Based on the study of the Old Bridge of Mostar, this book concerns the adequacy of the international humanitarian law regime relating to the targeting and destruction of immovable cultural property in armed conflict at both normative and enforcement level.
Through a historical analysis of state dissolution and succession and its impact on cultural heritage from 1815 to present day, this book identifes guiding principles to facilitate the conclusion of agreements on the status of cultural property following the succession of states.
The massive intentional destruction of cultural heritage during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War targeting a historically diverse identity provoked global condemnation and became a seminal marker in the discourse on cultural heritage. It prompted an urgent reassessment of how cultural property could be protected in times of conflict and led to a more definitive recognition in international humanitarian law that destruction of a people's cultural heritage is an aspect of genocide. Yet surprisingly little has been published on the subject. This wide-ranging book provides the first comprehensive overview and critical analysis of the destruction of Bosnia-Herzegovina's cultural heritage and its far-reaching impact. Scrutinizing the responses of the international community during the war (including bodies like UNESCO and the Council of Europe), the volume also analyses how, after the conflict ended, external agendas impinged on heritage reconstruction to the detriment of the broader peace process and refugee return. It assesses implementation of Annex 8 of the Dayton Peace Agreement, a unique attempt to address the devastation to Bosnia's cultural heritage, and examines the treatment of war crimes involving cultural property at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). With numerous case studies and plentiful illustrations, this important volume considers questions which have moved to the foreground with the inclusion of cultural heritage preservation in discussions of the right to culture in human rights discourse and as a vital element of post-conflict and development aid.
Berenika Drazewska’s book offers a comprehensive scholarly analysis of the current meaning of military necessity in the international legal framework for the protection of cultural heritage during armed conflicts.
The law of armed conflict is a key element of the global legal order yet it finds itself in a state of flux created by the changing nature of warfare and the influences of other branches of international law. The Routledge Handbook of the Law of Armed Conflict provides a unique perspective on the field covering all the key aspects of the law as well as identifying developing and often contentious areas of interest. The handbook will feature original pieces by international experts in the field, including academics, staff of relevant NGOs and (former) members of the armed forces. Made up of six parts in order to offer a comprehensive overview of the field, the structure of the handbook is as follows: Part I: Fundamentals Part II: Principle of distinction Part III: Means and methods of warfare Part IV: Special protection regimes Part V: Compliance and enforcement Part VI: Some contemporary issues Throughout the book, attention is paid to non-international conflicts as well as international conflicts with acknowledgement of the differences. The contributors also consider the relationship between the law of armed conflict and human rights law, looking at how the various rules and principles of human rights law interact with specific rules and principles of international humanitarian law in particular circumstances. The Routledge Handbook of the Law of Armed Conflict provides a fresh take on the contemporary laws of war and is written for advanced level students, academics, researchers, NGOs and policy-makers with an interest in the field.
This War Report provides detailed information on every armed conflict which took place during 2013, offering an unprecedented overview of the nature, range, and impact of these conflicts and the legal issues they created. In Part I, the Report describes its criteria for the identification and classification of armed conflicts under international law, and the legal consequences that flow from this classification. It sets out a list of armed conflicts in 2013, categorising each as international, non-international, or a military occupation, with estimates of civilian and military casualties. In Part II, each of the 28 conflicts identified in Part I are examined in more detail, with an overview of the belligerents, means and methods of warfare, the applicable treaties and rules, and any prosecutions for, investigations into, or robust allegations of war crimes. Part III of the Report provides detailed thematic analysis of key legal developments which arose in the context of these conflicts, allowing for a more in-depth reflection on cross-cutting questions and controversies. The topics under investigation in this Report include US policy on drone strikes, the use of chemical weapons in Syria, the protection of persons with a disability, and national and international war crimes trials. The Report gives a full and accessible overview of armed conflicts in 2013, making it the perfect first port of call for everyone working in the field.
