The Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC)

In commitment to the magnanimous principles of Sharia and noble Islamic values of renouncing all forms of violence, extremism, extravagance and securing human rights particularly equality, justice, human dignity and avoidance of bloodshed,

Being aware that terrorist and extremist threats cannot be confronted by a single state or region irrespective of its potentials and capabilities and that the only way out to face the abhorrent plague of terrorism and extremism is constructive and effective cooperation among all the countries of the world,

Being guided by the genuine principles of Islam to spread peace, justice equality, tolerance, understanding and mutual respect, among  civilizations, cultures, religions and creeds based on moderation, reasonableness, respect of human diversity and enhancement of world peace,

Realizing the sublime objectives enshrined in the PUIC statute aimed at Fostering coordination among peoples of the world in order to respect and defend human rights and humanitarian principles and establishment of peace, based on justice,

Adhering to the OIC Charter, its objectives and principles particularly for defending universality the Islamic Religion, propagating, enhancing and safeguarding the Islamic teachings and values, and protecting the genuine image of Islam and confronting, with all possible means, whoever distorts or insults it.

Reiterating the legal instruments of OIC for combating terrorism in particular;

• Code of Conduct of the OIC Member States on combating international terrorism of 1994.

• OIC Convention for combating terrorism adopted by the 26^th Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (ICFM) in 1999.

• 10 year Program of Action adopted by the Third Extraordinary Islamic Summit convened in Makkah Al Mukaramah on 7 and 8 December 2005 on combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

Recalling the relevant resolutions of the Security Council particularly Resolutions Nos,1267,1373,1526, 1540 and 2199 concerning counter terrorism and taking the required steps and  necessary procedures for international cooperation for combating terrorism, exhausting of its sources and eradicating it, along with the Presidential Statement issued by the Security Council on 4 May 2012 concerning the perils that threaten international peace and security caused by terrorist actions; and Resolution No.68/127 of the UN General Assembly on World Against violence and Extremism as well as the UN International Strategy for Combating Terrorism adopted on 8 September 2006,

Recognizing that international cooperation and any measures taken by Member States to prevent and combat terrorism must fully comply with obligations under international law, including the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations.

Further emphasizing that violent sectarian policies and the involvement of any foreign armed groups under the guise of fighting terrorism in civil conflicts is one of the root causes of increasing terrorism,

Urging those countries which are challenged by the atrocities committed by terrorist groups and organizations to take necessary measures in order to prevent revenge attacks as well as forced displacements of local people due to their ethnic or sectarian affiliations.

Expressing concern about the danger, constituted by terrorism and extremism, for the stability and security of the Islamic countries as well as the safety of their territories along with all other countries of the world particularly after the increasing tempo of terrorist actions and their escalating effects in threatening international peace and security as well as the values of safe coexistence among human communities;

Reiterating that terrorism can never be justified under any designation or pretext, and that its condemnation, in all its forms and manifestations irrespective of its origin, cause or purpose, is a duty of all countries of the world. Moreover, terrorism and extremism are not linked to any religion, race, nationality, civilization, culture, group or geographic region.

Emphasizing that the absence of justice and fairness in the settlement of regional and international problems and disputes, the double standard of international legitimacy criteria, and selectivity in the application of the principles of international law and adopting the methods of force and superiority in international relations are among the causes of terrorism.

The double standard policy adopted in connection with the Palestinian issue and other issues of Muslim people and minorities in a number of the countries of the world has created violence and tension focal points which contributed to kindle extremism and terrorism. There is no way for the enhancement of international peace and security except by the realization of justice in international relations and unifying the criteria of applying international law and call for UN reform.

        The preamble of the covenant is deemed an integral part of it and shall be read and construed together with its provisions.

Thus the conferees have unanimously agreed on this Charter and endeavor to realize its provisions according to the following:

ARTICLE – 1

Absolute denunciation and rejection of any entities ,organizations, groups, parties or individuals that use force, violence, threat, unlawfully kill or frighten people for the purpose of violation of public order, threat to basic freedoms, infringement of human dignity or endangering the communities security, arbitrary displacement of population, inflicting injury on individuals or spreading horror among them, inflicting damages on public & private properties and natural resources of countries or any actions relevant to ethnic cleansing, genocide or other actions that fall within the scope of terrorist action in accordance with OIC Treaty on Combating International Terrorism and the Code of Conduct on Combating Terrorism as well as the relevant international conventions and deeming such operations to be terrorist crimes which are in no way related to Islam which is innocent thereof.

