Armed forces and security services
Subtitle: what democratic controls?
Series: Points of view, points of law; Points of view, points of law
Publisher: Council of Europe Publishing; Manhattan Pub. Co, U.S. sales agent]
Published: 2009
Place of publication: Strasbourg; [Croton-on-Hudson, NY]
Language: eng
Number of pages: 260
ISBN-13: 9789287165367; 9788287165367
Subjects: National security; Internal security; Armed Forces; Due process of law; Democracy; Forces armées; Sécurité publique; Démocratie; Politique de défense; Europe; Council of Europe; Armed forces; Private military companies; Human rights; Rule of law; Monitoring
Description: Faced with the growing threats of terrorism and international organized crime, European societies are feeling an increasing need for both domestic and external security. Government action to combat these threats must be lawful - and also legitimate - and be conducted with due respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law, which are fundamental Council of Europe principles. The question arises as to who is going to exercise democratic oversight in this area. What are the roles of parliaments, the executive, the judiciary and civil society? Do supervisory bodies exist at supranational level? This book presents the various players and their duties in the security field and confirms the need to strike a balance between a democratic conception of fundamental freedoms and security safeguards, on the basis of reports by the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly and the European Commission for Democracy through Law.--Publisher's description.
Notes: "Publishing editions"--Cover.

Includes bibliographical references.
Table of contents: title: Democratic oversight of the security sector in member states / report of the Parliamentary Assembly; title: Democratic oversight of the security services / report of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission); title: Democratic control of the armed forces / report of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission)