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THE LEGALITY OF THE NATO BOMBING IN LIBYA

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 January 2013

Geir Ulfstein  and
Hege Føsund Christiansen
Geir Ulfstein
Affiliation:
Professor dr. juris, University of Oslo, [email protected].
Hege Føsund Christiansen
Affiliation:
LLM, University of Oslo, [email protected].
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Abstract

On 17 March 2011 the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1973 authorizing member states to take forceful measures to protect Libyan civilians. Clearly NATO actions to protect civilians were within the mandate. But the authors claim that operations aiming at overthrowing the Qaddafi regime were illegal use of force. The overstepping of the mandate may have a negative effect on the credibility of the responsibility to protect in future gross human rights violations.

Keywords

LibyaNATOresponsibility to protectUnited Nations Security Counciluse of force
Type
Shorter Articles
Information
International & Comparative Law Quarterly , Volume 62 , Issue 1 , January 2013 , pp. 159 - 171
Copyright
Copyright © British Institute of International and Comparative Law 2013

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References

1 Institute for Security Studies, Peace and Security Council Report no 21 (April 2011).

2 Human Rights Watch, ‘Libya: Commanders Should Face Justice for Killings’ (22 February 2011).

3 Institute for Security Studies, Peace and Security Council Report no 21 (April 2011).

4 OHCHR, ‘Bahrain/Libya: UN Experts Urge Authorities to Guarantee Right to Protest without Fear of Being Injured or Killed; Pillay Denounces Violence by Security Forces in Libya, Bahrain and other countries in Middle East and North Africa’ (18 February 2011).

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7 OHCHR, ‘Libya: “Stop the massacre” – UN experts’ ibid.

8 Hereinafter the High Commissioner.

9 OHCHR (n 5).

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36 Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and Relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I), art 49(1).

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47 The Guardian ibid.

48 ibid.

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62 UNGA 12 July 2011, UN Doc. GA/11112.

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64 UN Secretary-General, Press Conference by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at United Nations Headquarters (14 December 2011).

65 UN News Centre, ‘Speedy, Decisive International Action to Protect Civilians in Libya Is Vital – Ban’ (24 March 2011).

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68 BBC News, ‘Libya Conflict: France Air-Dropped Arms to Rebels’ (29 June 2011).

69 BBC News, ‘Libya: Russia Decries French Arms Drop to Libya Rebels’ (30 June 2011).

70 CBSNews (n 67).

71 UNSC 6640th meeting, 27 October 2011, UN Doc S/PV.6640.

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76 The Voice of Russia, ‘Russia Demands Thorough Investigation into NATO Libya Operation’ (17 January 2012).

77 Haaretz, ‘U.S. Urges Syria to Respect Civil Rights, after Security Forces Open Fire on Protesters’ (28 March 2011).

78 Human Rights Council, Report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, 16 August 2012 (A/HRC/21/50).

79 UNSC 6627th meeting, 4 October 2011, UN Doc S/PV.6627.

80 ibid.

81 ibid.

82 UNSC 6711th meeting, 4 February 2012, UN Doc S/PV.6711.

83 UNSC 6810th meeting, 19 July 2012, UN Doc S/PV.6810.

84 The Brazilian proposal about ‘Responsibility while Protecting’ (RwP) focuses on monitoring and assessment of the use of force authorized by the Security Council (Letter dated 9 November 2011 from the Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General (11 November 2011 A/66/551-S/2011/701)).