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Full-Text Articles in Law

Introduction: Death Penalty And International Law, Davison M. Douglas Sep 2019

Introduction: Death Penalty And International Law, Davison M. Douglas

Davison M. Douglas

No abstract provided.


What Are Transitions For? Atrocity, International Criminal Justice, And The Political, Paulo Barrozo Dec 2014

What Are Transitions For? Atrocity, International Criminal Justice, And The Political, Paulo Barrozo

Paulo Barrozo

This essay offers an answer to the question of what societies afflicted by atrocities ought to transition into. The answer offered is able to better direct the evaluation of previous models and the design of new models of transitional justice. Into what, then, should transitional justice transition? I argue in this essay that transitional justice should be a transition into the political, understood in its robust liberalism version. I further argue that the most significant part of transitions ought to happen in the minds of the members of political communities, precisely where the less tangible and yet most important dimension …


Blasphemy In A Secular State: Some Reflections, Belachew M. Fikre Aug 2013

Blasphemy In A Secular State: Some Reflections, Belachew M. Fikre

Belachew M Fikre

Anti-blasphemy laws have endured criticism in light of the modern, secular and democratic state system of our time. For example, Ethiopia’s criminal law provisions on blasphemous utterances, as well as on outrage to religious peace and feeling, have been maintained unaltered since they were enacted in 1957. However, the shift observed within the international human rights discourse tends to consider anti-blasphemy laws as going against freedom of expression. The recent Human Rights Committee General Comment No. 34 calls for a restrictive application of these laws for the full realisation of many of the rights within the International Covenant on Civil …


Integrating Victims' Rights In The Indian Legal Framework, Saumya Uma Dec 2012

Integrating Victims' Rights In The Indian Legal Framework, Saumya Uma

Dr. Saumya Uma

The article advocates an integration of victims' rights within the Indian legal framework, to be balanced with the rights of the accused and standards of fair trial.
In the first part, the article discusses international norms and standards related to three aspects of victims' rights: protection, participation and reparations.
In the second part, the article discusses existing statutory law, judicial interpretations and recommendations / reports / policies for law reform in India, with regard to each of the three aspects of victims' rights.
The third part of the article discusses the challenges faced when integrating a victims' perspective within the …


War Crimes Trials -- Not A Good Idea, Herman Schwartz Oct 2012

War Crimes Trials -- Not A Good Idea, Herman Schwartz

Herman Schwartz

No abstract provided.


Too Rough A Justice: The Ethiopia-Eritrea Claims Commission And Civil Liability For Claims For Rape Under International Law, Ryan S. Lincoln Jan 2012

Too Rough A Justice: The Ethiopia-Eritrea Claims Commission And Civil Liability For Claims For Rape Under International Law, Ryan S. Lincoln

Ryan S. Lincoln

The developments in international law prohibiting rape during armed conflict have grown at a rapid pace in recent decades. Whereas rape had long been considered an inevitable by-product of armed conflict, evolution in international humanitarian law (IHL) has relegated this conception mostly to the past. The work of international criminal tribunals has been at the forefront of this change, developing the specific elements of the international crime of rape, and helping to change the perception of rape in international law. Violations of IHL, however, also give rise to civil liability. Despite the advances with respect to rape made in the …


The Communal Violence Bill: Countering Impunity, Seeking Accountability, Saumya Uma May 2011

The Communal Violence Bill: Countering Impunity, Seeking Accountability, Saumya Uma

Dr. Saumya Uma

The article is a critique of Prevention of Communal and Targetted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparations) Bill 2011, using the standards of Indian and international jurisprudence, with an incorporation of human rights and gender perspectives.


Waiting For Justice Dec 2010

Waiting For Justice

Dr. Saumya Uma

Kandhamal district of the state of Odisha in India, was the site of targeted violence against Christian dalits and adivasis in December 2007 and August 2008. This publication is a report of the National People's Tribunal on Kandhamal, held in New Delhi on 22-24 August 2010. The report documents the testimonies of 45 victims, survivors and their representatives, 15 expert testimonies of reports of field surveys, research and fact-finding, as well as statements to the Tribunal. It was organized by the National Solidarity Forum - a countrywide solidarity platform of concerned social activists, media persons, researchers, legal experts, film makers, …


Repressive Laws In India, Saumya Uma May 2009

Repressive Laws In India, Saumya Uma

Dr. Saumya Uma

The ‘repressive laws’ chapter focuses on typical characteristics of repressive laws, laws related to preventive detention, anti-terror laws, security and other stringent laws, and highlights (but does not discuss) other repressive laws and policies. A discussion on campaigns on repressive laws and the role of the judiciary, dealt with in this chapter, is intended to give the readers a feel of the ground realities, and the challenges faced by civil society with regard to such laws and their negative impact on human rights. While arguing that draconian / stringent laws negatively impact the enjoyment of human rights both through objectionable …


People's Tribunal On Torture Karnataka Report, Saumya Uma Jul 2008

People's Tribunal On Torture Karnataka Report, Saumya Uma

Dr. Saumya Uma

This is the interim report of the jury of the People's Tribunal on Torture, held in Bangalore, Karnataka. The Tribunal heard about 98 cases of custodial torture through the testimonies of victims / victim-survivors and / or their family members.


