Unit 3 International Law and National Law

8/17/2019 Unit 3 International Law and National Law

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Unit 3: International Lawand National LawE. Siang’andu

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mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Relationship etween National !

International Law"eneral rule: Each state will ha#e its own rules o$ Internal%onstitutional Law that tell us how international law is to eapplied in practice in national courts o$ that state.

&i$$erent rules will apply $or di$$erent countries'heories that ha#e een de#eloped to e(plain therelationship o$ international law ! national Law on ageneral le#el ) 'wo main schools o$ thought *onism !&ualism.

Relationship etween national law ! international Law


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*onism 'heory

Supposes that International Law and National Law aretwo components o$ a single ody o$ +nowledge re$erredto as Law.

,oth sets o$ rules operate in the same sphere o$in$luence ! are concerned with the same su-ect matter

'hey operate concurrently o#er the same matter.

here there is a con$lict etween systems internationallaw /IL0 is said to pre#ail

1or e(ample IL o$ human rights stipulates that no personmay e imprisoned without trial2 under the monisttheory a national court would ha#e to gi#e e$$ect to thise#en though a clear rule o$ national law said otherwise.


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Reasons $or the superiority o$ IL

under monist theory

*onist suppose the superiority o$ IL

IL is deri#ed $rom state practice ! national law deri#ed

$rom the state as estalished in IL there$ore higher legalorder 4elsen

In contrast Lauterpacht $ormer I%5 -udge sees IL assuperior ecause it o$$ers the est guarantee $or thehuman rights o$ indi#iduals.

'his $ollows $rom the $act that the state is seen as acollection o$ indi#iduals rather than a legal entity in itsown right.


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'here$ore under *onist theory

IL is superior

Implies that legal institutions courts2 legislature shouldensure that national rights ! oligations con$irm with IL

here there is a con$lict2 national courts should gi#ee$$ect to IL not domestic law


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&ualism 'heory

%onsiders IL and national law to e two separate legalorders operating ! e(isting independently o$ one

another. IL is the law applicale etween so#ereign states

'he application o$ IL is dependent on the common willo$ states $or its authority.

*unicipal law on the other hand applies within the state

regulating the acti#ities o$ its citi6ens


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*unicipal law has its source o$ its authority the will o$the state itsel$.

Each system deals with matters in its own way $ore(ample international courts apply IL

National courts apply national law.

here there is a con$lict etween the two system

*unicipal law applies.

'his might lead to a state eing in reach o$ itsinternational oligations

,ut that would e a matter $or the international court todeal with.


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Relationship etween national !International law *unicipal law

e$ore International triunal

'he law on the relationship etween international andnational law is clear ) 7 state cannot rely upon the

pro#ision or de$iciencies o$ its municipal law to a#oid itsoligations under international law

7rt 89 %L' ;


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International Law in *unicipal law &octrines o$ incorporation !

'rans$ormation

Doctrines of incorporation

Re$lects the monists position that the rules o$ ILautomatically ecome part o$ the municipal law as aresult o$ the doctrine o$ >incorporation.’

7 rule o$ IL ecomes part o$ IL o$ national law withoutneed $or e(press adoption y local courts or legislature.

'he rule o$ IL is incorporated in national law simplyecause it is a rule o$ IL


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&octrine o$ incorporation

'his is particularly the case in relation to customaryInternational Law

?ccurs as a result o$ a constitutional asis i.e.

7rticle 8 o$ asic law o$ "ermany.

7 rule o$ IL ecomes part o$ IL o$ national law withoutneed $or e(press adoption y local courts or legislature.

'he rule o$ IL is incorporated in national law simplyecause it is a rule o$ IL

'his is particularly the case in relation to customary

International Law ?ccurs as a result o$ a constitutional asis i.e.

7rticle 8 o$ asic law o$ "ermany.


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&octrine o$ 'rans$ormation

7s dualist theory maintains IL and municipal lawconstitute two distinct legal systems implication is thate$ore any rule o$ IL can ha#e e$$ect within domestic

-urisdiction it reAuires e(press >trans$ormation’ into

municipal law.

Rule o$ IL do not ecome part o$ the national law untilthey ha#e een e(pressly adopted y the state.

IL is not part o$ national law

Bence a national court cannot apply a particular rule o$

IL until that particular rule has een >trans$ormed’ intonational law as legislation.

'hus IL and national law are +ept separate


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Re$erencesCReadings

%hapter D &i(on ) 'e(too+ on International Law .

%hapter 8 ,rownlie ) rinciples o$ ulic International

Law. %hapter 8 Billier ) Sourceoo+ on ulic International

Law


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'utorial Fuestion

,ased on your +nowledge o$ Gamian law2 hat theoryand doctrine would e application to GamiaH/-usti$yyour response0

%onsider section 3 %onstitution o$ Gamia %7 ;

This constitution is a supreme law of Zambia and if anyother law is inconsistent with this constitution that otherlaw shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void.

Documents

Unit 3 International Law and National Law