Sanctions

In general international law, a sanction can be defined by an action carried out by one or more states toward another one to force the latter to comply with its legal obligations. In domestic law, a sanction relates to the penalty annexed to a violation of a law as a mean of enforcing it.

In IHL more particularly, the term ‘sanctions’ may be applied:

  1. to the sanctions applicable to civilian internees and prisoners of war responsible for breaches of the laws, regulations and general orders to which they are subject;
  2. to the sanctions applicable to persons who have committed war crimes or other breaches of international humanitarian law; or
  3. to the sanctions applicable to commanders responsible for failure to act.

See Disciplinary sanctions; Violations; Breaches; State responsibility; Individual criminal responsibility

OUTLINE

LEGAL SOURCE

CASES

 BIBLIOGRAPHIC RESOURCES

DECAUX Emmanuel, “The Definition of Traditional Sanctions: their Scope and Characteristics”, in IRRC, Vol. 90, No. 870, June 2008, pp. 249-257.

LA ROSA Anne-Marie, “Sanctions as a Means of Obtaining Greater Respect for Humanitarian Law: a Review of their Effectiveness”, in IRRC, Vol. 90, No. 870, June 2008, pp. 221-247.

PHILIPPE Xavier, “Sanctions for Violations of International Humanitarian Law: the Problem of the Division of Competences between National Authorities and between National and International Authorities”, in IRRC, Vol. 90, No. 870, June 2008, pp. 359-370.

ALRACHID Loulouwa T., “L’humanitaire dans la logique des sanctions contre l’Irak : la formule ‘pétrole contre nourriture’”, in Politique étrangère, Vol. 65/1, 2000, pp. 109-121.

CHARVIN Robert, “Les mesures d’embargo : la part du droit”, in RBDI, 1996, pp. 5-32.

COHEN Amichai, “Economic Sanctions in IHL – Suggested Principles”, Hebrew University International Law Research Paper, No. 14-09, June 2009, 33 pp.

GASSER Hans-Peter, “Collective Economic Sanctions and International Humanitarian Law”, in ZaöRV, Vol. 56/4, 1996, pp. 871-904.

KOZAL Peggy, “Is the Continued Use of Sanctions as Implemented against Iraq a Violation of International Human Rights?”, in The Denver Journal of International Law and Policy, Vol. 28/4, 2000, pp. 383-400.

MEYER Michael A., "Liability of POWs for Offences Committed Prior to Capture – The Astiz Affair", in ICLQ, Vol. 32, 1983.

SASSÒLI Marco, "La peine de mort en droit international humanitaire et dans l'action du Comité international de la Croix-Rouge", in Revue internationale de droit pénal, 58, 1987, pp. 583-592.

SASSÒLI Marco, “Economic Sanctions and International Humanitarian Law”, in GOWLLAND Vera (ed.), United Nations Sanctions and International Law, The Hague, 2001, pp. 243-250.

SHAYGAN Farideh, La compatibilité des sanctions économiques du Conseil de Sécurité avec les droits de l’homme et le droit international humanitaire, Brussels, Bruylant, 2008, 686 pp.

STARCK Dorothee, Die Rechtmässigkeit von UNO-Wirtschaftssanktionen in Anbetracht ihrer Auswirkungen auf die Zivilbevölkerung, Berlin, Duncker & Humblot, 2000, 473 pp.

WEISS Thomas G., CORTRIGHT David, LOPEZ George A. & MINEAR Larry, Political Gain and Civilian Pain: Humanitarian Impacts of Economic Sanctions, New York, Rowmann & Littlefield, Lannham, 1997, 277 pp.

WILSON Robert R., "Escaped Prisoners of War in Neutral Jurisdiction", in AJIL, Vol. 35, 1941, pp. 519-530.