Governmental sovereignty is created and maintained by mutual respect for the rule of law by the government and citizens. To maintain legitimacy, a government must act within the bounds of the contract that created it. Otherwise, the relationship founded by said contract would be nullified, as would the duties and obligations that flow from that relationship. Torture exemplifies an ultra vires act used by the United States to show the consequences of over-extended authority on political legitimacy and the rule of law. Founded on the philosophies of Hugo Grotius, Thomas Hobbes, and Christine Korsgaard, this research investigates the nature of a government, its authority, and the laws that it must obey. By considering the role of a government as an artificial man or a representative agent, I argue that regardless of the limits or lack thereof for governmental power, the self-interest of a government illegalizes any action that violates its founding documents. If a government does commit such an act, the rule of law is negatively affected, and political legitimacy and authority are damaged. This behavior, when repeated and unamended, will destroy the relationship between the people and their government, diminish the contract, and return the people to a state of nature.

Das Ausmaß der Zerstörung von Kulturgut im bewaffneten Konflikt stellt die internationale Gemeinschaft vor neue Herausforderungen. In vorliegender Arbeit werden die Präventionspflichten der Staaten in Friedenszeiten nach dem Humanitären Völkerrecht in Abgrenzung zu friedensvertraglichen Regelungen beleuchtet. Dabei werden zur Konzeptualisierung der Prävention die Dimensionen der Verhaltens- und der Verhältnisprävention unterschieden und auf die Normen des Völkerrechts übertragen. Das aufkommende Konzept des safe haven wird als potentiell präventive Maßnahme analysiert und kritisch gewürdigt.

Two international treaty frameworks ¿ Amended Protocol II (APII) to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) ¿ have been developed to prohibit or restrict the use of landmines. However, reflecting a gap in current academic research, there is a lack of knowledge of their effectiveness in supporting the humanitarian goals that underpin both treaties. In order to address gaps in the existing literature, this thesis applies an analytical framework grounded in regime theory to develop new insights into the design, implementation and effectiveness of APII and the APMBC within the broader framework of international humanitarian law (IHL). Two main hypotheses are explored. The first considers the importance for regime effectiveness of the relationship between design and implementation processes. The second analyses the significance for the landmine regimes of regime interplay and nesting within wider IHL and mine action discourses. In addressing these hypotheses, design/implementation interplay, agency dynamics and normative considerations represent key themes that enable us to develop new insights to a specific issue area that also demonstrates important linkages to wider humanitarian, security and developmental agendas.

