International Law Commons^™

Testimony Before The Senate Committee On Foreign Relations, Convention Against Torture, David F. Forte

Law Faculty Presentations and Testimony

Hearing to examine issues related to U.S. ratification of the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment requiring nations to take measures to prevent torture and cruel and inhuman treatment, to prosecute or extradite alleged torturers, and to provide civil remedies for torture victims.

Support for U.S. ratification of UN convention against torture; examination of and concerns about proposed reservations and conditions to convention text (related materials, p. 49-60, 69-72); justification for certain reservations relating to U.S. sovereignty.

The Basic Collective Human Right To Self Determination Of Peoples And Nations As A Prerequisite For Peace, Frank Przetacznik

NYLS Journal of Human Rights

No abstract provided.

Major Contemporary Issues In Extradition Law, Christopher L. Blakesley

Scholarly Works

In this piece Professor Blakesley provides remarks on high crimes in international law, and the ability to extradite state and high government officials for committing them.

The Effect Of The Tiananmen Square Massacre Upon Negotiations For The Draft Basic Law Of The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Wendy Dullea Bowie

Penn State International Law Review (1982 - 2011)

This Comment will examine the effect of the massacre and the Chinese government's subsequent actions upon the negotiation of certain provisions of Hong Kong's future laws. Section II will examine the massacre, China's subsequent denial of any massacre, and Hong Kong's reaction to those events. Section III will discuss Great Britain's acquisition of Hong Kong, and the China-Britain agreement regarding Hong Kong. Section IV will compare provisions for the protection of human and individual rights contained within the Constitution of the People's Republic of China (PRC Constitution), the China-Britain Joint Declaration, (Joint Declaration) and the Draft Basic Law (DBL) which …

International Obligation And The Theory Of Hypothetical Consent, Fernando R. Tesón

Scholarly Publications

In this article I make three related arguments. First, I argue that the traditional approach to the problem of international obligation is incomplete and much too simplistic. Drawing in part on the ideas of Ronald Dworkin, I suggest that rather than a question of fidelity to international law, the foundational problem is the determination of international law. Second, I consider and reject two theories of international obligation: the theory based on the concept of interdependence and the theory of actual consent of states. Third, I suggest a theory of international obligation based on human rights. This theory is drawn from …

The Legal Implications Of The Refugee Crisis, R. K.L. Panjabi

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

CLOSING THE DOORS: THE FAILURE OF REFUGEE PROTECTION By David Matas with Ilana Simon Toronto: Summerhill Press 1989

David Matas is a Canadian lawyer who has served on a Task Force on Immigration Practices and Procedures, has participated in the Canadian Council for Refugees, and has spoken publicly on the refugee crisis. He has written a critical, provocative analysis of the response of the Western world to the refugee problem, with emphasis on the policies of the present Government of Canada. His aim is to expose the injustices of the legislative and procedural systems for refugees in Canada. He writes …

International Human Rights Law Concerning Women: Case Notes And Comments, Rebecca J. Cook

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Essay addresses the application of international human rights law to women. Most of the cases addressed in this Essay involve alleged discrimination based on sex or marital status. Professor Cook notes that international, regional, and national courts have applied human rights principles to ensure that women's human rights are upheld, although not always to the full extent originally envisioned under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. To illustrate this point, Professor Cook reviews cases arising under international, regional, and specialized treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the extent to which such discrimination interferes with …

Existing Legal Treatment Of Developing Countries: Differential, Contextual, And Absolute Norms, Daniel Barstow Magraw

New Challenges for Environmental Protection: Second Sino-American Conference on Environmental Law (October 12-13)

53 pages.

Contains 11 pages of endnotes.

The Concept And Present Status Of The International Protection Of Human Rights: Forty Years After The Universal Declaration, Annemieke Holthius

Dalhousie Law Journal

John P. Humphrey, the first Director of the Human Rights Division of the United Nations, in his preface to The Concept and Present Status of the International Protection of Human Rights - Forty Years after the Universal Declaration, observes that the question of the international protection of human rights "has received far too little attention from scholars, statesmen, diplomats and human rights activists". There "has so far been no attempt ... to provide a comprehensive account" of the concept of "protection" within the international law of human rights. In his new book, Dr. B.G. Ramcharan, the distinguished lawyer-adviser in the …

Chinese Attitude Toward International Law Of Human Rights In The Post-Mao Era, Hungdah Chiu

Maryland Series in Contemporary Asian Studies

No abstract provided.

