Contents
Chapter 16
The Administration of Justice During
States of Emergency ..................................................811
Learning Objectives.................................................................................................811
Questions ..................................................................................................................811
Relevant Legal Instruments....................................................................................812
1.
Introduction......................................................................................................813
1.1
1.2
2.
General introductory remarks ........................................................................813
Introductory remarks on limitations and derogations
in the field of human rights ............................................................................814
The Notion of Public Emergency in International
Human Rights Law ..........................................................................................815
2.1
Relevant legal provisions.................................................................................815
2.1.1 Derogations and the African Charter on Human and
Peoples’ Rights.........................................................................................816
2.2. Derogations from legal obligations: A dilemma for the drafters..............816
2.3 The interpretation of the international monitoring bodies........................821
2.3.1 Article 4(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights ........................................................................................821
2.3.2 Article 27(1) of the American Convention on Human Rights ..................825
2.3.3 Article 15(1) of the European Convention on Human Rights...................827
3.
Non-Derogable Rights and Obligations in International
Human Rights Law ..........................................................................................831
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
Introductory remarks.......................................................................................831
Relevant legal provisions.................................................................................832
The right to life.................................................................................................833
The right to freedom from torture and from cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment ..............................................................835
3.5 The right to humane treatment......................................................................837
3.6 The right to freedom from slavery and servitude. ......................................838
3.7 The right to freedom from ex post facto laws and the principle
of ne bis in idem...................................................................................................839
3.7.1 The prohibition of ex post facto laws.........................................................839
3.7.2 The principle of ne bis in idem ..............................................................840
3.8 The right to recognition as a legal person ....................................................842
3.9 The right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion........................842
3.10 The right not to be imprisoned merely on the ground of inability
to fulfil a contractual obligation.....................................................................843
3.11 The rights of the family...................................................................................844
3.12 The right to a name..........................................................................................844
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