Les conflits armés non internationaux dominent de plus en plus la scène internationale, particulièrement en Afrique. Durant la période de violence, plusieurs crimes graves sont commis, ce qui n’a pas laissé la communauté internationale indifférente. De ce fait, des mécanismes ont été mis en place afin de, non seulement prévenir de tels actes, mais également de les réprimer. C’est dans cette logique que le principe de la Responsabilité pénale du Supérieur hiérarchique a été inventé afin, notamment, de mieux répondre au caractère collectif de la criminalité internationale. Autrefois applicable uniquement au sein des forces armées étatiques, cette doctrine est actuellement appliquée tant aux supérieurs hiérarchiques civils qu’à ceux des forces armées non étatiques. En ce qui concerne cette dernière catégorie, la question de l’effectivité de la doctrine se pose et plus particulièrement s’agissant de groupes armés qui mènent leurs opérations en RDC. En effet, selon la jurisprudence de la CPI, l’application de la RPSH est soumise à six conditions cumulatives qui doivent être remplies pour qu’on arrive à la condamnation d’un accusé. Or, pour ce qui est des groupes armés en RDC, il y a certaines questions d’ordre organisationnel telles que l’existence d’une hiérarchie claire et d’un système de discipline qui se posent. Cet état de fait soulève des difficultés quant à l’identification du suspect dans la hiérarchie et à la détermination des éléments pouvant permettre d’apprécier la capacité de ce dernier à exercer un contrôle effectif sur ses subordonnés. Il s’en suit que l’obligation de prévenir et de sanctionner, qui pèse sur le supérieur, n’est pas bien remplie durant la période de crise. En effet, la mauvaise organisation des institutions administratives et sécuritaires sur la partie du territoire contrôlée par les rebelles ne permet pas une bonne administration de la justice. De ce fait, certains droits fondamentaux de la personne tels que le droit à un procès équitable et la présomption d’innocence risquent de ne pas être respectés. Or, le non-respect de ces principes peut mener à commettre des violations qui relèvent du statut de Rome. De même, l’assimilation des supérieurs des groupes armés à ceux des supérieurs militaires des forces armées nationales telles que préconisée par la CPI, crée deux catégories de protagonistes qui sont soumis aux mêmes obligations alors qu’ils n’ont pas tous les mêmes capacités. Cette situation pourrait faire en sorte que l’on se retrouve avec une norme non applicable lorsque les groupes armés sont en cause et en conséquence encourager l’impunité. Dès lors, dans le but d’éviter ces effets pervers, cette étude suggère l’abandon, par le procureur de la CPI, de l’application de la RPSH aux groupes armés en RDC. Il est plutôt suggéré d’utiliser les autres modes de participation criminels qui s’adaptent mieux à ces organisations et qui feront en sorte que les auteurs des crimes graves ne continuent pas d’échapper à la justice. De ce fait, la complicité au sens de l’article 25-3-b et c du statut de Rome semble appropriée au contexte des groupes armés en RDC. / Non-international armed conflicts increasingly dominate the international scene especially in Africa. During this period of crisis, several serious crimes were committed and prompted the international community to act. As a result, mechanisms have been put in place to not only prevent such acts, but also to punish them. It is in this logic that the principle of the command responsibility was established. Formerly this doctrine was applicable only within state armed forces, but currently it is applied to both civilian superiors and those of non-state armed forces. Concerning superiors of non-state armed groups, the question of effectiveness arises, and more particularly to armed groups operating in the DRC. Indeed, according to the case law of the ICC, the application of the command responsibility is subject to six cumulative conditions. However, in case of armed groups in the DRC, there are organizational issues such as the existence of a clear hierarchy and a system of discipline that arise. This situation raises difficulties in identifying the hierarchical superior and in determining the elements that may allow an assessment of his ability to exercise effective control over his subordinates. The command's obligation to prevent and punish is not easy to carry out because during this period of crisis, the poor organization of institutions in the part of the territory controlled by the rebels does not allow for the proper administration of justice. As a result, some fundamental human rights such as the right to a fair trial and the presumption of innocence, may not be respected. Yet, failure to respect these principles can lead to other violations of international nature. Likewise, the assimilation of superiors of armed groups to those of military superiors of national armed forces as recommended by the ICC, creates two categories of protagonists who are subject to the same obligations although they do not all have the same capacities. This situation could result in an unenforceable standard when armed groups are involved and therefore encourage impunity. Hence, in order to avoid these perverse effects, this research suggests the application of other modes of criminal participation which adapt to armed groups in the DRC and which will ensure that those prosecuted do not escape justice. As a result, complicity within the meaning of article 25-3-b and c of the Rome Statute seems appropriate in the context of the armed groups operating in the DRC.

This research uses the case study of Colombia and more specifically the peace negotiations between the government of Juan Manuel Santos and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - People's Army (FARC-EP) to identify the influence that International Humanitarian Law (IHL) can have on a peacemaking process and what its humanitarian implications are.  By linking the humanitarian and peacemaking fields, the main objective of this research is to assess the extent to which IHL has influenced the peace negotiations with the FARC-EP. To conduct this study, desk research and interviews were conducted in order to find out all the subtle elements that were not documented in the literature.  The final aim of this research is to highlight how humanitarian obligations under IHL have become increasingly relevant in peacemaking processes and conflict resolution strategies, particularly in non-international armed conflicts. As found out through this case study on Colombia, IHL can help establishing trust through humanitarian confidence building measures reducing humanitarian crises caused by war. Finally, IHL can strengthen accountability and reparations during and after the peace process and provide a legal framework for consolidating peace agreements.