The Dust Of Life: The Legal And Political Ramifications Of The Continuing Vietnamese Amerasian Problem, Ernest C. Robear

Penn State International Law Review (1982 - 2011)

Vietnamese disparagingly refer to them as bui doi. Americans refer to them as persons "of particular humanitarian concern to the United States." In both cases the reference is to Amerasians, the children and young adults of mixed American/Asian parentage. For the purpose of this Comment, an Amerasian may be defined as one whose mother is Asian and whose father is American. Since the last United States forces pulled out of Vietnam on April 30, 1975, these Amerasians have been caught up in a bureaucratic tug-of-war between Washington and Hanoi. Despite positive legislation, the problems faced by Vietnamese Amerasians still …

Recent Developments: The European Convention For The Prevention Of Torture And Inhuman Or Degrading Treatment Or Punishment, David P. Fidler

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

Saving Grace Or Saving Face: The Roman Catholic Church And Human Rights, John A. Onorato

Penn State International Law Review (1982 - 2011)

The first part of this Comment examines the structure and organization of the Roman Catholic Church, the means of papal diplomacy, and the Vatican's participation in international organizations. Special attention is focused on the Code of Canon Law, the Lateran Agreements, and other important documents. The second part of this Comment examines the role the Church plays as a protector of human rights. This focuses on the Church's actions and recent history in two nations, Chile and Poland, and examines the effects of papal visits to these countries and the publication of papal encyclicals dealing with human rights.

Arrest First, Ask Questions Later: The Japanese Police Detention System, Christopher James Neumann

Penn State International Law Review (1982 - 2011)

The Japanese police detention system enables police and prosecutors to detain criminal suspects for up to twenty-three days without a formal charge, thus posing numerous human rights problems. This comment concentrates on the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which provides a means for identifying the human rights abuses occurring under the Japanese police detention system, as well as a method for rectifying such abuses.

Protection Of Persons (Natural And Juridical), Lung-Chu Chen

Articles & Chapters

No abstract provided.

International Humanitarian Assistance The Right To Life In International Law The Right To Food, L C. Green

Dalhousie Law Journal

When the international community first became interested in the problem of human rights during the second world war and then enunciated those rights in a series of international instruments, there was a tendency among writers to deal with the issue as a comprehensive whole. Now, however, it has become increasingly popular for authors to deal with a specific right to the exclusion of all others.

The Principle Of Religious Liberty And The Practice Of States: Seek And Ye Shall Find A Violation Of Human Rights Obligations, Scott A. Burr

Penn State International Law Review (1982 - 2011)

Is religious freedom a fundamental human right? This comment examines the theological and legal basis for this theory, and through a study and comparison of the laws of four nations, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Republic of India, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, determines the current status of this right. The author submits proposals for bridging the gaps between states' lip service to international law and actual compliance.

Indefinite Detention Of Cuban Aliens: Is The End In Sight?, Francis G. Troyan

Penn State International Law Review (1982 - 2011)

In spite of the fact that international law dictates that a sovereign should be able to protect its borders, international law also dictates that every human being has the right to be free from unnecessary detention. For nearly eight years the United States has indefinitely detained Cuban aliens who arrived in the Mariel boatlift of 1980. This comment examines this policy and offers alternatives to improve the plight of the Cubans without sacrificing the safety of Americans in general.

Books Received, Law Review Staff

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

THE JURIDICAL BAY

By Gayl S. Westerman

New York: Oxford University Press, 1987. Pp. xii, 290. $39.95

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HELSINKI, HUMAN RIGHTS AND EUROPEAN SECURITY: ANALYSIS AND DOCUMENTATION

By Vojtech Mastney

Durham, North Carolina: Duke University Press, 1986. Pp. xxxv, 389. $49.50 hard cover, $18.95 soft cover

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NEITHER CONFIRM NOR DENY

By Stuart McMillan

Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1987. Pp. viii, 177

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INTERNATIONAL LAW OF TAKEOVERS AND MERGERS: THE EEC, NORTHERN EUROPE, AND SCANDINAVIA

