‘Directory Authority’: Fertilising International Criminal Tribunals’ Human Rights Standards with European Court of Human Rights’ Case Law

2017 ◽  
pp. 40-55
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
International Criminal ◽  
Case Law ◽  
International Criminal Tribunals ◽  
European Court ◽  
Human Rights Standards

scholarly journals The Gravity of International Crimes as a Challenge to the (Full) Protection of Human Rights before International Criminal Tribunals? A Strasbourg Perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 86 (4) ◽  
pp. 499-524
Author(s):  
Christophe Deprez
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
International Criminal ◽  
International Justice ◽  
International Crimes ◽  
International Criminal Tribunals ◽  
General Terms ◽  
European Court ◽  
Protection Of Human Rights ◽  
Human Rights Standards ◽  
Full Protection

While it goes undisputed that international criminal tribunals (icts) are, in general terms, bound to respect human rights standards, there is no consensus on whether their obligations should be identical in scope to those of national criminal tribunals. Most commentators seem to value the idea of equality in protection for international and domestic defendants alike. Yet, according to others, the human rights obligations of icts should be contextualised, that is, adapted to the specificities of international justice – and most critically to the gravity of international crimes. This article seeks to shed some light on this debate. It does so, in particular, by pointing out the intrinsic flexibility of human rights, and by drawing on the practice of the European Court of Human Rights with respect to gravity-based contextualism.

scholarly journals State Practice as Element of Customary International Law: A White Knight in International Criminal Law?

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 784-804
Author(s):  
Harmen van der Wilt
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
International Law ◽  
Criminal Law ◽  
International Criminal ◽  
Case Law ◽  
International Criminal Law ◽  
Customary International Law ◽  
International Criminal Tribunals ◽  
Domestic Courts ◽  
State Practice

Inter-state practice is relatively scarce in the area of human rights and international criminal law. This article ventures to inquire how this has affected the process of identification of customary international law by international criminal tribunals and courts. The main conclusion is that the two components of customary international law – opinio juris and state practice – have become blurred. In search of customary international law, international tribunals have resorted to national legislation and case law of domestic courts. These legal artefacts can be qualified as both evidence of state practice and opinio juris. The author attempts to explain the reasons for this development and holds that, if properly applied, the methodology, while seemingly messy, comports with the nature of international criminal law.

International Criminal Tribunals in the Shadow of Strasbourg and Politics of Cross-fertilisation

2015 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 371-403
Author(s):  
Sergey Vasiliev
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
International Criminal ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
International Human Rights ◽  
Critical View ◽  
International Criminal Tribunals ◽  
European Court ◽  
International Human

This article takes a critical view on the debates around the phenomenon of jurisprudential cross-fertilisation between international criminal tribunals and human rights courts, in particular the European Court of Human Rights. Asymmetries of cross-citation and influence along this axis of cross-judicial communication can be explained by distinct judicial styles and uneven mutual relevance, rather than by any sort of hierarchy. However, the discourse surrounding the tribunal-oriented ‘cross-fertilisation’ has a normative pull that introduces an informal hierarchy, which is a means to ensure the tribunals’ conformity with human rights law. However valid its agenda may be, this approach is legally groundless and incompatible with the terms of transjudicial communication and it underestimates the pluralist nature of international human rights, among other discontents. Ultimately, it is also ineffective in serving its main ideological purpose.

scholarly journals Controlling irregular migration: International human rights standards and the Hungarian legal framework

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 432-451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Gyollai ◽  
Anthony Amatrudo
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Refugee Status ◽  
European Court ◽  
Southern Border ◽  
Wire Fence ◽  
New Policies ◽  
Human Rights Standards

In the summer of 2015 Hungary constructed a 175 km long barbed-wire fence at its southern border with Serbia. New criminal offences and asylum procedures were introduced that limited access to refugee status determination and ignored agreed EU asylum policy, deterring and de facto preventing asylum seekers from entering Hungarian territory. This paper provides an analysis of these new measures, which criminalized asylum seekers, and the subsequent Hungarian policy in relation to the case law of the European Court of Human Rights – arguing that the Hungarian authorities excessively abused their discretion in implementing these new policies of immigration and border control.

scholarly journals Peculiarities of application of the practice of the European Court of Human Rights in the justice in Ukraine

2021 ◽  
pp. 14-17
Author(s):  
Andrii Rybalkin ◽  
Yuliia Nosenko
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Civil Rights ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Reform Process ◽  
Scientific Article ◽  
Judicial Reform ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
European Court ◽  
Human Rights Standards