The main objective of this research paper is to analyze the international effects the Syrian Conflict has had to the global community. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has declared this conflict to be the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. Millions of Syrians have fled their home country to avoid unjust persecution and are looking to not only neighboring countries, but the European Union for assistance in resettlement. Since the outbreak of the conflict in Syria in 2011, more than 220,000 people have been massacred, leaving fifty percent of the population in unrest due to home displacement. According to Amnesty International, apart from the twelve million Syrians who are in dire need of humanitarian assistance inside the country, there are about four million refugees fleeing to countries such as Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, and Iraq. These five countries are unable to maintain the capacity of refugees that are desperate to pour in from Syria. Further gulf countries such as Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia have refused to offer any resettlement venues for these migrants. Therefore, a plethora of European Union countries have received many asylum applications over the course of four years. Germany and Sweden have pledged resettlement locations for these refugees however relying on these two countries is not enough. This paper provides a historical background of the civil war in Syria, along with what the United Nations has done thus far to end the conflict. It will also analyze similar refugee situations in other countries in the region and compare it that in Syria. Finally, it will provide possible solutions of how the Refugee Agency, Human Rights Council, and Security Council can operate as a whole to distinguish this horrifying hostility in the region.

No description available.

The aim of this thesis is to answer the question whether the U.S. policy on targeted killings with combat drones is compatible with the legal doctrine of just war theory, applicable international law, and human rights law. Moreover, this paper intends to examine the legal issues arising from the U.S. practice of international law in relation to the justification of targeted killings. The purpose of this thesis is to determine whether the practice of targeted killings can be considered lawful and, if not, to provide knowledge about how the method violates applicable international law and the ethics of war. The focus is placed on relevant treaties and customary international law, and just war theory is used as a theoretical complement to explain the meaning and purpose of selected laws in order to determine their applicability to the research problem. Furthermore, this procedure has been conducted by using a legal method to identify the legal problem and interpret relevant sources of law in order to determine their applicability to the research problem. The thesis has determined that the U.S. policy on targeted killings with combat drones is not consistent with applicable international law and fundamental human rights law. In particular, the practice of targeted killings violates the principle of distinction.

On October 1, 1990 the Rwandan Patriotic Front launched a war from and with the support of the Republic of Uganda against Rwanda. This war was accompanied by unspeakable violations of International Humanitarian Law. Both conflicting parties violated the basic rules protecting the civilian population in situations of armed conflicts. The United Nations Security Council, acting under Chapter VII of its Charter, passed resolution 955 of November 8, 1994 establishing the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda to prosecute alleged responsible of such violations. This study investigates the background of the ICTR and questions the nature of the conflict that prompted the Security Council to establish another ad hoc international criminal tribunal after the one established for the former Yugoslavia. It further inquires into its jurisprudence and reflects critically on the ICTR's approach to serious violations of IHL under Article 3 Common to the Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocol II. / Jurisprudence / LL. M. (Law)

"Mémoire présenté à la Faculté des études supérieures en vue de l'obtention du grade de Maîtrise en droit - option recherche(LL.M)" / Ce mémoire traite de la contribution du Tribunal pénal international pour l'ex-Yougoslavie (« TPIY ») au développement des sources formelles du droit international public. Il considère, plus précisément, le dilemme normatif entre le droit international classique, polarisé sur l'État et « résorbé» dans une juridicité formelle, et le «droit de l'unité substantiel », codifiant le mythe kantien de la paix par le droit et associant juridicité et légitimité par une intégration de l'éthique dans le droit. L'analyse postule la rétroaction du droit sur ses sources et étudie les courants idéologiques du droit international contemporain à partir de la jurisprudence du TPIY. Le mémoire conclut à une rupture entre le discours rhétorique du TPIY sur les sources, se réclamant du droit international classique, davantage compatible avec le principe de légalité, et les pratiques normatives effectives du Tribunal, ressemblant à un jusnaturalisme moderne, fondé sur des valeurs morales et éthiques. / This thesis studies the contribution by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former- Yugoslavia ("ICTY") to the development of Public International Law. Specifically, it analyses the normative dilemma between sources ofClassic International Law - correlated to the will ofStates, as wel/ as legal formalism - and the "International law ofsubstantial unity" - which codifies the Kantian myth of ''peace by law" and moves the classic idea of legality from formalism to legitimacy by using ethical references. The analysis assumes Law's retroactive effect on its sources and considers ideological movements of Contemporary International Law in the jurisprudence of the ICTY. The thesis concludes to a clash between ICTYabstractfindings related to sources ofInternationallaw and the actual "day-by-day" normative practices ofthe Tribunal. While the first brings into play Classic International Law and the rule of law, the second looks more like a neo-naturalism, fashioned by moral and ethical values.