Human Rights Law
The Hague University of Applied Sciences
(2020-21)
Contents
Lecture 1 Introduction to Human Rights Law..................................................................................3
What is international HRL............................................................................................................4
History of international HR protection........................................................................................4
Humanitarian law.........................................................................................................................4
Development of HRL....................................................................................................................5
Human Rights Generations..........................................................................................................5
Lecture 2 Human Rights Monitoring................................................................................................7
What is monitoring?....................................................................................................................7
What is Human Rights monitoring?.............................................................................................7
HR monitoring at the national level.............................................................................................7
State reporting.............................................................................................................................8
Inter-state complaints..................................................................................................................9
Universal Periodic Review............................................................................................................9
Individual complaints...................................................................................................................9
Jurisdiction.................................................................................................................................10
Admissibility Criteria..................................................................................................................10
Outcomes...................................................................................................................................11
The Right to Life and the Prohibition of Torture, Inhumane and Degrading Treatment.........12
Fundamental rights....................................................................................................................12
The right of life...........................................................................................................................13
The start of life...........................................................................................................................13
Negative and positive obligations..............................................................................................14
Limitations to the right of life?..................................................................................................14
Definitions..................................................................................................................................15
, Definitions of inhuman and degrading treatment.....................................................................16
Deportation and extradition......................................................................................................16
Lecture 4 Equality & Non-Discrimination......................................................................................18
Part A: Explorations...................................................................................................................18
Obligations.................................................................................................................................18
Concepts....................................................................................................................................19
Part B: Court’s Methodology.....................................................................................................19
Grounds......................................................................................................................................20
Class comparison.......................................................................................................................20
Justifications...............................................................................................................................21
Part C: Other Issues....................................................................................................................22
Burden of proof..........................................................................................................................23
General non-discrimination.......................................................................................................23
Lecture 5 Freedom of Expression..................................................................................................25
Part A..........................................................................................................................................25
What is expression?...................................................................................................................25
Positive and negative obligations..............................................................................................26
Part B..........................................................................................................................................27
Limitations to the freedom of expression.................................................................................27
Necessary in a democratic society.............................................................................................28
Lecture 6 The right to private and family life................................................................................30
Part A..........................................................................................................................................30
Cookie jar...................................................................................................................................30
Sources.......................................................................................................................................31
Limitations.................................................................................................................................31
Part B..........................................................................................................................................32
Private life..................................................................................................................................32
Personal data.............................................................................................................................32
Other..........................................................................................................................................32
Part C..........................................................................................................................................33
Family life...................................................................................................................................33
Positive and negative obligations..............................................................................................35
Lecture 7 The Right to Education...................................................................................................37
, Part A.........................................................................................................................................37
Sources.......................................................................................................................................37
Key Concepts..............................................................................................................................38
Idealistic right.............................................................................................................................39
UN Framework by Tomasovski (Four A’s)..................................................................................39
Access to education...................................................................................................................40
Parental rights in education (acceptability)...............................................................................41
Protection of the child...............................................................................................................41
Non-discrimination- case law....................................................................................................41
Non-discrimination – Practice examples...................................................................................43
Cases..............................................................................................................................................44
Lecture 1 Introduction to Human Rights Law
Readings: IHR: Chr. 1 & Chapter 11
, What is international HRL
Origins: early examples Cyrus Cylinder, Ancient Rome, religious text, magna Carta, philosopher,
etc.
Rights granted to humans
Ancient Rome: citizen’s rights limited to those with power. Not as we know it today,
there where slaves didn’t have human rights only entitled to possessions
What are human rights/law
Wide definition
Those rights necessary to live a human(e) life
More precise definition
The law that deals with the protection of all individuals (and groups) against violations
of their (inter)nationally guaranteed rights, and with the promotion of these rights.
Talks about rights guaranteed, what rights?
Very wide definition
Gut feeling law: a person sleeping outside while freezing that doesn’t sound right
however what rights are at stake?
History of international HR protection
What is the place of HRL in international law?
Primary role of states in international law
What is the role of the individual?
Humans from object to subject of human rights
State to state obligations
State responsibility for injury to aliens: state injures the citizen of another state, the
other state can claim damages.
Nationality is key, statelessness is a problem (beyond this lecture
Treaties can limit state sovereignty
Internationalization of subjects otherwise not governed by international law
After signing the treaty, neither government can claim exclusive domestic jurisdiction.
o Early treaties banning slave trade (Paris, 1856), Christian minorities in
Ottoman empire (Berlin, 1878)
o
ICRC a wounded soldier needs protection/treatment not going to kill someone who is
already injured.
Seeing an individual that needs protection
Humanitarian law
Geneva Convention 1854: International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC.
Geneva conventions 1949/1977 (ICRC)
See an expansion of the scope of who needs protection in times of war
o Starts with soldiers eventually bigger groups in need of protection.
