An in-depth summary of the relevant content for International Law Term 2, including the relevant lecture notes and textbook notes, including tips on how to answer questions. I got a first for this course.
International Law Term 2:
Consolidated Notes
Table of Contents
TOPIC FIVE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW................................................................................................................... 2
THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS.................................................................................................................................................2
DEVELOPMENTS UNDER THE UN...........................................................................................................................................................2
REGIONAL PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS............................................................................................................................................3
Africa...........................................................................................................................................................................................3
TOPIC 6: STATE RESPONSIBILITY................................................................................................................................................ 4
OVERVIEW OF STATE RESPONSIBILITY.....................................................................................................................................................4
Sources of Law for State Responsibility.......................................................................................................................................5
PART I OF THE DSR: INCURRING STATE RESPONSIBILITY.............................................................................................................................5
Overview: when can a state sue another state?.........................................................................................................................5
PART II OF THE DASR: CONSEQUENCES OF STATE RESPONSIBILITY...............................................................................................................9
Reparations................................................................................................................................................................................10
CIRCUMSTANCES PRECLUDING WRONGFULNESS.....................................................................................................................................12
TOPIC 7: THE UNITED NATIONS............................................................................................................................................... 14
GENERAL OVERVIEW AND STRUCTURE OF UN.......................................................................................................................................14
General......................................................................................................................................................................................14
UN Purpose and Principles........................................................................................................................................................15
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY................................................................................................................................................................... 18
SECURITY COUNCIL........................................................................................................................................................................... 22
THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE (ICJ)........................................................................................................................................28
Judicial Settlement of Disputes in International Law.................................................................................................................29
Relationship between the UN and the ICJ / Place of ICJ in UN..................................................................................................29
Composition of the ICJ...............................................................................................................................................................31
ICJ’s Competence.......................................................................................................................................................................32
TOPIC 8: USE OF FORCE.......................................................................................................................................................... 39
INTRODUCTION TO THE PROHIBITION ON THE USE OF FORCE....................................................................................................................39
Pre- 1945...................................................................................................................................................................................39
The UN Charter Provisions on use of force................................................................................................................................40
EXCEPTIONS TO PROHIBITION ON USE OF FORCE..................................................................................................................................46
1. The Use of Force in Self- Defence...........................................................................................................................................46
Introduction...............................................................................................................................................................................46
2. The Use Of Force Under UN Collective Security System........................................................................................................58
3. Controversial Exceptions........................................................................................................................................................63
TOPIC 9: INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL LAW............................................................................................................................... 70
INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................................................................ 70
DOMESTIC PROSECUTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL CRIMES...........................................................................................................................75
JURISDICTION AND ADMISSIBILITY OF THE ICC......................................................................................................................................80
Immunity Before Domestic Courts.............................................................................................................................................84
Immunities Before The International Criminal Court................................................................................................................87
,Topic Five International Human Rights Law
Chapter 11: Internati onal Protecti on of Human Rights
The Development of Human Rights
Human beings were treated as objects whereas states were treated as legal subjects
implications is that states could treat its nationals in any way it thought fit i.e. humans had no
substantive rights & had no access to legal institutions for protecting themselves
o International legal order provided no supranational forum catering for interest of individuals
This began to change with development of rules on aliens = rules worked to benefit humans
although in indirect fashion since whatever rights a human had, it derived from the state
After WW1 = human rights featured in a series of agreements that guaranteed political/cultural
rights for minorities in Eastern/Central Europe
o Didn’t just protect minorities, it also secured enjoyment of specific rights for all nationals of
a certain state
o The first time that states bound themselves to behave in a specific way in terms of their
nationals
Private organisations also played NB role in protecting humanitarian interests e.g. Red Cross which
had role in establishing Geneva Convention & Hague Conventions
Developments under the UN
First universal statement of HR (human rights) appeared in preamble of UN Charter obliged
member states to reaffirm faith in fundamental HR in equal rights of men/women
o Art. 1 sets out purpose of rog + promotes respect for HR & fundamental freedoms for all
without distinction
o Art. 55 goes further & commits UN to promote higher standards of living/full
employment & universal respect for all HR/fundamental freedoms for all
Above didn’t impose duties on member states that were enforceable in law = states just obliged to
do no more than promote co-operation in working towards an indeterminate goal not a concrete
reality
o Developments have shown greatest obstacle to HR is effective system of enforcement
o Political organs of UN are available to exercise general power of investigation/supervision,
but Charter system provides no institution capable of hearing complaints/forcing errant
states to amend ways
, 1946 Economic & Social Council of UN established the Commission of HR = empowered to
receive complaints about rights violations where it could invite reply from state responsible
o GA also adopted UDHR (not legally binding but had profound influence on municipal courts
because it provides a universal standard for measuring systems of domestic law & served as
foundation for arguing that HR are part of customary IL)
o Cold War posed ideological barrier because of different perspectives of US & Soviets i.e. US
= human & socio-economic rights weren’t juridical whereas SU felt the opposite.