People's Tribunal On Torture Rajasthan Report, Saumya Uma Jun 2008

People's Tribunal On Torture Rajasthan Report, Saumya Uma

Dr. Saumya Uma

This is the interim report of the jury of the People's Tribunal on Torture, held in Ajmer, Rajasthan. The Tribunal heard more than 50 cases of custodial torture through the testimonies of victims / victim-survivors and / or their family members.


People's Tribunal On Torture Tamil Nadu Report, Saumya Uma Jun 2008

People's Tribunal On Torture Tamil Nadu Report, Saumya Uma

Dr. Saumya Uma

This is the interim report of the jury of the People's Tribunal on Torture, held in Tamil Nadu. The Tribunal heard more than 250 cases of custodial torture through the testimonies of victims / victim-survivors and / or their family members.


Towards Accountability For Mass Crimes: A Report Of The Indian Campaign On International Criminal Court 2000-2007, Saumya Uma, Pouruchisti Wadia Mar 2008

Towards Accountability For Mass Crimes: A Report Of The Indian Campaign On International Criminal Court 2000-2007, Saumya Uma, Pouruchisti Wadia

Saumya Uma

This contains a detailed narrative on the activities undertaken by ICC-India - an anti-impunity campaign on mass crimes and international law, from 2000 to 2007. The publication elaborates the work of the campaign on information dissemination, campaign and advocacy, research and publication, alliance-building and media outreach. It includes 16 pages of colour photographs, as well as illustrations in the form of graphs, tables and maps. Published by Women's Research & Action Group, 2008, English, 90 pages.


Communal Crimes Bill, Saumya Uma Dec 2007

Communal Crimes Bill, Saumya Uma

Dr. Saumya Uma

This is an alternative draft law on communal violence, drafted by a section of civil society, and submitted to the Indian government in January 2008. It incorporates concepts and standards from international law, and formulates new crimes as well as standards of evidence and procedure.


Antarrashtriya Dand Nyayalaya Aur Bharat: Kuch Sawaal-Jawaab, Saumya Uma Mar 2006

Antarrashtriya Dand Nyayalaya Aur Bharat: Kuch Sawaal-Jawaab, Saumya Uma

Saumya Uma

This is the Hindi translation of the publication 'International Criminal Court & India: Some Questions & Answers'


Danda Mukti Ko Virodh, Vahida Nainar, Saumya Uma Mar 2006

Danda Mukti Ko Virodh, Vahida Nainar, Saumya Uma

Saumya Uma

This is a Hindi translation of the English publication 'Combating Impunity'


International Criminal Court & India: Responses To Queries Raised By Parliamentarians, Saumya Uma Jan 2005

International Criminal Court & India: Responses To Queries Raised By Parliamentarians, Saumya Uma

Saumya Uma

This is a pocket-book consisting of queries raised by Parliamentarians at the first consultative meeting organized by ICC-India campaign / Women's Research & Action Group on the International Criminal Court (ICC), in August 2005, and written responses to the same. It is aimed at strengthening the information dissemination efforts on ICC with Indian Parliamentarians.


International Criminal Court & India: Some Questions & Answers, Saumya Uma Sep 2004

International Criminal Court & India: Some Questions & Answers, Saumya Uma

Saumya Uma

This book was an outcome of an attempt to fill the “information gap” presently faced in making the ICC meaningful to civil society in India. It is based on questions that are frequently raised during workshops that the ICC-India campaign has conducted in various parts of the country. The contents of the book are in the form of questions and answers, and the book explains complex issues in a simple language. The publication is specially intended for Indian human rights organizations, activists and legal professionals engaged in campaigns on law and policy reform issues on human rights. This publication forms …


Combating Impunity: A Compilation Of Articles On The International Criminal Court And Its Relevance To India, Vahida Nainar, Saumya Uma Mar 2003

Combating Impunity: A Compilation Of Articles On The International Criminal Court And Its Relevance To India, Vahida Nainar, Saumya Uma

Dr. Saumya Uma

The publication is the first attempt at a compilation of published and unpublished articles written on the relevance of ICC for India. Vahida Nainar – founder-trustee of WRAG and an advisor of ICC-India campaign and Saumya Uma – Director of WRAG, compiled the articles. Apart from assisting the Indian campaign generally, the compilation has been used specifically as a resource material for information dissemination programmes conducted by us.