Tribunals
The Hague University of Applied Sciences
(2020-21)
Contents
Lecture 1 Introduction to Human Rights Law..................................................................................3
What is international HRL............................................................................................................4
History of international HR protection........................................................................................4
Humanitarian law.........................................................................................................................4
Development of HRL....................................................................................................................5
Human Rights Generations..........................................................................................................5
Lecture 2 Human Rights Monitoring................................................................................................7
What is monitoring?....................................................................................................................7
What is Human Rights monitoring?.............................................................................................7
HR monitoring at the national level.............................................................................................7
State reporting.............................................................................................................................8
Inter-state complaints..................................................................................................................9
Universal Periodic Review............................................................................................................9
Individual complaints...................................................................................................................9
Jurisdiction.................................................................................................................................10
Admissibility Criteria..................................................................................................................10
Outcomes...................................................................................................................................11
The Right to Life and the Prohibition of Torture, Inhumane and Degrading Treatment.........12
Fundamental rights....................................................................................................................12
The right of life...........................................................................................................................13
The start of life...........................................................................................................................13
Negative and positive obligations..............................................................................................14
Limitations to the right of life?..................................................................................................14
Definitions..................................................................................................................................15
, Definitions of inhuman and degrading treatment.....................................................................16
Deportation and extradition......................................................................................................16
Lecture 4 Equality & Non-Discrimination......................................................................................18
Part A: Explorations...................................................................................................................18
Obligations.................................................................................................................................18
Concepts....................................................................................................................................19
Part B: Court’s Methodology.....................................................................................................19
Grounds......................................................................................................................................20
Class comparison.......................................................................................................................20
Justifications...............................................................................................................................21
Part C: Other Issues....................................................................................................................22
Burden of proof..........................................................................................................................23
General non-discrimination.......................................................................................................23
Lecture 5 Freedom of Expression..................................................................................................25
Part A..........................................................................................................................................25
What is expression?...................................................................................................................25
Positive and negative obligations..............................................................................................26
Part B..........................................................................................................................................27
Limitations to the freedom of expression.................................................................................27
Necessary in a democratic society.............................................................................................28
Lecture 6 The right to private and family life................................................................................30
Part A..........................................................................................................................................30
Cookie jar...................................................................................................................................30
Sources.......................................................................................................................................31
Limitations.................................................................................................................................31
Part B..........................................................................................................................................32
Private life..................................................................................................................................32
Personal data.............................................................................................................................32
Other..........................................................................................................................................32
Part C..........................................................................................................................................33
Family life...................................................................................................................................33
Positive and negative obligations..............................................................................................35
Lecture 7 The Right to Education...................................................................................................37
, Part A.........................................................................................................................................37
Sources.......................................................................................................................................37
Key Concepts..............................................................................................................................38
Idealistic right.............................................................................................................................39
UN Framework by Tomasovski (Four A’s)..................................................................................39
Access to education...................................................................................................................40
Parental rights in education (acceptability)...............................................................................41
Protection of the child...............................................................................................................41
Non-discrimination- case law....................................................................................................41
Non-discrimination – Practice examples...................................................................................43
Cases..............................................................................................................................................44
Lecture 1 Introduction to Human Rights Law
Readings: IHR: Chr. 1 & Chapter 11
, What is international HRL
Origins: early examples Cyrus Cylinder, Ancient Rome, religious text, magna Carta, philosopher,
etc.
Rights granted to humans
Ancient Rome: citizen’s rights limited to those with power. Not as we know it today,
there where slaves didn’t have human rights only entitled to possessions
What are human rights/law
Wide definition
Those rights necessary to live a human(e) life
More precise definition
The law that deals with the protection of all individuals (and groups) against violations
of their (inter)nationally guaranteed rights, and with the promotion of these rights.
Talks about rights guaranteed, what rights?
Very wide definition
Gut feeling law: a person sleeping outside while freezing that doesn’t sound right
however what rights are at stake?
History of international HR protection
What is the place of HRL in international law?
Primary role of states in international law
What is the role of the individual?
Humans from object to subject of human rights
State to state obligations
State responsibility for injury to aliens: state injures the citizen of another state, the
other state can claim damages.
Nationality is key, statelessness is a problem (beyond this lecture
Treaties can limit state sovereignty
Internationalization of subjects otherwise not governed by international law
After signing the treaty, neither government can claim exclusive domestic jurisdiction.
o Early treaties banning slave trade (Paris, 1856), Christian minorities in
Ottoman empire (Berlin, 1878)
o
ICRC a wounded soldier needs protection/treatment not going to kill someone who is
already injured.
Seeing an individual that needs protection
Humanitarian law
Geneva Convention 1854: International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC.
Geneva conventions 1949/1977 (ICRC)
See an expansion of the scope of who needs protection in times of war
o Starts with soldiers eventually bigger groups in need of protection.
Tribunals
