While the number of States seeking to acquire armed drones is increasing, armed drone strikes have caused civilian deaths and injuries, trauma and the destruction of civilian property. Often, these victims and their families have been denied justice, effective, prompt and impartial investigations, reparation and there has been a lack of accountability for these potentially unlawful strikes.

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In this statement, the European Forum on Armed Drones (EFAD) calls upon States to agree on clear and transparent standards in line with international law, on the lawful use and transfer of armed drones and ensuring transparency, accountability addressing the victims’ rights and needs, including access to justice and the right to a remedy.

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States facilitating armed drones operations, for instance by sharing data, are called upon to refrain from doing so where there is a reasonably foreseeable risk that their assistance will contribute to a violation of international human rights or humanitarian law.