Compromise was reached by creating to covenants: 1) International Covenant on
Economic/Social & Cultural Rights and 2) International Covenant on Civil & Political
Rights
Two conventions make up international code of HR with UDHR
ICCPR has active enforcement machinery i.e. Art 28 – 39 established HR Committee consisting of
18 experts from states party to the treaty
o States obliged to submit reports every 5 years on how they have taken to improve HR
o Committee can comment on the reports & states may reply – comments relate only to
general condition of HR in state concerned and not specific infringements
State party may declare competence of committee to receive communications from
other member states that it isn’t fulfilling obligations under Covenant delinquent
state can then explain behaviour
Option protocol allows parties to recognise competence of Committee to
receive/consider communications directly from individuals subject to their
jurisdiction
ICESCR is weaker = initially only obliged state parties to ensure progressive improvement of socio-
economic conditions but this changed in General Comment 3 by Committee from
Economic/Social/Cultural Rights distinguished obligations of conduct & result
o State parties have immediate obligation to take deliberate concrete & targeted steps
towards realisation of treaty obligations which must be implemented in non-discriminatory
manner
o Each right also entails min. core obligation
Regional Protection of Human Rights
Africa
, African Charter on Human & People’s Rights (1981) designed to reflect particular circumstances of
Africa in two ways: 1) Charter has special provisions from indigenous CL imposing duty on
individuals towards families/society etc and 2) charter makes provision for third generation rights
i.e. self-determination & satisfactory environment vesting in individuals
Implementation of charter supervised by Commission based in Banjul promote HR through
education & receives reports/petitions which ensures observance of charter in following ways:
o States obliged to submit reports on their compliance every 2 years
o Under compulsory system of interstate petitions any state party may refer an alleged
violation to commission which is obliged to investigate/seek amicable solution
o Commission may entertain complaints from individuals/non-state orgs and if it finds a
violation it is obliged to draw situation to attention of Au/relevant national gov’s
Commission can only act on individuals petitions when requested by Assembly of
Heads of State and Gov of AU and only if petition refers to ‘serious/massive
violations’
Commissions decisions aren’t binding, and its recommendations thus far have largely been ignored
by member states
Topic 6: State Responsibility
Overview of State Responsibility
When a state breaches its international law obligations, it bears state responsibility/ international responsibility
Summary
Internationally wrongful act = conduct + State attribution + breach
Consequences = cessation/ non-repetition + reparations to injured State
But conduct will NOT constitute an internationally wrongful act if one of the circumstances precluding
wrongfulness applies
Key Questions for this Section:
What is State responsibility?
What are the sources of law?
Conditions for State responsibility
Consequences of State responsibility
Who can invoke responsibility?
‘Defences’ to State responsibility (circumstances precluding wrongfulness)
International law, like municipal law, recognises that a wrongful act should render the offender liable to make
reparations. BUT there are differences between IL and ML in this regard:
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