ARTICLE - 2

Absolute denunciation and rejection of abuse of Islam under any pretext or in any way that impinges on its sanctities, its religious symbols, its principles or targeting Islamic characters and institutions, or false and frequent linkage of Islam to violation of human rights, terrorism and extremism; also rejection of provocation directed  against Muslims as well as hostile acts targeting their enterprises, properties, their cultural centers and their places of  worship in non-Muslim countries and precluding the use of religion as a pretext for incitement, hatred and discrimination against Muslims pursuant to international law and humanitarian  international law. Furthermore, it is to be stressed that freedom should be practiced with responsibility along with the necessary respect to others’ basic rights so that the culture of peace would be consolidated and understanding and dialogue among the cultures and civilizations of the world would be enhanced pursuant to the deeds of international humanitarian law and human rights.

ARTICLE - 3

Drawing up specific internationally agreed standards for determining precisely and defining the term “terrorism” including its vocabularies and elements and distinguishing between it and peoples struggle for national liberation and the right of self- determination in pursuance of the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter and International Law. Thus, armed struggle against occupation and colonialism of peoples for self-determination and national liberation shall not be considered terrorist actions in accordance with the UN Covenants, Declarations and Resolutions which have emphasized such distinction.

ARTICLE - 4

The parties to this Charter undertake to combat terrorism and extremism and take all bilateral and collective measures in this respect, including:

1. 1. Non-undertaking, initiating or participating in any way in funding, inciting for or extending support, directly/indirectly, to terrorist actions, including providing terrorists with arms or helping them to own the same and not granting them travel documents.

1. 2. Impeding the use of third party territories as a theatre for planning, organizing or perpetration of terrorist crimes, or initiating commence or participation in the same in any way whatsoever.

1. 3. Taking common measures to preclude the transit crossing or infiltration of terrorist elements, granting them the right of (asylum), receiving or sheltering, housing, training or arming them or providing them with facilities to undertake terrorist actions in the territories of a third party.

1. 4. Cooperation in the area of exchange of information relevant to terrorist activities particularly as regards providing security, protection and safety for accredited diplomatic missions and personalities, consulates, regional and international organizations along with exchange of information as regards preparation of common regional lists of the entities, organizations, groups, parties involved in terrorist actions or are supporting of extremism.

1. 5. Cooperation for exhausting terrorism sources including freezing of finances of those who are proved to be involved in terrorist actions, incriminating trafficking in antiquities stolen by terrorists and punishment of individuals, companies and banks that financially deal therewith, ceasing export/import from/to the territories that are under terrorists’ control.

1. 6. Cooperation with the international community for adoption of an international Covenant on worldwide network (internet) which precludes terrorists and extremists from exploitation of technology and modern means of communication in conscription and funding of their terrorist operations or publishing their extremist beliefs hence promotion of violence, hatred and provocation, and precluding creation of technological support networks which might help terrorism in any way whatsoever.

1. 7. Formation of an Islamic communication group to cooperate with the international community for the purpose of creation and spread of tangible solutions and best ways of combating extremism electronically in collaboration with the international and regional entities concerned with combating terrorism & extremism.

1. 8. Strong measures to prevent the development, acquisition and use of nuclear, chemical and biological warfare agents and other weapons of mass destruction by terrorists as well as trafficking of narcotics, illegal pharmaceutical based agents, arms and money laundering.

1. 1. Taking the measures necessary for cooperation between parties in the field of support of Islamic media to confront the belligerent campaign against Islam and its symbols by demonstrating the true image of magnanimous Islam, its values and principles and projecting the danger of extreme thought and displaying Islam’s moderate culture as well as defending common Islamic causes through media channels, broadcasting in international languages.

ARTICLE – 5

Enhancement of the role of education role in propagating the values of tolerance and positive participation in order to project true image of Islam, development of educational methodology and curricula to hinder the spread of erroneous conceptions, and strengthen the right of understanding of the noble human values, principles and ethics of True Islamic Religion which prohibit practice of terrorism and protect the Islamic Identity from rip-off and melting away and protecting it against whatsoever obliterates its features under the modern means of communication.

