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Professionnel Documents
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Atreaty
engagementisnotameremoralobligationbutcreatesalegallybindingobligationonthe
parties.Astatewhichhascontractedavalidinternationalagreementisboundtomakeinits
legislationsuchmodificationasmaybenecessarytoensurefulfillmentoftheobligation
undertaken.
Statesconsenttobebound
Customarylawobjectiveandsubjectiveelements
OpinioJuris(Opiniojurissivenecessitates)b
eliefthatacertainbehaviorisobligatory.
DoctrineofCustomarylawm
eansageneralandconsistentpracticeofstatesfollowedby
themtermfromsenseofthelegalobligation.
Isapracticethathasgrownb/wstatesandhascometobeacceptedasbindingbymere
factofpersistentusageoveralongperiodoftime.
Peremptorynorms(juscogens)Ajuscogensnormisanormacceptedandrecognizedby
theinternationalcommunityofStatesasawholeasanormfromwhichnoderogationis
permittedandwhichcanbemodifiedonlybyasubsequentnormofgeneralinternationallaw
havingthesamecharacter.
E.g.theprohibitionagainsttheuseofforceundertheUNCharter(Outlawingofactsof
aggression)OutlawingofgenocideBasichumanrights,includingprotectionfromslaveryand
racialdiscriminationprincipleofselfdetermination,crimesagainsthumanity,prohibitionagainst
slaveryandslavetrade,andpiracy.
ObligatioergaomnesItisanobligationofeveryStatetowardstheinternationalcommunity
asawhole.Allstateshavealegalinterestinitscompliance,andthusallStatesareentitledto
invokeresponsibilityforbreachofsuchanobligation.
Distinguishbetweenergaomnesfromanobligationinterse(whichaStateowestoanother
State)?
A:Ergaomnes,bytheirnature,aretheconcernofallStates.AllStatescanbeheldtohavea
legalinterestintheirprotection.
Eg.Outlawingofactsofaggression,andofgenocide,asalsofromtheprinciplesandrules
concerningthebasicrightsofthehumanperson,includingprotectionfromslaveryandracial
discrimination.
UniversalJurisdictionisalegaldoctrinewhichpermitsdomesticcourtstotryand
punishperpetratorsofsomecrimessoheinousthattheyamounttocrimesagainstthe
wholeofhumanity,regardlessofwheretheyoccurredorthenationalityofthevictimor
perpetrator
ActiopopularisisaLatintermthatmeansalawsuitbroughtbyathirdpartyintheinterestof
thepublicasawhole.ItderivesfromRomanpenallaw.Forexample,itissometimesusedin
thecontextofgenocideandterrorismprosecutionunderinternationallaw.
GeneralprinciplesoflawThesearerulesderivedmainlyfromnaturallaw,observedand
recognizedbycivilizednations,e.g.,resjudicata,prescription,pactasuntservandaand
estoppel,rebussicstantibus.SeeAgustinvs.Edu,wherethedoctrineofpactasuntservanda
wasappliedbytheCourtrelativetothevalidityoftheadministrativerulerequiringtheuseof
earlywarningdevice,aspartoftheViennaConventiononRoadSignsandSignals.
[Note:Tothesemaybeaddedtheprincipleofexaequoetbono(whatisgoodandjust),
providedthatthepartiestothedisputeagreethereto,asprovidedinArt.38(1),Statuteofthe
InternationalCourtofJustice.]
YogyakartaPrinciplesT
heYogyakartaPrinciplesensurethefullenjoymentofallhuman
rightsbyallpersonsregardlessofsexualorientationandgenderidentity.Theywereput
togetherbyadistinguishedgroupofhumanrightsexpertsinNovember2006atYogyakarta,
IndonesiaandhavesincebeenintroducedformallytotheUnitedNations(UN)system,
translatedintothesixofficialUNlanguagesandlaunchedinseveralcountries.
AppliesinPhil.?WearenotpreparedtodeclarethattheseYogyakartaPrinciplescontainnorms
thatareobligatoryonthePhilippines.Therearedeclarationsandobligationsoutlinedinsaid
Principleswhicharenotreflectiveofthecurrentstateofinternationallaw,anddonotfindbasis
inanyofthesourcesofinternationallawenumeratedunderArticle38(1)oftheStatuteofthe
InternationalCourtofJustice
IncorporationClausein1987Constitution Underthisdoctrine,rulesofinternationallaw
formpartofthelawofthelandandnofurtherlegislativeactionisneededtomakesuchrules
applicableinthedomesticsphere.Thedoctrinedecreesthatrulesofinternationallawaregiven
equalstandingwith,butarenotsuperiorto,nationallegislativeenactments.
InternationalcourtofJusticeItistheprimaryjudicialorganoftheUnitedNations
TheCourtdecidescontentiouscases,andrendersadvisoryopinions.Onlystates,including
nonmembersoftheUN,maybepartiesincontentiouscases.ThejurisdictionoftheCourtis
basedontheconsentofthepartiesinaccordancewiththeoptionaljurisdictionclauseandthe
Courtmaydecideoninterpretationoftreaties,anyquestionofinternationallaw,theexistenceof
factsconstitutingbreachofinternationalobligations,
AllmembersoftheUnitedNationsareipsofactopartiestotheStatuteoftheICJ.A
nonmembermaybecomeapartyonconditionstobedeterminedineachcasebytheGeneral
AssemblyupontherecommendationoftheSecurityCouncil.
TheFUNCTION:
1.Torenderadvisoryopinionsand
2.Todecidecontentiouscaseswhichincludes:
a.Theinterpretationofanytreaty,anyquestionofinternationallaw,
b.Theexistenceofanyfactwhichifestablishedwouldconstituteabreachofinternational
obligationand
c.Thenatureandextentofreparationtobemadeforthebreachofinternationalobligation.
InternationalCriminalCourtT
heICCisanindependentjudicialinstitutioncreatedbythe
treatyknownasRomeStatutewiththepowertotryandpunishindividualsforthemostserious
crimesofinternationalconcern:
1.Genocide
2.Crimesagainsthumanity
3.Crimesofaggression,and
4.Warcrimes.
InternationalCriminalCourt
InternationalCourtofJustice
Astowhat
RomeStatute
USCharter
createdeach
Astojurisdiction
Hascriminaljurisdiction
Doesnthavecriminaljurisdiction
Toprosecuteindividuals
toprosecuteindividuals
Astoparties
Individuals
States
Astoindependence
TheICCisindependentoftheUN
TheICJisthe
principaljudicial
organoftheUN
Adhoccriminaltribunals
MartensClause/PrincipleofhumanityIncasesnotcoveredbyotherinternational
agreements,civiliansandcombatantsremainundertheprotectionandauthorityoftheprinciples
ofinternationallawderivedfromestablishedcustom,fromtheprinciplesofhumanityandfrom
thedictatesofpublicconscience.