Taylor: A Commentary on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: The UN Human Rights Committee's Monitoring of ICCPR Rights

Paul M. Taylor (Univ. of Queensland - Law) has published A Commentary on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: The UN Human Rights Committee's Monitoring of ICCPR Rights (Cambridge Univ. Press 2020). Here's the abstract:

A new and an essential reference work for any international human rights law academic, student or practitioner, A Commentary on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights spans all substantive rights of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), approached from the perspective of the ICCPR as an integrated, coherent scheme of rights protection. In detailed coverage of the Human Rights Committee's output when monitoring ICCPR compliance, Paul M. Taylor offers extraordinary access to forty years of its Concluding Observations, Views and General Comments organised thematically. This Commentary is a solid and practical introduction to any and all of the civil and political rights in the ICCPR, and a rare resource explaining the requirements for domestic implementation of ICCPR standards. An indispensable research tool for any serious enquirer into the subject, the Commentary speaks to the accomplishments of the ICCPR in striving for universal human rights standards.

Seibert-Fohr & Weniger: Compliance Monitoring under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

Anja Seibert-Fohr (Universität Heidelberg - Law) & Christine Weniger (Universität Heidelberg - Law) have posted Compliance Monitoring under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Here's the abstract:

Despite their unequivocal international commitments, many States continue to neglect their human rights obligations domestically and do not give effect to human rights at the local level. The international community, once primarily concerned with the codification of human rights standards, has therefore accelerated its efforts to monitor and induce compliance over the past decades. The Human Rights Committee as a fundamental pillar of the UN Human Rights System has become a pioneer in this respect. As the main treaty body charged with monitoring the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights it was the first institution to introduce a follow-up procedure to its individual complaint mechanism. It subsequently extended this mechanism to the state reporting procedure and developed a grading scheme to assess the national measures taken in response to its recommendations. This article locates the follow-up procedures within the UN system, identifies the relevant stakeholders and explains the strategies to overcome resistance. In view of the Committee’s almost three decades long follow-up experience it is time now to take stock and evaluate this procedure in order to determine whether it has contributed to the compliance by States with their international human rights commitments. Based on the experience gained in the course of the follow-up proceedings and with compliance, more generally, we offer a critical evaluation of compliance monitoring and a perspective for future developments.

Moeckli, Keller, & Heri: The Human Rights Covenants at 50: Their Past, Present, and Future

Daniel Moeckli (Univ. of Zurich - Law), Helen Keller (Univ. of Zurich - Law), & Corina Heri (Univ. of Amsterdam - Law) have published The Human Rights Covenants at 50: Their Past, Present, and Future (Oxford Univ. Press 2018). Contents include:

• Helen Keller & Daniel Moeckli, Introduction
• Maya Hertig Randall, The History of the Covenants: Looking Back Half a Century and Beyond
• Gerald Neuman, Giving Meaning and Effect to Human Rights: The Contributions of Human Rights Committee Members
• Daniel Moeckli, Interpretation of the ICESCR: Between Morality and State Consent
• Patrick Mutzenberg, The Role of NGOs in the Implementation of the Covenants
• Manisuli Ssenyonjo, Influence of the ICESCR in Africa
• Basak Çali, Influence of the ICCPR in the Middle East
• Mónica Pinto & Martin Sigal, Influence of the ICESCR in the Americas
• Yogesh Tyagi, Influence of the ICCPR in Asia
• Amrei Müller, Influence of the ICESCR in Europe
• Samantha Besson, The Influence of the Two Covenants on States Parties Across Regions: Lessons for the Role of Comparative Law and of Regions in International Human Rights Law
• Stephen Humphreys, The Covenants in the Light of Anthropogenic Climate Change
• Christine Kaufmann, The Covenants and Financial Crises
• Felice Gaer, The Institutional Future of the Covenants: A World Court for Human Rights?

Conference: Challenging Human Rights Disenchantment 50 years on from the ICCPR and ICESCR

On January 27, 2017, the Sussex Centre for Human Rights Research at the University of Sussex will host a conference on "Challenging Human Rights Disenchantment 50 years on from the ICCPR and ICESCR." The program is here. Here's the idea:

This international and interdisciplinary academic conference will involve a series of sessions linked together by the common theme of considering different forms (political, legal, social) of disenchantment with the state of human rights 50 years after the adoption of the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; and whether and how any such disillusionment is being, or can be, challenged.

