Nuclear Terrorism Convention

The Nuclear Terrorism Convention (formally, the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism) is a 2005 United Nations treaty designed to criminalize acts of nuclear terrorism and to promote police and judicial cooperation to prevent, investigate and punish those acts. As of January 2024, the convention has 115 signatories and 124 state parties, including the nuclear powers China, France, India, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.[1] Most recently, Palau ratified the convention on January 19, 2024.[2]

Nuclear Terrorism Convention
International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism
TypeAnti-terrorism, international criminal law
Drafted13 April 2005
Signed14 September 2005 (2005-09-14)
LocationNew York City, United States
Effective7 July 2007
Condition22 ratifications
Signatories115
Parties124
DepositaryUnited Nations Secretary-General
LanguagesArabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish

The Convention covers a broad range of acts and possible targets, including nuclear power plants and nuclear reactors; covers threats and attempts to commit such crimes or to participate in them, as an accomplice; stipulates that offenders shall be either extradited or prosecuted; encourages States to cooperate in preventing terrorist attacks by sharing information and assisting each other in connection with criminal investigations and extradition proceedings; and, deals with both crisis situations, assisting States to solve the situations and post-crisis situations by rendering nuclear material safe through the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Definition of the crime of nuclear terrorism

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Article 2 of the convention defines the offence of Nuclear terrorism as follows:

1. Any person commits an offence within the meaning of this Convention if that person unlawfully and intentionally:

(a) Possesses radioactive material or makes or possesses a device:

(i) With the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury; or
(ii) With the intent to cause substantial damage to property or to the environment;

(b) Uses in any way radioactive material or a device, or uses or damages a nuclear facility in a manner which releases or risks the release of radioactive material:

(i) With the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury; or
(ii) With the intent to cause substantial damage to property or to the environment; or
(iii) With the intent to compel a natural or legal person, an international organization or a State to do or refrain from doing an act.[3]

At the same time, article 4 expressly excludes the application of the convention to the use of nuclear devices during armed conflicts, without recognizing though the legality of the use of nuclear weapons:

1. Nothing in this Convention shall affect other rights, obligations and responsibilities of States and individuals under international law, in particular the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international humanitarian law.

2. The activities of armed forces during an armed conflict, as those terms are understood under international humanitarian law, which are governed by that law are not governed by this Convention, and the activities undertaken by military forces of a State in the exercise of their official duties, inasmuch as they are governed by other rules of international law, are not governed by this Convention.

3. The provisions of paragraph 2 of the present article shall not be interpreted as condoning or making lawful otherwise unlawful acts, or precluding prosecution under other laws.

4. This Convention does not address, nor can it be interpreted as addressing, in any way, the issue of the legality of the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons by States.[4]

States parties

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As of May 2024, 124 states are parties to the Convention.[5]

