaments that counter-terrorism policies gain their legitimacy, because laws made openly, with debate and accountability, are the strongest tools we have to defend both security and freedom. The key role of national parliaments in this field should be duly recognized at UN level.”
Throughout the two-day meeting, the OSCE PA delegation actively contributed to discussions on the interlinkages between terrorism and organized crime, ensuring accountability for terrorism in conflict contexts, the importance of effective parliamentary oversight, and the role of education and civic participation in preventing radicalization.
In their interventions, Ricardo Tarno called for accountability under international law and warned that conflicts must never become safe havens for terrorism. Tsogtbaatar Damdin urged more flexible, psychologically informed approaches to counter-terrorism and highlighted the value of ethical AI governance. Jevrosima Pejović stressed that strong parliamentary oversight is essential, particularly as new technological standards emerge.
By sharing the Assembly’s practical experience, members underscored that credible, effective, and rights-based counter-terrorism policies depend on strong parliamentary engagement and democratic accountability. More broadly, the discussions in Istanbul highlighted the need for a renewed, inclusive approach to global counter-terrorism, ensuring that the role of parliamentarians is formally recognized and valued as a key component of the updated Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy — strengthening accountability, transparency, and democratic oversight across all levels of governance.
For more information about the Ad Hoc Committee on Countering Terrorism, please click here.
For photos of the event, please visit the OSCE PA's Flickr page.
