13. The right to life

2019 ◽  
pp. 238-256
Author(s):  
Rhona K. M. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
National Security ◽  
Death Penalty ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
Right To Life ◽  
International Human Rights ◽  
Security Forces ◽  
International Human ◽  
The Right

This chapter examines African, American, European, and international jurisprudence on the right to life. It discusses the positive obligation incumbent on States to protect life; the permissible deprivation of life (the death penalty, death caused by national security forces, and death during armed conflict); and the issue of genocide. The chapter concludes that the right to life is of paramount importance in international human rights law. International law covers not only the straightforward human rights aspects, but also extends to the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide.

13. The right to life

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rhona K. M. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
National Security ◽  
Death Penalty ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
Right To Life ◽  
International Human Rights ◽  
Security Forces ◽  
International Human ◽  
The Right

This chapter examines African, American, European, and international jurisprudence on the right to life. It discusses the positive obligation incumbent on States to protect life; the permissible deprivation of life (the death penalty, death caused by national security forces, and death during armed conflict); and the issue of genocide. The chapter concludes that the right to life is of paramount importance in international human rights law. International law covers not only the straightforward human rights aspects, but also extends to the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide.

scholarly journals Rescuing Asylum-Seeker Stranded at Sea: Malaysia’s Duty under International Law

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3.30) ◽  
pp. 182
Author(s):  
Syafiq Sulaiman ◽  
Salawati Mat Basir ◽  
Mohd Zamre Mohd Zahir
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
International Law ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Law Of The Sea ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
Right To Life ◽  
International Human Rights ◽  
International Human ◽  
The Right

The protection of the right to life and the duty to rescue persons in distress at sea are the fundamental obligations under two specialized international law regimes which are the international human rights law and the law of the sea. These rules when read together form a strong protection of the human rights of the asylum-seekers stranded at sea. However, often states failed to honour this obligation for various reasons ranging from national security to economic reasons. This article will analyse Malaysia’s responsibilities as regards the right to life and the duty to rescue of these asylum-seekers. It will also identify the existing international and domestic legal framework relevant to the application of these obligations upon Malaysia and whether it has acted in breach of such obligations. The article then proceeded with suggestions for further improvement that Malaysia can adopt in order to better perform its obligations. This study is a pure doctrinal legal research which is qualitative in nature. The data used in this research is collected from library-based resources. These data were then analyzed by using methods of content analysis as well as critical analysis. The article found that Malaysia has a duty to protect the right to life under international human rights law. Additionally, Malaysia is also bound under the law of the sea to perform its duty to rescue. In view of Malaysia’s failure to perform these duties in two occasions in the past consequently had resulted in a violation of international law. Therefore, it is suggested that Malaysia should initiate a revision of its national laws and policies regarding treatment of asylum-seekers stranded at sea to be in line with Malaysia’s duty under international law. Besides, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency is call upon to comply with the international standards of treatment of persons in distress at sea which includes the asylum-seekers.  

2 Right to a Public Trial

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clooney Amal ◽  
Webb Philippa
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
National Security ◽  
Criminal Trial ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
International Human Rights ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Nature ◽  
International Human ◽  
The Right

This chapter examines the right to a public trial, which protects both the defendant in a criminal trial and the interests of society as a whole in having a fair system of open justice. Under international human rights law, the right requires that a criminal trial should be held in public and that the court’s judgment is pronounced publicly. However, the right to a public trial is not absolute. The right may, for instance, be limited by valid national security concerns, or to protect the interests of a child or victim of sexual assault. This chapter examines the circumstances in which international bodies have found that exceptions to the right to a public trial are justified, and the additional measures that may be required to ensure that a criminal trial remains fair when there are restrictions on the public nature of proceedings. right to fair trial

States' Procedural Obligations Regarding Private Military and Security Companies' Activities

2017 ◽  
pp. 302-336
Author(s):  
Zafeiris Tsiftzis
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Crucial Role ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
Right To Life ◽  
International Human Rights ◽  
Human Rights Abuses ◽  
International Human ◽  
The Right ◽  
Security Companies

A lot of attention has been paid by the international community to the responsibility of Private Military and Security Companies (PMSCs) and to the prevention of human rights abuses committed their employees. The non-binding nature of the existing international initiatives with respect to PMSCs requests the human rights law to play a crucial role to the regulation of PMSCs and their employees during operations. This article examines the States' procedural obligation under international human rights law with regard to allegations of the right to life and the prohibition of torture. Moreover, it assesses the application of the jurisprudence of human rights bodies over the activities of PMSCs, whilst it focuses on the obligations of States to prevent and investigate human rights allegations committed by PMSCs' employees. Above all, this article advocates that human rights law has a significant role in the regulation of PMSCs and the prevention of the commission of human rights violations by PMSCs and their employees.

