03.04.02-026 International Human Rights Law (3 credits)
A course for Icelandic (Cand.jur) and foreign law students (LL.M and Exchange
Programs).
Teachers: Björg Thorarensen, LL.M, Professor of Law.
Pétur Leifsson, LL.M. Lecturer of Law.
Duration of instruction: 20 October – 28 November 2003.
Number of hours: Six weeks of 36 hours, inlcuding lectures, seminars and discussion
classes. First two classes each day are expected to be lectures, while the third class is
usually a discussion class relating to subject of the day.
Teaching methods: The course aims at active participation of students in discussion
classes and seminars and their presentations of selected issues. Each student will also
be required to present a paper within the main themes of the course.
Evaluation: a) Oral examination 80% in December The examination period lasts from
An exact date for the examination will be decided later in the schedule
of examination prepared by the Faculty Office.
b) Presentation of a paper 20%, subject to requirements to be announced
later
Objectives of the course: The objective is to present an overview over international
co-operation on the protection of human rights, international human rights
instruments, their implementation and enforcement and recent trends in the evolution
on international action on human rights. The course will present the system for the
protection of human rights within the United Nationts and focus on some of the major
human rights treaties, particularly the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, the Human Rights Committee and the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights. Main features of regional human rights cooperation in the
world will be presented, particular attention will be paid to the Europen Convention
and the Court on Human Rights. Some principles in the field of humanitarian law will
also be presented as well as the role of non-governmental organisation in the
international protection of human rights.
Outline of major themes:
 The concept of human rights and its origin. Different human rights doctrines.
Origins and development of the international co-operation.
 The turning point: The UN Charter of 1945. The standard setting of the UN
Universal Declaration on Human Rights of 1948 and its impact on future
development.
 The present role of human rights conventions within the traditional
international law.
 Monitoring bodies and remedies in international human rights law.
 The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Optional
Protocol. The work of Human Rights Committee and study of selected caselaw.
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The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Obstacles in the implementation of social rights. Recent developments in
complaint procedures.
Other remaining UN human rights treaties and monitoring bodies.
The right to self-determination and miniorities. The right to development.
Main features of regional human rights cooperation. The European
Convention and the European Court of Human Rights. The European Social
Charter. Impact of the EU Charter.
Special institutions: the standard setting and supervisory system of the
International Labour Convention (ILO)
Humanitarian law, the legal foundations of the Geneva Conventions and its
protocols. International prosecution of offenders of violations of international
humanitarian law.
The role of non-governmental organisations for the promotion of human
rights.
Reading materials:
Compulsory list:
 A H. Robertsson og J.G. Merrills: Human Rights in the World – An
Introduction to the Study of the International Protection of Human Rights.
Manchester University Press, 1996, pp. 1-190 and 270-315.
 An Introduction to the International Protection of Human Rights. A Textbook.
Eds. R. Hanski og Markku Suksi, 2000. Selected Articles from the book, pp.
3-14, 79-142, 185-218, 275-306 and 371-388.
 Additional materials referred to or handed out by the teachers, e.g. case-law
and texts of international instruments.
The total of required reading amount to approximately 300 pages, besides
international conventions, case-law and supplementary materials from the teachers.
The compulsory reading materials are available at the Students Book Store.
Suggested literature:
 Guðmundur Alfreðsson og Asbjörn Eide (eds.). The Universal Declaration of
Human Rights. A Common Standard of Achievement. Martinus Nijhoff
Publishers 1999 .
 A.Eide, C. Krause og A. Rosas: Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Martinus Nijhoff Publishers 1995.
 S. Joseph, J. Schultz og M. Castan: The International Covenant on Civil and
Political rights, Oxford University Press 2000.
 The United Nations and Human Rights. A Critical Appraisal. Ritsj. P. Alston,
1995.
 Dinah Shelton: Remedies in International Human Rights Law. Oxford
University Press 1999.
 R.M.M. Wallace og K. Dale-Risk International Human Rights. Text and
Materials, Sweet and Maxwell, 2001.
Useful websites:
UN High Commissioner of Human Rights: www.unhchr.ch
Council of Europe: www.coe.int.
International Labour Organisation (ILO): www.ilo.org