ResolutionNumber: B5
Year: 2002
Title:   TO ADD ACTIVE DENIAL TECHNOLOGY TO MSP

Resolved: Be it resolved that Amnesty International will study to evaluate whether the use of Active Denial Technology is a human rights violation and should be included on any list of non-exportable technologies maintained by Military, Security and Police Transfers team.


Implementation: This resolution calls on the international movement to consider whether or not the use of Active Denial Technology – a law enforcement technology that disables targets (people) and “denies” them mobility– should be considered by AI as a technology that we (always) oppose and should therefore be counted (automatically?) among the technologies that we consider non-exportable. This is a matter that should be referred to the MSP team at the International Secretariat.

Susan Waltz, Chairperson of the MSPWG, will write a letter to the International Secretariat before October 2002.


Update: AI works to ban the production and transfer of technology whose use is inherently abusive of human rights (for example, thumb cuffs, leg irons, and gallows). "Active denial technology" is being developed through the US Defense Department for use in military situations where non-lethal force might be desirable. The weapon is still being developed, and its

eventual use (on civilians, for example) could raise concerns for Amnesty Interrnational. It does not, however, appear to fall in the class of equipment whose export AI would categorically oppose. AIUSA’s MSP working group has been in communication with the MSP staff at the IS and continue to monitor the development of new security technology and consider its potential for abuse.