ARTICLE - 6

Cooperation between the ministries, organizations and institutions of the countries of the PUIC Member Parliaments concerned with the religious affairs and Islamic call and the trustworthy scholars and specialized experts in preparation of printed matter, traditional and electronic pamphlets, and academic studies for dismantling and refuting the ideological discourse of the terrorist groups, showing the true religion and Sharia controls through organizing joint regional and common activities in this respect, in collaboration with the OIC Committee on Coordination of joint Islamic Action in the field of Dawa.

ARTICLE – 7

Calling for creation of a PUIC Permanent Program for parliamentary dialogue with international and regional Parliaments aimed at consolidating common understanding in order to agree on the adoption of the mechanisms and ways needed for enhancement of mutual respect among religions, religious values, and beliefs, and cultures and precluding their abuse and confrontation of various kinds of extremism in order to maintain international peace and security.

Calling for an immediate end to violent sectarian policies and the involvement of any foreign armed groups or organizations under the guise of fighting terrorism in civil conflicts.

ARTICLE - 8

Exertion of due diligence by various religious institutions in the countries of PUIC Member Parliaments and scholars of the Islamic Ummah in order to propagate dialogue and understanding among various Islamic sects, groups and schools of thought so that Muslims may avoid causes of disputes or dissention and embrace points of agreement and concurrence and consequently build communication bridges among the adherents of the one of Islamic religion.

Taking necessary measures, including the formation of judicial and executive inquiry commissions against the ethnic or sectarian - motivated atrocities of extra-legal armed groups or organizations, whether local or foreign, under the pretext of fighting terrorism.

ARTICLE - 9

Laying down national, regional and international policies, strategies and plans needed for addressing the root causes of terrorism and extremism as confrontation of such a phenomenon cannot be accomplished by security and military means alone, and calling upon the international community to shoulder its responsibilities in assisting, supporting and encouraging Islamic and non-Islamic developing countries to realize sustainable development and millennial development through enhancement of the positions of such countries in the IMF, World Bank and international & regional financial institutions programs and enterprises. Moreover, it is to be focused on the enhancement of technical and financial cooperation between the developing countries and developed countries for providing, qualifying and training the youth to enable them to avoid the danger of joining terrorist groups.

ARTICLE - 10

Calling on the OIC to draw up a working strategy of cooperation between Muslim countries for combating terrorism and extremism provided that such a strategy would include the following:-

1. Agreement on a common definition of the concept of terrorism and extremism as well as determination of the common legal principles of incrimination terrorist actions along with demonstration of the type of such actions.

2. Necessary mechanisms and ways of cooperation between Islamic countries in combating terrorism.

3. Determination of obligations in the field of cooperation in combating terrorism.

4. Determination of the frameworks of Islamic international cooperation and extremism and projection of the true image of Islam.

5. Mechanisms of confronting contempt of Islam and transgression on its symbols, values and basic principles.

6. Enhancement of the method of Islamic discourse as regards its moderation, reasonableness and openness so as to be compatible with the universal call for Islam and utilization of Islamic and International media for informing about the true Islam and its culture.

7. Adoption of programs and plans for training and qualifying Islamic preachers, technically and culturally, as well as enabling them to benefit from modern technologies of communication.

ARTICLE - 11

Commitment to provide all kinds of support and assistance needed for victims of terrorist operations, guarantee to provide the necessary protection thereto and indemnifying them for the damage sustained thereby.

ARTICLE -12

Taking all measures necessary for cooperation between the parties, bilaterally and collectively, to prohibit terrorist entities and groups from committing the following actions:

1. Impinging on the lives of individuals, killing, displacing or torturing them.
2. Taking hostages and captives, exchange of information and execution of common operations to ensure their safety.
3. Broadcasting the e-transmissions on the terrorist websites in connection with hostage killing, propagation of their threats or statements aimed at terrorizing individuals or compelling states to undertake a certain action or not.
4. Exploitation of any exceptional circumstance, political, sexuality-based, doctrinal, racial, ethnic, or religious purpose for justification of individuals’ kidnapping, detention or threatening them with killing, injury or arrest.

ARTICLE – 13

The PUIC by issuance of this Charter calls on the OIC to circulate the same to the governments of the countries of the PUIC Member Parliaments and endeavor to put its items into force, while the PUIC General Secretariat undertakes to follow up that. Moreover, it will also inform religious institutions and organizations of Muslim countries as well as regional and international parliamentary organizations about this Charter.