State party Signed Accessed Entry into force
  Afghanistan 29 December 2005 25 March 2013 24 April 2013
  Albania 23 November 2005 21 August 2023 20 September 2023
  Algeria 3 March 2011 2 April 2011
  Antigua and Barbuda 1 December 2009 31 December 2009
  Argentina 14 September 2005 8 April 2016 8 May 2016
  Armenia 15 September 2005 22 September 2010 22 October 2010
  Australia 14 September 2005 16 March 2012 15 April 2012
  Austria 15 September 2005 14 September 2006 7 July 2007
  Azerbaijan 15 September 2005 28 January 2009 27 February 2009
  Bahrain 4 May 2010 3 June 2010
  Bangladesh 7 June 2007 7 July 2007
  Belarus 15 September 2005 13 March 2007 7 July 2007
  Belgium 14 September 2005 2 October 2009 1 November 2009
  Benin 15 September 2005 2 November 2017 2 December 2017
  Bosnia and Herzegovina 7 December 2005 29 June 2017 29 July 2017
  Botswana 12 July 2021 12 July 2021
  Brazil 16 September 2005 25 September 2009 25 October 2009
  Burundi 29 March 2006 24 September 2008 24 October 2008
  Canada 14 September 2005 21 November 2013 21 December 2013
  Central African Republic 19 February 2008 20 March 2008
  Chile 22 September 2005 27 September 2010 20 March 2008
  China[A] 14 September 2005 8 November 2010 8 December 2010
  Comoros 12 March 2007 7 July 2007
  Congo 14 November 2023 14 December 2023
  Costa Rica 15 September 2005 21 February 2013 23 March 2013
  Côte d'Ivoire 12 March 2012 11 April 2012
  Croatia 16 September 2005 30 May 2007 7 July 2007
  Cuba 17 June 2009 17 July 2009
  Cyprus 15 September 2005 28 January 2008 27 February 2008
  Czech Republic 15 September 2005 25 July 2006 7 July 2007
  Congo, Democratic Republic of the 23 September 2010 23 October 2010
  Denmark[B] 14 September 2005 20 March 2007 7 July 2007
  Djibouti 14 June 2006 25 April 2014 25 May 2014
  Dominican Republic 11 June 2008 11 July 2008
  El Salvador 16 September 2005 27 November 2006 7 July 2007
  Fiji 15 May 2008 14 June 2008
  Finland 14 September 2005 13 January 2009 12 February 2009
  France 14 September 2005 11 September 2013 11 October 2013
  Gabon 15 September 2005 1 October 2007 31 October 2007
  Georgia 23 April 2010 23 May 2010
  Germany 15 September 2005 8 February 2008 9 March 2008
  Guatemala 20 September 2005 26 September 2018 25 October 2018
  Guinea-Bissau 6 August 2008 5 September 2008
  Hungary 14 September 2005 12 April 2007 7 July 2007
  India 24 July 2006 1 December 2006 7 July 2007
  Indonesia 30 September 2014 30 October 2014
  Iraq 13 May 2013 12 June 2013
  Italy 14 September 2005 21 October 2016 20 November 2016
  Jamaica 5 December 2006 27 December 2013 26 January 2014
  Japan 15 September 2005 3 August 2007 2 September 2007
  Jordan 16 November 2005 29 January 2016 28 February 2016
  Kazakhstan 16 September 2005 31 July 2008 2 September 2007
  Kenya 15 September 2005 13 April 2006 7 July 2007
  Kiribati 15 September 2005 26 September 2008 26 October 2008
  Korea, South 16 September 2005 29 May 2014 28 June 2014
  Kuwait 16 September 2005 5 September 2013 5 October 2013
  Kyrgyzstan 5 May 2006 2 October 2007 1 November 2007
  Latvia 16 September 2005 25 July 2006 7 July 2007
  Lebanon 23 September 2005 13 November 2006 7 July 2007
  Lesotho 16 September 2005 22 September 2010 22 October 2010
  Libya 16 September 2005 22 December 2008 21 January 2009
  Liechtenstein 16 September 2005 25 September 2009 21 January 2009
  Lithuania 16 September 2005 19 July 2007 18 August 2007
  Luxembourg 15 September 2005 2 October 2008 1 November 2008
  Madagascar 15 September 2005 15 February 2017 17 March 2017
  Malawi 7 October 2009 6 November 2009
  Mali 5 November 2009 5 December 2009
  Malta 15 September 2005 26 September 2012 26 October 2012
  Mauritania 28 April 2008 28 May 2008
  Mexico 12 January 2006 27 June 2006 7 July 2007
  Moldova 16 September 2005 18 April 2008 18 May 2008
  Mongolia 3 November 2005 6 October 2006 7 July 2007
  Montenegro 23 October 2006 13 February 2019 15 March 2019
  Morocco 19 April 2006 31 March 2010 30 April 2010
  Namibia 2 September 2016 2 October 2016
  Nauru 24 August 2010 23 September 2010
  Netherlands 16 September 2005 30 June 2010 30 July 2010
  New Zealand[C] 14 September 2005 18 March 2016 17 April 2016
  Nicaragua 15 September 2005 25 February 2009 27 March 2009
  Niger 2 July 2008 1 August 2008
  Nigeria 25 September 2012 25 October 2012
  North Macedonia 16 September 2005 19 March 2007 7 July 2007
  Norway 16 September 2005 20 February 2014 22 March 2014
  Oman 21 October 2022 20 November 2022
  Palau 15 September 2005 19 January 2024 18 February 2024
  Panama 21 February 2006 21 June 2007 21 July 2007
  Paraguay 16 September 2005 29 January 2009 28 February 2009
  Peru 14 September 2005 29 May 2009 28 June 2009
  Poland 14 September 2005 8 April 2010 8 May 2010
  Portugal 21 September 2005 25 September 2014 25 October 2014
  Qatar 16 February 2006 15 January 2014 14 February 2014
  Romania 14 September 2005 24 January 2007 7 July 2007
  Russia 14 September 2005 29 January 2007 7 July 2007
  Saint Kitts and Nevis 13 August 2020 11 September 2020
  Saint Lucia 12 November 2012 12 December 2012
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8 July 2010 7 August 2010
  San Marino 16 December 2014 15 January 2015
  Saudi Arabia 26 December 2006 7 December 2007 6 January 2008
  Serbia 15 September 2005 26 September 2006 7 July 2007
  Singapore 1 December 2006 2 August 2017 1 September 2017
  Slovakia 15 September 2005 23 March 2006 7 July 2007
  Slovenia 14 September 2005 17 December 2009 16 January 2010
  Solomon Islands 24 September 2009 24 October 2009
  South Africa 14 September 2005 9 May 2007 7 July 2007
  Spain 14 September 2005 22 February 2007 7 July 2007
  Sri Lanka 14 September 2005 27 September 2007 27 October 2007
  State of Palestine 29 December 2017
  Sweden 14 September 2005 18 August 2014 17 September 2014
   Switzerland 14 September 2005 15 October 2008 14 November 2008
  Tajikistan 14 September 2005 29 June 2022 29 July 2022
  Thailand 14 September 2005 2 May 2019 1 June 2019
  Tunisia 28 September 2010 28 October 2010
  Turkey 14 September 2005 24 September 2012 24 October 2012
  Turkmenistan 28 March 2008 27 April 2008
  Ukraine 14 September 2005 25 September 2007 25 October 2007
  United Arab Emirates 10 January 2008 9 February 2008
  United Kingdom 14 September 2005 24 September 2009 24 October 2009
  United States 14 September 2005 30 September 2015 30 October 2015
  Uruguay 16 September 2005 4 March 2016 3 April 2016
  Uzbekistan 29 April 2008 29 May 2008
  Vietnam 27 September 2016 27 October 2016
  Yemen 13 October 2014 12 November 2014
  Zambia 7 April 2017 7 May 2017
  Zimbabwe 28 September 2023 28 October 2023

