Specialty: Arresting an elusive ‘right’ in European extradition law

2020 ◽  
pp. 203228442097699
Author(s):  
Alex Tinsley
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
International Law ◽  
Soft Law ◽  
Eu Law ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
Customary International Law ◽  
Eu Legislation ◽  
European Situation ◽  
Universal Rule ◽  
The Eu

Specialty (a near-universal rule of extradition law whereby a person extradited cannot be prosecuted or punished for matters other than those for which they were extradited) is viewed traditionally as a tool to protect the sovereignty of the extraditing state, rather than as an individual right. A review of international material shows a dispute as to the existence of a rule or principle of specialty in customary international law and emphasises themes such as enforceability and standing of individuals to plead violations. Against that backdrop, the European situation is characterised by the presence of broad specialty rules which are not always implemented in legislation by requesting states, leading to refusal of extradition in some cases. Arguably, combinations of the EU law duty of conforming interpretation and European human rights law principles may offer tools to overcome such situations, approaching protection of specialty ‘rights’ whatever the original doctrinal rationale. If they do not, and international cooperation is further undermined by ineffective specialty protection, EU legislation or the development of soft law standards may be a useful way forward.

The Idea of International Human Rights Law

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Wheatley
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
International Law ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
International Human Rights ◽  
Moral Concept ◽  
Customary International Law ◽  
Human Rights Treaties ◽  
International Human ◽  
Fragmentation Of International Law

International Human Rights Law has emerged as an academic subject in its own right, separate from, but still related to, International Law. This book explains the distinctive nature of the new discipline by examining the influence of the moral concept of human rights on general international law. Rather than make use of moral philosophy or political theory, the work explains the term ‘human rights’ by examining its usage in international law practice, on the understanding that words are given meaning through their use. Relying on complexity theory to make sense of the legal practice in the United Nations, the core human rights treaties, and customary international law, The Idea of International Human Rights Law shows how a moral concept of human rights emerged, and then influenced the international law doctrine and practice on human rights, a fact that explains the fragmentation of international law and the special nature of International Human Rights Law.

scholarly journals Extraterritoriality of EU law and human rights after Lisbon: The case of trade and public procurement

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Velluti ◽  
Vassilis P. Tzevelekos
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Legal Order ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Eu Law ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
International Human Rights ◽  
International Human ◽  
The Eu

The paper introduces the theme and topics of this Special Issue on the extraterritoriality of EU law and human rights in the fields of trade and public procurement since the entry into force of the 2009 Treaty of Lisbon. It briefly explores the meaning of extraterritoriality in international (human rights) law and the EU legal order highlighting the complexity of such notion in both legal systems. In so doing, it provides the context and focus of analysis of the collection of papers that make up this Special Issue, which addresses a number of topical questions concerning the extraterritorial conduct of the EU, as well as the extraterritorial effects of EU law in those specific fields, from the perspective of human rights.

Jurisdictional Immunities of the State for Serious Violations of International Human Rights Law or the Law of Armed Conflict

2013 ◽  
Vol 50 ◽  
pp. 243-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul David Mora
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
International Law ◽  
Armed Conflict ◽  
The State ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
International Human Rights ◽  
Customary International Law ◽  
Law Of Armed Conflict ◽  
International Human

SummaryIn its recent decision in Jurisdictional Immunities of the State (Germany v Italy: Greece Intervening), the International Court of Justice (ICJ) held that Italy had failed to respect immunities enjoyed by Germany under international law when the Italian courts allowed civil actions to be brought against Germany for alleged violations of international human rights law (IHRL) and the law of armed conflict (LOAC) committed during the Second World War. This article evaluates the three arguments raised by Italy to justify its denial of immunity: first, that peremptory norms of international law prevail over international rules on jurisdictional immunities; second, that customary international law recognizes an exception to immunity for serious violations of IHRL or the LOAC; and third, that customary international law recognizes an exception to immunity for torts committed by foreign armed forces on the territory of the forum state in the course of an armed conflict. The author concludes that the ICJ was correct to find that none of these arguments deprived Germany of its right under international law to immunity from the civil jurisdiction of the Italian courts.

Introduction The customary law of human rights is hiding in plain sight

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
William A. Schabas
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
International Law ◽  
Customary Law ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Political Rights ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
Customary International Law ◽  
Regional Systems ◽  
Second World

Many areas of international law developed first as custom and were only subsequently, generally in the course of the twentieth century, subject to codification. Human rights law was different. It was viewed as quintessentially a matter of domestic concern, a subject shrouded in State sovereignty. Only following the Second World War was international human rights law recognised as a source of binding obligations, mainly through the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other instruments of the United Nations as well as the regional systems. Later, jurists began contending that the norms in these instruments might also be customary in nature. They struggled with identifying the two classic elements in the determination of custom, opinio juris and State practice. Most analysis of the content of customary international law was rather perfunctory and also quite conservative, confining itself largely to civil and political rights.

