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The Role of the Election System of the Judges of the International Court of Justice in Ensuring Its Judicial Independence

Document Type : Article

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Law, University of Tehran Kish International Campus, Kish, Iran

2 Ph.D. Student in International Law, University of Tehran Kish International Campus, Kish, Iran

Abstract

The Impartiality of the judges of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is one of the requirements of its judicial independence. The procedure of electing ICJ judges is an important factor in ensuring their impartiality. The main purpose of the UN Charter’s provisions on the election of ICJ judges is to prevent the interference of governments in the process in order to ensure the integrity of the Court. This is done, in the first stage, by nomination of the candidates through the national groups of the Permanent Court of Arbitration and a dual election system involving the General Assembly and the Security Council, in the second stage. The involvement of these two organs reflects a compromise between the thinking and interests of powerful states in having their own judges in the Court and the interests of other states who wished to be on an equal footing with the great powers. This article examines each of these steps in the process of electing judges, and seeks to answer whether the system of electing ICJ judges and its functionality is such that it can prevent the political interference of governments, and consequently, ensure and maintain the impartiality of the judges.

Keywords

References
  1. فارسی

الف) کتاب‌ها

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ج) سایر

  1. جمشید، ممتاز، حق تعیین سرنوشت ملت‌ها در پرتو نظر مشورتی دیوان بین‌المللی دادگستری در قضیة کوزوو، سخنرانی در میزگرد انجمن ایرانی مطالعات سازمان ملل متحد، قابل دسترسی در: http://diplomatist.blogfa.com/post/723

 

  1. انگلیسی

 

  1. A) Books
  2. Forlati, Serena (2014), The International Court of Justice, an Arbitral Tribunal or a Judicial Body?, Springer.
  3. Mackenzie, R., K. Malleson, P. Martin and P. Sands (2010), Selecting International Judges: Principle, Process and Politics, Oxford University Press.
  4. Momtaz DJamchid and Shaygan Farideh (2014), International Humanitarian Law in the Face of the Challenges of Armed Conflict of the Present Edition, First Edition, Shahr-e-Danesh Institute for Legal Studies and Research (In Persian).
  5. Musazadeh, Reza (2009), International Organizations, Twelfth Edition, Mizan Publishing (In Persian).
  6. Rosenne, Shabatai (2006), The Law and Practice of the International Court 1920-2005, Vol. I, Leiden/Boston: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers.
  7. Ziaei Bigdeli, Mohammad Reza (2002), Public International Law, Fifteenth Edition, Danesh Publishing (In Persian).
  8. Zimmermann, Dominik (2014), The Independence of International Courts: The Adherence of the International Judiciary to a Fundamental Value of the Administration of Justice, Nomos/Hart.

 

