Hostage-taking.

UN Commission on Human Rights (42nd sess. : 1986 : Geneva), Hostage-taking., E/CN.4/RES/1986/49, UN Commission on Human Rights, 12 March 1986, https://www.refworld.org/legal/resolution/unchr/1986/en/7829 [accessed 14 November 2025]
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1986/49. Hostage-taking[1]140

The Commission on Human Rights, Recalling its resolution 27 (XXXVII) of 11 March 1981, in which it affirms that the taking of hostages constitutes a grave violation of human rights exposing the hostages to privation, hardship, anguish and danger to life and health, Taking into account the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Bearing in mind, among other things, Security Council resolution 579 (1985) of 18 December 1985 on hostage-taking, Alarmed by the growing number of cases of hostage-taking throughout the world, some of which have been going on for a long time, and by the odious form they take, as an unacceptable display of violence towards innocent victims, Expressing its distress at the anxiety and suffering of the families concerned, Considering that everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person and that hostage-taking is a serious violation of these fundamental rights and of the dignity of the persons concerned, Considering that arbitrary detention of persons is an unquestionable violation of human rights, Noting with concern the increasing number of instances of the taking of hostages, more and more often involving nationals of States chosen in order to put pressure on those States or on third States,

1. Strongly condemns, whoever those responsible and whatever the circumstances, the taking of any person hostage, whether he is chosen at random and whether he is or is not a national of a State on which it is intended to put pressure;

2. Demands that all persons responsible for taking hostages, whatever their motives, should release those they are holding immediately;

3. Calls upon States to take any measures necessary to prevent and punish the taking of hostages and to put an immediate end to cases of abduction and unlawful restraint on their territory;

4. Requests the Secretary-General, whenever so requested by a State, to employ all means at his disposal in order to secure the immediate release of persons held hostage;

5. Decides to remain seized of this question at the next session.


[1]140 Adopted at the 54th meeting, on 12 March 1986, by a roll-call vote of 41 to none, with 2 abstentions. See chap. X, para. 217.
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