4. Human Rights in International Law

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rhona K. M. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
International Law ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
International Human Rights ◽  
Customary International Law ◽  
Legal Context ◽  
National Human ◽  
International Human ◽  
United Nations System

This chapter examines the international legal context of human rights. It first considers the historical evolution of international human rights law, with particular emphasis on the reincarnation of philosophical ideals as international laws (treaties), before discussing the principal sources of international human rights law such as customary international law and ‘soft’ law. It then describes the various forms of expressing human rights, along with the core international human rights instruments. It also explores the mechanisms for monitoring and enforcing human rights, including the United Nations system, regional human rights systems, and national human rights systems. Finally, it explains the process followed for a state wishing to be bound to the provisions of a treaty and the benefits of listing human rights in treaties.

Sámi’s Reindeer Husbandry and EU Legislation (beyond Finland and Sweden’s Accession Treaty)

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-40
Author(s):  
Enrico Albanesi
Keyword(s):  
International Law ◽  
Indigenous People ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Natura 2000 ◽  
Eu Law ◽  
Reindeer Husbandry ◽  
Unanimous Vote ◽  
Eu Legislation ◽  
Domestic Legislation ◽  
The Eu

The 1995 Treaty concerning the accession of Finland and Sweden to the EU makes some express exceptions for their domestic legislation vis-à-vis EU legislation regarding some aspects of traditional reindeer husbandry carried out by the Sámi people. However, other fields in the EU law lack an express regulation concerning reindeer husbandry and this has led to much controversy. In Sweden, legislation on EU Natura 2000 areas identifies reindeer herders as stakeholders among many others, i.e. it does not as such address the Sámi as indigenous people. In Finland, the Act on Metsähallitus was amended in 2016 to be in compliance with EU trade laws; however, the new Act does not recognise any special status of the Sámi as indigenous people, giving rise to concerns especially with regards to reindeer husbandry. The extension of Protocol No 3 to the Accession Treaty to other matters by a unanimous vote of the Council could be a solution to protect Sámi’s reindeer husbandry vis-à-vis EU legislation. Simultaneously, EU legislation should be interpreted in the light of the relevant rules of international law concerning indigenous peoples.

Facilitating humanitarian assistance in international humanitarian and human rights law

2009 ◽  
Vol 91 (874) ◽  
pp. 371-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Barber
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
International Law ◽  
Humanitarian Aid ◽  
Humanitarian Assistance ◽  
Armed Conflicts ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Aid Workers ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
Civilian Population ◽  
Customary International Law

AbstractIn 2008, 260 humanitarian aid workers were killed or injured in violent attacks. Such attacks and other restrictions substantially limit the ability of humanitarian aid agencies to provide assistance to those in need, meaning that millions of people around the world are denied the basic food, water, shelter and sanitation necessary for survival. Using the humanitarian crises in Darfur and Somalia as examples, this paper considers the legal obligation of state and non-state actors to consent to and facilitate humanitarian assistance. It is shown that the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, as well as customary international law, require that states consent to and facilitate humanitarian assistance which is impartial in character and conducted without adverse distinction, where failure to do so may lead to starvation or otherwise threaten the survival of a civilian population. This paper considers whether this obligation has been further expanded by the development of customary international law in recent years, as well as by international human rights law, to the point that states now have an obligation to accept and to facilitate humanitarian assistance in both international and non-international armed conflicts, even where the denial of such assistance does not necessarily threaten the survival of a civilian population.

scholarly journals The “Essence” of International Human Rights

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 924-939
Author(s):  
Pierre Thielbörger
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
International Law ◽  
Fundamental Rights ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Political Rights ◽  
Eu Law ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
International Human Rights ◽  
Socioeconomic Rights ◽  
International Human

AbstractWhile the “essence” of EU fundamental rights has received much attention following the CJEU’s Schrems decision, the concept of “essence” remains much less examined in international human rights law. Nonetheless, a concept of “essence” for human rights can also be found in international law. This Article discusses different aspects of the “essence” concept in international human rights law, namely non-derogability, non-restrictability, and minimum core, in three steps. First, the Article looks at civil political rights and socioeconomic rights separately and identifies two different approaches to the concept of essence for each of the two categories: While for civil and political rights the concept of essence is mainly linked to the notions of non-derogability and non-restrictability, for socioeconomic rights, the concept refers mainly to the states’ obligation to guarantee an essential level of protection independent of their resource limitations. Second, the Article continues by reading the two approaches together and identifies certain elements of an overarching “essence” concept. Finally, the Article discusses the relationship between the CJEU’s “essence” jurisprudence and the related concepts in international law and concludes with two theses: First, international law deserves more attention when reflecting on the EU’s concept of essence. It equally employs concepts of “essence” and also informs the development and interpretation of EU law. Second, when engaging with the question of whether the EU law should draw lessons from its international counterpart on the notion of “essence,” one must contemplate drawbacks for EU law that the concept has presented for international law.

Part IV Normative Evolution, Ch.21 The Law-Making Process: From Declaration to Treaty to Custom to Prevention

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramcharan Bertrand G
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
International Law ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
International Human Rights ◽  
Customary International Law ◽  
Human Rights Movement ◽  
International Human ◽  
The Law ◽  
Preventive Role ◽  
Law Making

This article examines the international human rights lawmaking process. It analyses the sources and methods for the creation of norms and the transition from declarations and treaties to customary international law. It describes the drafting process for human rights declarations and conventions and offers a number of suggestions on how to improve human rights law-making. These include adopting a greater preventive role in the future and leaving the law-making process in the hands of members of the human rights movement.

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