Rössler: Politische Freiheit im Völkerrecht

Julian Rössler has published Politische Freiheit im Völkerrecht (Mohr Siebeck 2016). Here's the abstract:

Der Internationale Pakt für politische und bürgerliche Rechte ist der wichtigste völkerrechtliche Vertrag zur Garantie universeller Menschenrechte und damit für die politische Betätigungsfreiheit. Politische Parteien nehmen für die Verwirklichung dieser Freiheit eine entscheidende Rolle ein, da sie individuelle Meinungen in staatliche Entscheidungen hineintragen können. Unter Bezugnahme auf die Vereinigungsfreiheit, das Wahlrecht, das Selbstbestimmungsrecht der Völker und den Minderheitenschutz zeigt Julian Rössler, dass die Parteienfreiheit auf universeller Ebene umfassend gewährleistet wird. Die völkerrechtliche Parteienfreiheit ist als Garant für eine Pluralität von Parteien und damit auch für politische Meinungsvielfalt in den Vertragsstaaten zu verstehen. Der Zivilpakt ist Grundlage für eine internationale Gemeinschaft von pluralistisch demokratischen Staaten.

Workshop: Interaction Between Human Rights: 50 Years of the Covenants

Today and tomorrow, September 29-30, 2016, INTRAlaw (International and Transnational Tendencies in Law) at the Aarhus University Department of Law will host a workshop on "Interaction Between Human Rights: 50 Years of the Covenants." The program is here. Here's the idea:

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The colloquium will bring together scholars working on the interaction within the human rights regime on the international, regional and domestic planes. What is of interest is the way that the two covenants have influenced each other in their legal development; and, significantly, the way that different human rights systems have influenced each other in the definition and implementation of these rights.

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Particular attention will be given to the activities of the Human Rights Committee and the Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights, and their role in interpreting and driving implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).

Call for Papers: Challenging Human Rights Disenchantment 50 years on from the ICCPR and ICESCR

The Sussex Centre for Human Rights Research at the University of Sussex has issued a call for papers for a conference on "Challenging Human Rights Disenchantment 50 years on from the ICCPR and ICESCR," to take place January 27, 2017. Here's the call:

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The Sussex Centre for Human Rights Research at the University of Sussex will be hosting a conference on Friday 27 January 2017: Challenging Human Rights Disenchantment 50 Years on from the ICCPR and ICESCR

The Centre invites proposals for presentations that consider different forms (political, legal, social) of disenchantment with the state of human rights 50 years after the adoption of the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Proposals should address a thematic human rights issue to consider how the issue is being, or might be, challenged. The closing date for proposals is Tuesday 6th September 2016.

On the basis of proposals received in response to this call, the conference steering group will decide on the thematic focus for each of up to six thematic sessions. Each thematic session will involve 10-15 minute presentations by three (or possibly four) panellists. The conference steering group aims to ensure that panellists comprise a mixture of senior and early career researchers, as well as postgraduate researchers, from different disciplines and from both within and outside the University of Sussex.

Symposium: 50th Anniversary of the Adoption of the ICCPR and the ICESCR

On April 14-15, 2016, Institute for Public International Law at the University of Zurich and the European Society of International Law will co-host a symposium on the "50th Anniversary of the Adoption of the ICCPR and the ICESCR." The program is here. Here's the idea:

On 16 December 2016 it will be 50 years since the UN General Assembly adopted the two human rights covenants, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Not unlike with human beings, the 50th birthday of a treaty offers a good opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved in the years that have passed, to assess the present situation and to look to the future. This symposium aims to provide a forum for reflection on these issues by bringing together experts and stakeholders from a range of disciplines and world regions.

Webber: Hassan v. United Kingdom: A New Approach to Security Detention in Armed Conflict?

Diane Webber has posted an ASIL Insight on Hassan v. United Kingdom: A New Approach to Security Detention in Armed Conflict?