Seychelles
The Seychelles has dedicated counterterrorism legislation from 2004 in place. There is a carve-out in the law for the exercise of certain fundamental human rights.
The Definition of Terrorism in Domestic Law
The 2004 Act defines a terrorist act as an act which:
(a) involves the death of, or serious bodily harm to, a person;
(b) involves serious damage to property;
(c) endangers a person's life;
(d) creates a serious risk to the health or safety of the public or a section of the public;
(e) involves the use of firearms or explosives;
(f) involves releasing into the environment or any part thereof or distributing or exposing the public or any section thereof to— (i) any dangerous, hazardous, radioactive or harmful substance; (ii) any toxic chemical; (iii) any microbial or other biological agent or toxin;
(g) is designed or intended to disrupt any computer system or the provision of services directly related to communications infrastructure, banking or financial services, utilities, transportation or other essential infrastructure;
(h) is designed or intended to disrupt the provision of essential emergency services such as police, civil defence or medical services;
(i) involves prejudice to national security or public safety;
and is intended, or by its nature and context may reasonably be regarded as being intended, to—
(i) intimidate the public or a section of the public; or
(ii) seriously destabilise or destroy the religious, political, constitutional, economic or social institutions of a country, or an international organisation; or
(iii) compel a government or an international organisation to do, or refrain from doing, any act.S. 2, 2004 Prevention of Terrorism Act.
The provision further stipulates that an act
which disrupts any services and is committed in pursuance of a protest, demonstration or stoppage of work shall be deemed not to be a terrorist act within the meaning of this definition so long and so long only as the act is not intended to result in any harm referred to in paragraph (a), (b), (c) or (d).
Adherence to Global and Regional Terrorism Treaties
The Seychelles is a State Party to most of the main United Nations treaties on terrorism.
| Treaty | Adherence |
|---|---|
| 1973 Convention on Crimes against Internationally Protected Persons | State Party |
| 1979 Hostage-Taking Convention | State Party |
| 1997 Terrorist Bombings Convention | State Party |
| 1999 Terrorist Financing Convention | State Party |
| 2005 Nuclear Terrorism Convention | Signatory |
The Seychelles is also a State Party to one of the two regional treaties on terrorism.
| Treaty | Adherence |
|---|---|
| 1999 Algiers Convention | State Party |
| 2004 Protocol to the Algiers Convention | State not party |
Laws and Penalties for Terrorist Offences
According to Section 4 of the 2004 Act,
Every person who commits—
(a) a terrorist act that causes the death of a person commits an offence and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for life;
(b) any other terrorist act commits an offence and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for a period not less than seven years and not more than 30 years.
Counterterrorism Capacities and Policies at Domestic Level
The Seychelles does not have a dedicated counterterrorism unit in its national police.
A new law on terrorist financing was passed in 2020.
Glossary
Twitter