Extra-judicial killings and human rights law: Bangladesh perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 1116-1125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md Sazzad Hossain
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Law Enforcement ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
Right To Life ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
International Human Rights ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Human ◽  
The Right

Purpose The main purpose of this paper is to explore the extra-judicial killing situation in Bangladesh by analyzing both national and international human rights law. In addition, this paper will also identify the remedy that is available for the victim’s family for extra-judicial killing by law enforcement agencies, especially the Rapid Action Battalion of Bangladesh. Design/methodology/approach This is a qualitative research where both primary and secondary sources have used to identify the situations of extra-judicial killings in Bangladesh, the human rights instruments and the judicial activism to protect human rights. Findings This paper will show impunity of the law enforcement agencies increasing the number of extra-judicial killings of citizens, by violating the Constitutional and International human rights law that deal with “right to life”. The state sovereignty is not hindering the implementation of the international law, but the judiciary of Bangladesh needs to be more efficient in protecting citizens’ human rights, along with bringing criminal prosecution against members of the law enforcement agencies, by providing “effective and adequate” remedy to the victim’s family. Research limitations/implications While analyzing the “right to life” under the International Human Rights Conventions, this paper will only deal with the UDHR and the ICCPR, as Bangladesh has ratified those Conventions. Originality/value This paper will add value to identify the present rights of the citizen under domestic and international law and to incorporate new legislation through finding the lack of present legislation to protect the right to life and remedy for extra-judicial killings in Bangladesh.

Rules of Engagement and Human Rights Law

2020 ◽  
pp. 185-239
Author(s):  
J.F.R. Boddens Hosang
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Humanitarian Law ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
Military Operations ◽  
Right To Life ◽  
International Human Rights ◽  
International Human ◽  
The Right

This chapter analyses the interaction between rules of engagement (ROE) and international human rights law. To support the analysis, the chapter first discusses the extraterritorial applicability of international human rights law in the context of international military operations, drawing on the case law of several human rights law bodies. The chapter then discusses the interaction between international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law, including a discussion of the differences in meaning of the concepts of necessity and proportionality in each paradigm. The role of international human rights law in the ROE is discussed, especially regarding the right to life.

UPHOLDING ENVIRONMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS THROUGH JUDICIAL INTERPRETATION OF PEACEFUL ENJOYMENT OF PROPERTY

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 ((S2)) ◽  
pp. 249-274
Author(s):  
Abdulkadir Bolaji
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
Judicial Interpretation ◽  
Right To Life ◽  
International Human Rights ◽  
International Human ◽  
Environmental Human Rights ◽  
Free Environment ◽  
The Right

Just as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 marked the beginning of contemporary international human rights law and the subsequent adoption of regional human rights instruments, so the Stockholm Declaration of 1972 marked the genesis of a rights-based approach to the protection of environment. Since then, human rights have become a legal weapon exerted in the strive to protect the environment and enhance access to environmental justice. Hence, it is not a mere theoretical discourse that environmental degradation affects the enjoyment of basic human rights. It has now become recognized that human rights such as the right to life and many others can only be enjoyed in a polluted free environment. It is against this background that this paper examines how the right to peaceful enjoyment of property as guaranteed in international and regional instruments on human rights has been construed to foster environmental protection. To achieve this, interpretations through decided cases are examined for a proper evaluation of judicial attitude and willingness in this respect.

An Operational Perspective

2019 ◽  
pp. 91-108
Author(s):  
Hans Boddens Hosang
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
International Humanitarian Law ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Humanitarian Law ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
Military Operations ◽  
Right To Life ◽  
International Human Rights ◽  
International Human ◽  
The Right

The chapter explores the challenges related to the conduct of operations and the preparations for such operations as regards implementing international humanitarian law and international human rights law, exploring some of the differences between the two systems. In particular, the concepts of necessity and proportionality are examined, as well as the right to life and issues related to capture and detention, and the different meanings of those concepts and their scope in each of the two paradigms. As regards international humanitarian law, the chapter also discusses a number of challenges to interoperability in multinational military operations. The discussion on international human rights law, on the other hand, focuses on the inherent challenges in implementing that body of law in the context of (multinational) military operations outside a nation’s own borders.

The Rogue Civil Airliner and International Human Rights Law: An Argument for a Proportionality of Effects Analysis within the Right to Life

2011 ◽  
Vol 48 ◽  
pp. 39-96
Author(s):  
Robin F. Holman
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
Right To Life ◽  
International Human Rights ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
International Human ◽  
The Right

SummaryExisting theoretical approaches to international human rights law governing the state’s duty to respect and ensure the right not to be arbitrarily deprived of life fail to provide a satisfactory analytical framework within which to consider the problem of a rogue civil airliner — a passenger-carrying civil aircraft under the effective control of one or more individuals who intend to use the aircraft itself as a weapon against persons or property on the surface. A more satisfactory approach is provided by the addition of a norm of proportionality of effects that is analogous to those that have been developed within the frameworks of international humanitarian law, moral philosophy, and modern constitutional rights law. This additional norm would apply only where there is an irreconcilable conflict between the state’s duties in respect of the right to life such that all of the courses of action available will result in innocent persons being deprived of life.

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