International Law Review

International Law Review

Countering Starvation in International Law: From a Human Rights Violation to an International Crime

Document Type : academic

Authors
Haleh Hosseini Akbarnejad 1
Hoorieh Hosseini Akbarnejad 2
1 Assistant Professor of Law, Faculty of Social Sciences, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin
2 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, Tarbiat Modares University
10.22066/cilamag.2021.243889
Abstract
Deliberate starvation is a violation of human rights and a crime whose perpetrators have long enjoyed total impunity. Recently, however, the international community has taken steps to prevent and combat it, including provisions in the Rome Statute. Although, its provisions have been criticized for lack of transparency about the elements of crime, especially the subjective element (mens rea), or for limiting the commission of that crime to international armed conflict, therefore, its conceptual development is essential. Because of these considerations, the present article seeks to examine and analyze how gradually and by violating a human right such as the right to food by governments (with political, military, and economic motives) the commitment of an international crime as starvation takes place. Also, what is the capacity of international law, including in the international criminal law system and the international human rights system, to prevent the occurrence of this crime and the strategies to combat the impunity of its perpetrators? The answer to this question is very important and vital in the effective guarantee of human rights standards, and over time, it can accelerate and facilitate the international prosecution of serious and gross human rights violations.
Keywords
Starvation
Right to Food
International Crime
the Rome Statute
War Crime
Human Rights
Genocide
Crime against Humanity.  

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International Law Review
Volume 38, Issue 65 - Serial Number 65
October 2021
Pages 103-144

  • Receive Date 04 October 2020
  • Revise Date 06 February 2021
  • Accept Date 03 May 2021