SPACE LAW AND HUMAN RIGHTS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18372/2307-9061.62.16475Keywords:
space law, human rights, astronaut, celestial bodies, international lawAbstract
Purpose: international space law, consisting of five international agreements and 7 resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly does not contain directly any provision that would hint to human rights. It cannot however be realistically perceived that there is any field of international law that would not be affected by human rights. Space Law provides an opportunity to be influenced by human rights. Article III of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 allows the application of other areas of international law, such as human rights, in case of this area not being mentioned by the lex specialis of space law. Research methods: general-scientific and special-legal methods of scientific knowledge, in particular: system-structural and functional methods, method of observation, method of generalization, methods of analysis and synthesis have been applied. Results: in this short paper it will be assessed under which circumstances and with which effect human rights can be applied to the lex lata of international space law. Discussion: should no help be provided to an astronaut in distress? Should not the behaviour of astronauts on board the international space station be directed by the idea of human rights? Shouldn’t in the future any living together of human beings on celestial bodies like Moon or Mars be directed through human rights?
References
See for details Marboe/Neumann and Schrogl, Rescue Agreement, in: Hobe/Schmidt-Tedd/Schrogl (eds.), Cologne Commentary on Space Law, vol. II, Cologne et.al. 2013, pp. 9 et seq.
See Hobe, in Hobe/Schmidt-Tedd/Schrogl, (eds.), Cologne Commentary on Space Law, vol. I, Cologne et al. 2009, random note 45 et seq., pp. 36 et seq.
On the notion of solidarity rights see e.g. Fremuth, Menschenrechte - Grundlagen und Dokumente, Bonn 2016, pp. 67 et seq.
See on art. III OST Ribbelink, in. Hobe/Schmidt-Tedd/Schrogl (eds.), Cologne Commentary on Space Law, vol. I, pp.64 et seq.
See e.g. Freeland /Jakhu, The Intersection between Space Law and Human Rights Law, in: Jakhu/Dempsey (eds.) Routledge Handbook of Space Law, 2016, pp. 225-237.
See Hobe/Freeland (eds.), In Heaven as on Earth? The Relationship of Public International law and the Legal Regulation of Outer Space, Cologne 2013, pp. 5-8; Ribbelink in Hobe/Schmidt-Tedd/Schrogl, vol. 1. OST, Art. III, random note 11 et seq.
Ribbelink, note 5, random note 13.
Universal Declaration on Human Rights see UN/RES/217/A (III) of 10 December 1948.
UNTS vol. 999, p. 171.
UNTS vol. 993, p. 3.
UNGA Res. 34/146 (XXXIV), UN Doc. A/34/786 (1979).
UNGA Res. 35/55, Doc. A/36/648 (1981).
See e.g. Hobe, Die rechtlichen Rahmenbedingungen der wirtschaftlichen Nutzung des Weltraums, Berlin 1992, pp. 184 et seq.
UNGA Res. 37/92 of 10 December 1982.
UNGA Res. 41/65 o 3 December 1986.
Se eon these arguments Hobe, note 14, pp. 204 et seq.
See e.g. proposals of Brazil UN Doc. A/AC. 105/122 and UN Doc. A/AC.105/133, as well as the common proposal of Argentina and Brazil Un Doc. A/C.1/ 1047 in the UNCOPUOS and in the UN General Assembly.
See in this direction clearly the draft of the USA UN Doc. A/AC.105/C.2/L.103.
See Malanczuk, Erdfernerkundung, in: Böckstiegel (ed.), Handbuch des Weltraumrechts, 1991, pp. 439 (441).
See Freeland / Jakhu, Art. II, in Hobe/Schmidt-Tedd/Schrogl, Cologne Commentary on Space Law, vol. I, random note 63 et seq.
See inter alia, Freeland/Jakhu, OST, Art. II, in Hobe/Schmidt-Tedd/Schrogl, Cologne Commentary on Space Law, vol. I, pp. 44 et seq. and Jakhu/Freeland/Hobe/ Tronchetti, Moon Agreement, Art. 11, in: Hobe/Schmidt-Tedd/Schrogl, Cologne Commentary on Space Law, vol. 2, pp. 388 et seq.