By H. Leigh Ffrench

Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1986. Pp. viii, 390

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INTERNATIONAL LAW: PROCESS AND PROSPECT

By Anthony D'Amato

Dobbs Ferry, New York: …

Nicaragua: United States Assistance To The Nicaraguan Human Rights Association And The Nicaraguan Resistance, Suzanne B. Goldberg, Lee Crawford, Kevin Reed, John Tennant

Faculty Scholarship

The question of providing aid to the Nicaraguan Resistance has been significant to United States human rights policy throughout the Reagan Administration. Although events have changed repeatedly during the winter of 1988, including a truce between the Nicaraguan Government and the Resistance and a Congressional decision not to provide military aid to the Resistance, the underlying policy issues remain constant. The Harvard Human Rights Yearbook presents two notes, infra, discussing the Military Construction Appropriations Act of 1987, which granted $100 million in aid to the Nicaraguan Resistance. The first note discusses the Nicaraguan Human Rights Association (Asociacidn Nicaraguense Pro-Derechos Humanos …

Israeli Human Rights Violations And Palestinian Violence, Shaw J. Dallal

Syracuse Journal of International Law and Commerce

This article will attempt to show that scrupulous adherence by both Israel and the United States to principles of international and U.S. law could be a major step in the resolution of the Palestinian- Israeli conflict. It will also attempt to show that the implementation of internationally recognized principles of human rights could reduce terrorism and violence in the region.

Human Rights In East Asia, Edited By James C. Hsiung, Jean-Pierre Lasalle

Maryland Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Jus Cogens: Root And Branch (An Inventory), George D. Haimbaugh Jr.

Touro Law Review

No abstract provided.

Coming To Terms With Terrorism- Relativity Of Wrongfulness And The Need For A New Framework, Daniel H. Derby

Touro Law Review

No abstract provided.

Feast Or Famine: Do Ethiopians Have A Choice?, Janice J. Bole

Penn State International Law Review (1982 - 2011)

This Comment will discuss whether an international human right to food can exist and, if so, whether Ethiopians have a right to be fed by their government given the circumstances of the current famine. An overview of Ethiopia's political and social environment will be followed by an examination of international human rights law as it is reflected in treaties, international agreements, and the customs and practices of states.

An Analysis Of The 1984 Draft Convention Against Torture And Other Cruel, Inhuman Or Degrading Treatment Or Pubishment, Ahcene Boulesbaa

Penn State International Law Review (1982 - 2011)

This article will review specific provisions of the Draft Convention Against Torture. Those sections that resolve the conflicting interests at the heart of the non-interference and declaration of competence principles will be highlighted. Those provisions in which the drafters were unable to reach an effective compromise will also be analyzed. The article will focus in one section upon the current Watson/D'Amato debate regarding the existence or non-existence of world-wide enforcement power. Finally, the article will propose further methods through which nations can enforce and promote human rights throughout the world.

An Essay On Executive Branch Attempts To Eviscerate The Separation Of Powers, Christopher L. Blakesley

Scholarly Works

The Reagan Administration has been aggressively attempting to arrogate power to the Executive branch and to undermine the separation of powers in the realms of foreign affairs. To Chain the Dog of War shows that for decades the Executive branch has moved to appropriate Congress’ war powers. The Reagan Administration not only has continued that tradition, but also has attempted to erode the Judiciary’s power to decide questions of law and fact concerning human rights and liberty in international extradition cases involving political offenses. The underlying rationale for this shift has been that decisions to make war or to condemn …

Aggression Against Authority: The Crime Of Oppression, Politicide And Other Crimes Against Human Rights, Jordan J. Paust

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Book Note, Covey T. Oliver

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Students of international law in the United States have long desired a textbook to accompany the use of one or another of the "case-materials-problems" study books used in their courses. They do not yet have such a text,' but now they can find substantial degrees of security, guidance, and intellectual encouragement in a veritable gem of a Nutshell. Professors Buergenthal and Maier have written a remarkably accurate and insightful book on international law, almost as if they had engraved it on a small gold tablet. It is, as a work, outstanding in the West Publishing Company Nutshell series.

Political Developments And Human Rights In The People's Republic Of China, Hungdah Chiu

Congressional Testimony

Hearings before the Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Organizations and the Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives. 99th Congress, 1st Session, 1985.