The scientific article examines the activities of the European Court of Human Rights and identifies the significance of the relevant case law of the European Court for the case law of Ukraine. It is noted, that one of the issues, studied within the topic, is the sources and legal framework, which is especially relevant in the adoption of the Law of Ukraine «On Enforcement of Decisions and Application of the Case Law of the European Court of Human Rights», according to which courts use the Agreement and case law as a legal source in cases. The activity of the European Court of Human Rights, the role and impact on the judicial system of Ukraine are analyzed, the relevant examples are given. It is concluded, that the implementation of international human rights law into Ukrainian law is a complex procedure that requires special doctrinal consideration, as today Ukrainian citizens are among the most active complainants to the European Court of Human Rights, which indicates a fairly high insecurity by national legal mechanisms. In order to increase the credibility of the judiciary, courts should take into account the European experience, decisions and observations of the Court in their work. The Court's case law is said to play an important role in the judicial reform process as it approaches the European legal framework for human rights standards in Europe. The current law cannot fully protect a person or build justice if it is not applied properly. Based on existing ECtHR rulings, judges can accurately understand the rule of law and apply it properly, which will help improve human rights, accurate understanding and implementation of the Agreement on Ukraine. Based on the study, it was concluded, that it is necessary and appropriate to implement the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, as in this way it is possible to ensure the protection and defense of human and civil rights and freedoms

Judicial Definition of Torture as a Paradigm of Cross-fertilisation: Combining Harmonisation and Expansion

2015 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 456-481 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Maculan
Keyword(s):  
Ad Hoc ◽  
International Criminal ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Judicial Interpretation ◽  
International Criminal Tribunals ◽  
European Court ◽  
External Sources ◽  
The One ◽  
Definition Of

This article analyses how the ad hoc International Criminal Tribunals have implemented European Court of Human Rights case law with regard to the definition of torture as a paradigm of the phenomenon of cross-fertilisation. Reliance on European jurisprudence has fostered a twofold evolution in the concept of torture. This may be described, on the one hand, in terms of overcoming the fragmented normative framework towards harmonisation of the definition of the offence. On the other hand, it has also caused a significant and somewhat problematic broadening of its scope. In addition, the case study offers some insights as to the method applied by Courts in the selection and interpretation of external sources, as well as to some possible misuses of these references. The judicial interpretation of torture provides therefore some relevant suggestions that could both enhance the potentialities of cross-fertilisation and overcome its dangers.

Legality, Culpability and Dogmatik: A Dialogue between the ECtHR, Comparative and International Criminal Law

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 823-860
Author(s):  
Giulio Vanacore
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Criminal Law ◽  
International Criminal Court ◽  
International Criminal ◽  
Common Law ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Criminal Court ◽  
International Criminal Law ◽  
European Court ◽  
Constitutive Element

This article aims to analyse a peculiar interplay between the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), comparative and international criminal law. The discussion focuses on legality, foreseeability of the criminal nature of conduct, knowledge of a fact’s wrongfulness and mistakes of law. Starting from foreseeability as a constitutive element of legality in the ECtHR case-law, the author examines ‘knowability’ of a fact’s wrongfulness as a component of the Continental law Dogmatik category of culpability, the issue of ignorance in common law and the general interaction between the principles of legality and culpability. With regard to the International Criminal Court, there is a problematic need to establish a personal mental link between an individual’s actions and the system criminalising such action. In this context, the issue of foreseeability as applied to modes of liability has proven to be problematic. The upshot is this paper’s appeal for a truly international criminal Dogmatik.

scholarly journals Problematic aspects of the application of ECHR practice by the courts of Ukraine

2021 ◽  
pp. 19-23
Author(s):  
Oleksandr STOROZHENKO ◽  
Oksana PROHOROVA
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Fundamental Rights ◽  
Original Text ◽  
Statistical Research ◽  
National Courts ◽  
Human Rights Practice ◽  
European Court ◽  
Protection Of Human Rights ◽  
Human Rights Standards

Introduction. Ukraine signed Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms many years ago to provide effective protection of fundamental rights for every human that stands out on its' territory. This document is interpreted by the European Court of Human Rights. Practice of this Court must be used by national courts of Ukraine to match international human rights' standards. However, according to results of statistical research, application of that legal positions by national judges aren’t correct enough. The purpose of the paper is to identify and analyze problematic issues of application of the case law of the European Court of Human Rights by national courts of Ukraine. The authors also wanted to investigate the national practice of using the ECHR' legal positions and to provide recommendations to address shortcomings in such application. Results. The paper considers the issue of application of the case law of the European Court of Human Rights by the national courts of Ukraine. The legal nature of ECHR decisions' is studied. Authors are stick to the idea that judgments of ECHR aren’t classic precedent. There are authors' opinions about the problem of applying the practice of the European Court of Human Rights, which has no official translation. They think that judges need to be taught professional English and French. So that they will be able to understand original text of judgments correct. There is also a thought about necessity of creating special database with Ukrainian translation of some judgments. Authors have also revealed problematic aspects of the application such as: erroneous, manipulative, formal references. There are some decisions of Ukrainian courts that have been analyzed by the authors. Erroneous references to decisions of the European Court of Human Rights in such cases have been determined. Authors stated that the reason of those defects is insufficient awareness of judges about the specifics of application legal positions of ECHR. Conclusion. According to the results of the work, the importance of education and training of future judges is stated. In addition, authors emphasized on necessity of further observations of this question.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document