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Unilateral exceptions to international law : Systematic legal analysis and critique of doctrines that seek to deny or reduce the applicability of human rights norms in the fight against terrorism

Scheinin, Martin and Vermeulen, Mathias (2017) 3. p.155-204
Abstract

It is well known that many governments have resorted to a wide range of constructions to justify, underi nternational law, their unilateral exceptions to human rights in the name of countering terrorism. This paper seeks to take stock of a range of arguments, doctrines or constructionsth at states may resort to when seeking to justify their unilateral exceptions to human rights norms in the fight against terrorism. Many constructions have a valid legal basis and a proper scope of application. However, they also have limitations and often relate to a specifictreaty, or the availability of a procedure, but do not altert he substantive obligations of the state in question under international law. In many cases,this results from the overlap... (More)

It is well known that many governments have resorted to a wide range of constructions to justify, underi nternational law, their unilateral exceptions to human rights in the name of countering terrorism. This paper seeks to take stock of a range of arguments, doctrines or constructionsth at states may resort to when seeking to justify their unilateral exceptions to human rights norms in the fight against terrorism. Many constructions have a valid legal basis and a proper scope of application. However, they also have limitations and often relate to a specifictreaty, or the availability of a procedure, but do not altert he substantive obligations of the state in question under international law. In many cases,this results from the overlap of treaty law and customary norms of international law. Some of the constructions are open to abuse,i.e. bad faith efforts to distort international law to the detriment of human rights. Because the combined effect of the various excuses and exceptions are complex, there is a need for a holistic approach which seeks to address the combined effect of various constructionso funilateral exceptions.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Public international law, Folkrätt
host publication
Challenges in International Human Rights Law
editor
Kamminga, Menno T.
volume
3
pages
50 pages
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85061752199
ISBN
9781315095905
9781409444367
DOI
10.4324/9781315095905
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
cdecb1e5-5aff-45aa-a2eb-bd7ad015fdeb
date added to LUP
2025-02-26 09:37:00
date last changed
2025-04-04 14:11:54
@inbook{cdecb1e5-5aff-45aa-a2eb-bd7ad015fdeb,
  abstract     = {{<p>It is well known that many governments have resorted to a wide range of constructions to justify, underi nternational law, their unilateral exceptions to human rights in the name of countering terrorism. This paper seeks to take stock of a range of arguments, doctrines or constructionsth at states may resort to when seeking to justify their unilateral exceptions to human rights norms in the fight against terrorism. Many constructions have a valid legal basis and a proper scope of application. However, they also have limitations and often relate to a specifictreaty, or the availability of a procedure, but do not altert he substantive obligations of the state in question under international law. In many cases,this results from the overlap of treaty law and customary norms of international law. Some of the constructions are open to abuse,i.e. bad faith efforts to distort international law to the detriment of human rights. Because the combined effect of the various excuses and exceptions are complex, there is a need for a holistic approach which seeks to address the combined effect of various constructionso funilateral exceptions.</p>}},
  author       = {{Scheinin, Martin and Vermeulen, Mathias}},
  booktitle    = {{Challenges in International Human Rights Law}},
  editor       = {{Kamminga, Menno T.}},
  isbn         = {{9781315095905}},
  keywords     = {{Public international law; Folkrätt}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{10}},
  pages        = {{155--204}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  title        = {{Unilateral exceptions to international law : Systematic legal analysis and critique of doctrines that seek to deny or reduce the applicability of human rights norms in the fight against terrorism}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781315095905}},
  doi          = {{10.4324/9781315095905}},
  volume       = {{3}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}