  1. B) Articles
  2. Azizi, Sattar (1387), "Kosovo Independence: A Review of the Legitimacy of Unilateral Separation in International Law", Law Journal, Journal of the Center for International Legal Affairs, Vice President for Legal Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, No. 38, pp. 11-45 (In Persian).
  3. Aznar-Gomez, Mariano J. (2012), “Article 2”, in: Zimmermann, Andreas, Tomuschat Christian, Oellers-Frahm Karin, J.Tams Christin, The Statute of the International Court of Justice, Oxford University Press, pp.254-261.
  4. Baetens, F. & Kluwen, Tim (2018);" International Court of Justice ", in: …. John Wiley & Sons.
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  6. Bianchi, Andrea (2017), "Choice and (the Awarness of) its Consequences: The ICJ’s “Structural Bias” Strikes Again in the Marshall Islands Case", AJIL Unbound, Vol.111, pp.81-87
  7. Fassbender, Bardo (2012a), “Article 9”, in: Zimmermann Andreas, Tomuschat Christian, Oellers-Frahm Karin, J.Tams Christin, The Statute of the International Court of Justice", Oxford University Press, pp.295-314.
  8. ----------------------- (2012b), “Article 10”, in: Zimmermann Andreas, Tomuschat Christian, Oellers-Frahm Karin, J.Tams Christin, The Statute of the International Court of Justice", Oxford University Press, pp.315-323.
  9. Georget, Patricia; Golitsyn, Vladimir & Zacklin, Ralph (2012), “ Article 4”, in: Zimmermann Andreas, Tomuschat Christian, Oellers-Frahm Karin, J.Tams Christin, The Statute of the International Court of Justice: A Commentary, Oxford University press, pp.266-279.
  10. Georget, Patricia; Golitsyn, Vladimir & Zacklin, Ralph (2012), “ Article 5”, in: Zimmermann Andreas, Tomuschat Christian, Oellers-Frahm Karin, J.Tams Christin, The Statute of the International Court of Justice: A Commentary, Oxford University press, pp.280-285.
  11. Georget, Patricia; Golitsyn, Vladimir & Zacklin, Ralph (2012), “ Article 8”, in: Zimmermann Andreas, Tomuschat Christian, Oellers-Frahm Karin, J.Tams Christin, The Statute of the International Court of Justice: A Commentary, Oxford University press, pp.292-294 .
  12. Hernandez, Gleider I., (2012), “Impartiality and Bias at the International Court of Justice”, Cambridge Journal of International and Comparative law, Vol. 1, No. 3, pp.183-207.
  13. Jorritsma, Remy (2018), “National Groups Permanent Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)”, Max Plank Institute Luxembourg. Department of International Law and Dispute Resolution, pp.1-22.
  14. Keith, Kenneth J. (2016), “Challenges to the Independence of the International Judiciary: Reflections on the International Court of Justice, Leiden Journal of International Law, Vol. 30, No. 1, pp.1-18 .
  15. Keith, Kenneth J. (2010), “The International Court of Justice: Reflections on the Electoral Process”, Chinese Journal of International Law, Vol. 9, No. 1, pp.49-80.
  16. Keith, Kenneth J. (2014), “Challenge to the Independence of the International Judiciary”, Chatham House, pp.1-13.
  17. Lachs, Manfred (1992), “Some Reflections on the Nationality of Judges of the International Court of Justice”, Pace International Law Review, Vol. 4 No. 1, pp.49-68.
  18. Leigh, Monroe & Ramsey, Stephen D. (1987), “Confidence in the Court: It Need Not be a ‘Hollow Chamber’, in the International Court of Justice at a Crossroads”, ed. By Lori Fisler Damrosch, Transnational Publications, 1987, pp. 106-122, pp.108-109
  19. Leigh, Monroe and Ramsey, Stephen D. (1987), “Confidence in the Court: It Need Not be a ‘Hollow Chamber’, in the International Court of Justice at a Crossroads”, ed. By Lori Fisler Damrosch, Transnational Publications, 1987, pp. 106-122. "
  20. Mackenzie, Ruth & Sands, Philippe (2003), “International Courts and Tribunals and the Independence of the International Judge”, Harvard International Law Journal, Vol. 44, No. 1, pp. 271-286.
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  25. Obregon, Liliana (2017)," The Third World Judges: Neutrality, Bias or Activism at the Permanent Court of International Justice and International Court of Justice?" ,in: Schabas, William A. and Murphy, Shannonbrooke, Reseach Handbook on International Courts and Tribunals, Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, pp.181-200.
  26. Ogbodo, Gozie S. (2012), “An Overview of the Challenges Facing the International Court of Justice in the 21st Century”, Annual Survey of International & Comparative Law, Vol. 18, No. 1, pp.93-113.
  27. Panditarante, Dinusha,"Judicial Impartiality and Independence in the International Court of Justice", Polemic, Vol. 8, No.3., pp. 22-25, available at: https://www. google.com/url?esrc=s&q=&rct=j&sa=U&url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/PolemicUSyd/1997/36.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiqw4TFqdDwAhWWEMAKHZHaAbkQFjALegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw35wVfw5o8NoWLLlKIf3z1m. (22 January 220).
  28. Polonskaya, Ksenia (2020), “ Selecting Candidates to the Bench of the World Court: (Inevitable) Politicization and Its Consequences”, Leiden Journal of International Law, Vol. 33, pp. 409-428.
  29. Posner Eric A. and Figueiredo Miguel F. P.de. (2005), "Is the International Court of Justice Biased?", Journal of Legal Studies, Vol. 34, pp.599-630.
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  31. Posner, Eric A. (2004), “Is the International Court of Justice Biased?”, Chicago, John M. Olin Law & Economics Working Paper No. 234 (2D SERIES), pp. 3-74.
  32. Rosenne, Shabatai (1987), “The Role of the International Court of Justice in Inter-State Relations Today”, Text of a lecture delivered in the Vriji University Brussel on 8 December, pp. 275-289.
  33. Samore, William (1955), “The World Court Statute and Impartiality of the Judges”, Nebraska Law Review, Vol. 34, No. 4, pp. 617-629.
  34. Smith, Adam M. (2004), "Judicial Nationalism in International Law: National Identity and Judicial Autonomy at the ICJ", Texas International Law Journal, Vol. 40, No. 2, pp. 197-231.
  35. Voiget, Stefan (2017), "The Independence of International Courts- Making Reputation Work?", Maastricht Journal of European and Comparative Law, Vol. 24, No. 4, pp. 511-530.

 

  1. C) Documents
  2. Conditions under which a State, a Party to the Statute of the International Court of Justice, But Not a Member of the United Nations, May Participate in the Elections of Members of the Court, UN Doc. A/RES/264(III), 8 October 1948.
  3. Dissenting Opinion of Judge Levi Carneiro attached to the ICJ’s Judgment of 22 July 1952, Anglo-Iranian Oil Co Case, United Kingdom v. Iran, Preliminary Objections, ICJ, Rep. 1952.
  4. Dissenting Opinion of Judge Tarassov attached to the ICJ’s Order of 28 February 1990, Land, Island and Maritime Frontier Dispute Case, El alvador/ Honduras v. Nicaragua Intervening), ICJ, Reports 1990, pp. 11-18.
  5. Obligations concerning Negotiations relating to Cessation of the Nuclear Arm Race and to Nuclear Disarmament cases, (Marshall Islands v. United Kingdom, India and Pakistn, ICJ, Rep. 2016.
  6. Separate Opinion of Judge Yusuf attached to the ICJ’s Advisory Opinion of 22 July 2010, ICJ, Rep. 2010.
  7. South West Africa Cases, Ethipia v. South Africa and Liberia v. South Africa, Judgment of 18 July 1966, ICJ, Rep. 1966.
  8. Statute of International Court of Justice
  9. United Nations Information Organizations, UNCIO XIII.

 

  1. D) Others
  2. Jamchid Momtaz, The Right to Self-Determination of Nations in the Light of the International Court of Justice's Advisory Opinion on the Kosovo Case: http://diplomatist.blogfa.com/post/723 (In Persian).
Public Law Studies Quarterly
Volume 52, Issue 2
Summer 2022
July 2022
Pages 617-640
Files
History
  • Receive Date: 18 May 2021
  • Revise Date: 05 July 2021
  • Accept Date: 25 September 2021
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