Cultural heritage law and its response to human rights principles and practice has gained renewed prominence on the international agenda. The recent conflicts in Syria and Mali, China's use of shipwreck sites and underwater cultural heritage to make territorial claims, and the cultural identities of nations post-conflict highlight this field as an emerging global focus. In addition, it has become a forum for the configuration and contestation of cultural heritage, rights and the broader politics of international law. The manifestation of tensions between heritage and human rights are explored in this volume, in particular in relation to heritage and rights in collaboration and in conflict, and heritage as a tool for rights advocacy. This volume also explores these issues from a distinctively legal standpoint, considering the extent to which the legal tools of international human rights law facilitate or hinder heritage protection. Covering a range of issues across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and Australia, this volume will be of interest to people working in human rights, heritage studies, cultural heritage management and identity politics around the world. 'This book fills an important gap in the literature on heritage and rights and, in particular, human rights law. With articles from leading experts addressing the legal human rights dimensions of cultural heritage protection, it makes a significant contribution to debates over issues such as 'Why should we safeguard heritage and for whom?' and 'What is the relationship between heritage safeguarding and protecting human rights?'. These are deep questions of profound significance to individuals, communities and even nations around the world and are of increasing urgency today. It critically analyses the relationship between heritage and human rights that can be potentially pernicious as well as mutually reinforcing, placing this analysis within the wider context and with a broad geographical scope with examinations of the heritage/rights relationship in Southeast Asia (Cambodia), China and sub-Saharan Africa.' Dr Janet Blake, Associate Professor in Law, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran 'Traversing the destruction of mausoleums in Timbuktu to war crimes trial by the International Criminal Court, Heritage, Culture and Rights explores the crucial links between human rights and the protection of cultural heritage. The essays are accessible to all viewing the destruction of cultural heritage as a breach of human dignity and identity. Unputdownable.' Professor Gillian Triggs, President of the Australian Human Rights Commission 'This collection of essays by leading scholars, though primarily Australian in origin, is universal in orientation. Ranging from a broad survey of the applicable laws of armed conflict to a detailed consideration of urban design in Southeast Asia, the essays offer significant insights into the relationship between the protection and use of cultural heritage, on one hand, and fundamental human rights, on the other. Ultimately, the mutual reinforcement of the two disciplines of law prevails over carefully-acknowledged tensions between them. Readers at all levels of expertise will find the book of great interest.' Professor James Nafziger,Thomas B Stoel Professor of Law and Director of International Programs at the Willamette University College of Law
In Prosecuting the Destruction of Cultural Property in International Criminal Law Caroline Ehlert offers an analysis of treaty law protecting cultural property from destruction and foremost of the relevant provisions for prosecuting the destruction of cultural property in international criminal law. The wanton destruction of valuable cultural property during armed conflict as well as during peacetime is omnipresent. Therefore it is of the utmost importance to provide for provisions criminalising the destruction of cultural property and offering a basis for the prosecution of possible perpetrators.
The world has been shocked by the destruction of world cultural heritage sites over the past two decades, as seen in widely disseminated videos depicting events such as the demolition of the Buddhas of Bamiyan and the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra. These acts are perhaps the clearest and most glaring examples of what is meant by the ‘Intentional Destruction of the Cultural Heritage of Humankind’ (IDCHH). The book explores in detail the remedies against IDCHH available under international law. These remedies are defined as all the lawful responses provided for both by customary law and by the special responsibility regimes created under the many substantive areas of international law. The examination includes UNESCO instruments and UN measures for the maintenance of international peace, mechanisms for the protection of human rights and those for the protection of investments, and international criminal justice outcomes through the decisions of the Permanent Criminal Court. Thus, the book explores avenues for response such as appeals to international courts, peacekeeping operations and referrals to the criminal legislation of States, in addition to reparations. The concept of the Cultural Heritage of Humankind implies that IDCHH harms all States and all peoples and human groupings in the world, not only the State or people on whose territory the cultural property is located. The book identifies the international law avenues for subjects not directly injured by IDCHH to obtain its cessation and reparation. This book is essential reading for students, academics and practitioners exploring international law and the destruction of cultural heritage.