Signatories which are not parties

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The following states have signed, but not ratified, the Convention.[6]

State Signed
  Andorra 11 May 2006
  Bulgaria 14 September 2005
  Burkina Faso 21 September 2005
  Cambodia 7 December 2006
  Colombia 1 November 2006
  East Timor 16 September 2005
  Ecuador 15 September 2005
  Egypt 20 September 2005
  Estonia 14 September 2005
  Eswatini 15 September 2005
  Ghana 6 November 2006
  Greece 15 September 2005
  Guinea 16 September 2005
  Guyana 15 September 2005
  Iceland 16 September 2005
  Ireland 15 September 2005
  Israel 27 December 2006
  Liberia 16 September 2005
  Malaysia 16 September 2005
  Mauritius 14 September 2005
  Monaco 14 September 2005
  Mozambique 1 May 2006
  Philippines 15 September 2005
  Rwanda 6 March 2006
  São Tomé and Príncipe 19 December 2005
  Senegal 21 September 2005
  Seychelles 7 October 2005
  Sierra Leone 14 September 2005
  Syria 14 September 2005
  Togo 15 September 2005

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The Convention does not apply to Hong Kong.
  2. ^ The Convention does not apply to the Faroe Islands or Greenland.
  3. ^ The Convention does not apply to Tokelau.

References

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  1. ^ Ratifications.
  2. ^ "2024 Palau". United Nations : Office on Drugs and Crime. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  3. ^ Nuclear Terrorism Convention, art. 1.
  4. ^ Nuclear Terrorism Convention, art. 4.
  5. ^ "Disarmament Treaties Database: International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism". United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  6. ^ "International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism". United Nations Treaty Collection. 16 October 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.

Further reading

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