The Standing Of International Humanitarian Law Within The Contemporary International Legal System
Abstract
The article presents both theoretical and practical reflections on international humanitarian law as a part of public international law. The author analyses the principle of legal certainty as an integral component and foundation of any normative legal regulation within a specific legal field. A correlation is drawn between international humanitarian law and related branches of international law, such as international criminal law and international human rights law. The study discusses the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law in the context of contemporary approaches to its interpretation as jus in bello, with references to previous definitions. The article analyses the definition of international humanitarian law in the context of balancing its two main principles: military necessity and humanity. A distinction is made between international humanitarian law and international human rights law. The study explores scholarly approaches to understanding the interrelationship and mutual influence of international humanitarian law and international human rights law based on the principles of complementarity and affinity. Consequently, the differences between international humanitarian law and international human rights law are identified. The author analyses practical examples of differentiating these branches of public international law at the present stage based on the lex specialis principle. The article also identifies future trends in the continued mutual development of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. It explores the influence of international criminal law on international humanitarian law, establishing that the field of international criminal law complements international humanitarian law, especially when it comes to the practical application of international criminal law norms in punishing acts that fall under the prohibitive norms of international humanitarian law. Finally, the article systematizes approaches to the integration of elements within the system of public international law.
References
Alexander A. A Short History of International Humanitarian Law. European Journal of International Law. 2015. Vol. 26, No. 1. P. 109–138. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejil/chv002 (date of access: 26.02.2025).
Williams S., Hartridge S. International humanitarian law: a handbook for commonwealth parliamentarians. 2nd ed. London, UK : CPA Headquarters Secretariat, 2022. 76 p. CPA Headquarters Secretariat. URL: https://t.ly/lEdAe (date of access: 26.02.2025).
Bouvier A. A. International Humanitarian Law and the Law of Armed Conflict / ed. by S. J. Langholtz. 3rd ed. Williamsburg, USA : Peace Operations Training Institute, 2020. 42 p. Peace Operations Training Institute. URL: https://t.ly/16MRB (date of access: 26.02.2025).
United Nations Conference on International Organization. The Charter of the United Nations. United Nations, 26.06.1945. The United Nations. URL: https://t.ly/Q-pna (date of access: 26.02.2025).
Додатковий протокол до Женевських конвенцій від 12 серпня 1949 року, що стосується захисту жертв міжнародних збройних конфліктів (Протокол I) від 08.06.1977 р. Верховна Рада України. Законодавство України. URL: https://t.ly/7d1iM (дата звернення: 26.02.2025).
Droege C. The interplay between international humanitarian law and international human rights law in situations of armed conflict. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. 2007. Vol. 40, no. 2. P. 310–355. https://t.ly/UyyzH (date of access: 26.02.2025).
Provost R. International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law. 2nd ed. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2004. 462 p.
Bowring B. Fragmentation. «Lex Specialis» and the Tensions in the Jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights. Journal of Conflict & Security Law. 2009. Vol. 14. No. 3. P. 485–498. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcsl/krp030 (date of access: 26.02.2025).
Orakhelashvili A. The Interaction between Human Rights and Humanitarian Law: Fragmentation, Conflict, Parallelism, or Convergence? European Journal of International Law. 2008. Vol. 19. No. 1. P. 161–182. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejil/chm055 (date of access: 26.02.2025).
Bell C. Post-conflict Accountability and the Reshaping of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law. International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law, Collected Courses of the Academy of European Law / Orna Ben-Naftali (ed.). Oxford, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780191001604.003.0009 (date of access: 26.02.2025).
Бак В. І., Мєдвєдєва М. С. Співвідношення міжнародного гуманітарного права та міжнародного права прав людини. Ірпінський юридичний часопис журнал. 2024. Т. 15, № 2. С. 277–283. https://doi.org/10.33244/2617-4154-2(15)-2024-277-283 (дата звернення: 23.02.2025).
Міжнародне гуманітарне право. Посібник для юриста / за ред. Т. Р. Короткого. Київ–Одеса : Українська гельсінська спілка з прав людини, Фенікс, 2017. 145 с. URL: https://t.ly/0P1eq (дата звернення: 23.05.2025).
Case of Ilaşcu and others v. Moldova and Russia (Application no. 48787/99). Judgment of European Court of Human Rights of 08.07.2004. HUDOC. URL: https://t.ly/sdZlj (date of access: 26.02.2025).
Салієнко О. О. Співвідношення прав людини та міжнародного гуманітарного права. Альманах міжнародного права. 2020. № 23. С. 178–185. https://doi.org/10.32841/ILA.2020.23.21 (дата звернення: 23.05.2025).
Віденська конвенція про право міжнародних договорів від 23.05.1969 р. Верховна Рада України. Законодавство України. URL: https://t.ly/i9fjk (дата звернення: 26.02.2025).
Tomuschat C. Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law. European Journal of International Law. 2010. Vol. 21, No. 1. P. 15–23. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejil/chq003 (date of access: 23.05.2025).
Семінар на тему: «Міжнародне гуманітарне та міжнародне кримінальне право: актуальні питання застосування в умовах воєнного стану в Україні» (25.05.2022). Центр правової підтримки осіб, постраждалих внаслідок військового вторгнення. URL: https://t.ly/-ee9y (дата звернення: 23.05.2025).
Bruce M. International Humanitarian Law and International Criminal Justice: An Introductory Handbook. London, UK : Commonwealth Secretariat, 2014. 68 p. Amazon S3. URL: https://t.ly/h9maX (date of access: 23.05.2025).
Posse H. D. T. G. The relationship between international humanitarian law and the international criminal tribunals. International Review of Red Cross. 2006. Vol. 88, No. 861. P. 65–86. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1816383106000051 (date of access: 23.05.2025).
