Document Type : Article

Author

Ph.D. in International Law, Faculty of Law, College of Farabi, University of Teheran, Qom, Iran

Abstract

Provisional measures constitute an integral part of international proceedings including those conducted by judicial and quasi-judicial bodies dealing with human rights complaints. As international legal proceedings have proved to be time-consuming, one could expect the rights asserted by one of the parties to the dispute would incur irreparable prejudice while the final judgment is pending. This would justify issuance of provisional measures. International judicial and quasi-judicial bodies have made provisional measures contingent upon satisfactions of certain requirements. The most important of these requirements are the risk of irreparable prejudice and urgency of the measures requested, because they provide the basis for legitimacy of provisional measures. In the present article, the concepts of the risk of irreparable prejudice and temporal urgency of the risk are analyzed through the jurisprudence of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. The study reveals that the said requirements are ascertained by these two human rights bodies through a careful consideration of the facts and circumstances of a given case and the interpretation of the claimed rights in line with the protection of the beneficiaries’ rights with emphasis on clear and convincing evidence in terms of plausibility of the alleged harm. 

Keywords

Main Subjects

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    English

    1. A) Books
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    1. B) Articles
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    1. C) Case Law
    2. ICJ, Application of The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Armenia V. Azerbaijan), Request for The Indication of Provisional Measures, Order of the Court dated 7 December 2021, at: https://www.icj-cij.org/public/files/case-related/180/180-20211207-ORD-01-00-EN.pdf, last accessed on 2022.03.01.
    3. Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Precautionary Measures 2005, at http://www.cidh.org/medidas/2005.eng.htm, last accessed on 2019.01.10.
    4. Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, PM 196/14 – Julio Ernesto Alvarado, Honduras, Precautionary Measures 2015, http://www.oas.org/en/iachr/decisions/ asp, last accessed on 2019.01.14.
    5. Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, PM 321/12 - Teribe and Bribri of Salitre Indigenous People, Costa Rica, Precautionary Measures 2015, http://www.oas.org/en/iachr/decisions/precautionary.asp, last accessed on 2019.01.12.
    6. Inter-American Commmission On Human Rights, Resolution 5/2014, Matter Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego concerning Colombia, Precautionary Measures N.374-13 dated 18 March 2014.
    7. Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, PM 54/13 – Matter of communities in voluntary isolation of the Ayoreo Totobiegosode People, Paraguay, Precautionary Measures 2016, http://www.oas.org/en/iachr/decisions/precautionary.asp, last accessed on 2019.01.12.
    8. Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, PM 617/15 - Gomez Murillo and others, Costa Rica, Precautionary Measures 2016, http://www.oas.org/en/iachr/decisions /precautionary.asp, last accessed on 2019.01.12.
    9. Inter-American Commission On Human Rights, Resolution 64/2018, Precautionary Measure No. 731-18, Migrant Children affected by the “Zero Tolerance” Policy regarding the United States of America, 16 August 2018, at https://www.oas.org/ en/iachr/decisions/pdf/2018/64-18MC731-18-US-en.pdf, last accessed on 2021.12.26.
    10. Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Resolution 59/2019 Precautionary Measure No. 984-19 Child J.M.V regarding Trinidad and Tobago, December 9th, 2019, at oas.org/en/iachr/decisions/pdf/2019/59-19mc984-19-tt-en.pdf, last visited on 2021.12.23.
    11. Inter‐American Commission on Human Rights Resolution 41/2020 Precautionary measure No. 265-20 Northwest Detention Center regarding the United States of America July 27, 2020, at: https://www.oas.org/en/iachr/decisions/pdf/2020/41-20MC265-20-US.pdf, last accessed on 2021.12.26.
    12. Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Resolution 32/2021 Precautionary Measure No. 216-21 7 pregnant women of the Wichí ethnic group regarding Argentina April 16, 2021, at https://www.oas.org/en/iachr/decisions/mc/2021/res_32-21_mc_216-21_ar_en.pdf, last accessed on 2021.12.26.
    13. Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Resolution 101/2021, Precautionary Measure No. 505-21 María Lilly Delgado Talavera regarding Nicaragua December 8, 2021, at: https://www.oas.org/en/iachr/decisions/mc/2021/res_101-21_mc_505-21_ni_ pdf, last accessed on 2021.12.21.
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    15. Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Matter of “LA NACIÓN”, Request For Provisional Measures Submitted By the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Regarding Costa RICA, Order of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, 7 September 2001, at https://corteidh.or.cr/docs/medidas/lanacion_se_04_ing.pdf, last accessed on 2021.12.27.
    16. Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Matter of Belfort Istúriz et Al, Request For Provisional Measures Submitted By the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Regarding Venezuela, Order of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, 15 April 2010, at https://summa.cejil.org/api/files/2248.pdf, last accessed on 2021.12.27.
    17. Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Matter of [Peace Community] San José de Apartadó, Request For Provisional Measures Submitted By the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Regarding Venezuela, Order of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, 4 November 2000, at https://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/medidas /apartado_se_02_ing.pdf, last accessed on 2021.12.27.
    18. Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Matter of Reggiardo Tolosa Case, Request For Provisional Measures Submitted By the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Regarding Venezuela, Order of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, 19 November 1993, at https://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/medidas/reggiardotolosa pdf, last accessed on 2021.12.28.
    19. Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Matter of Reggiardo Tolosa Case, Request For Provisional Measures Submitted By the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Regarding Venezuela, Order of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, 19 January 1994, at https://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/medidas/tolosa_se_02_ing.doc, last accessed on 2021.12.
    20. Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Matter of Reggiardo Tolosa Case, Request For Provisional Measures Submitted By the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Regarding Venezuela, Order of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, 19 January 1994, at https://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/medidas/tolosa_se_02_ing.doc, last accessed on 2021.12.28.
    21. Inter-American of Human Rights, Request for Provisional Measures Submitted by the Representatives of a Group of Victims in the Case of the Miguel Castro-Castro Prison, Order of the Court, 29 January 2008, at https://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/medidas /castro_se_02_ing.pdf, last accessed on 2021.12.28.
    22. Inter-American of Human Rights, Case of the Miguel Castro-Castro Prison v. Peru, Judgment of November 25, 2006 (Merits, Reparations and Costs), at https://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_160_ing.pdf, last accessed on 2021.12.28.
    23. Interamerican Court of Human Rights, Provisional Measures Regarding the United Mexican States, Matter Alvarado Reyes Et Al., Order of the President, dated 1 April 2011, at https://summa.cejil.org/api/files/1431.pdf, last accessed on 2021.12.28.
    24. Inter-American Court Of Human Rights, Provisional Measures Requested by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in the Matter of Guatemala, Chunimá Case, Order of the Presindent, 15 July 1991, at https://summa.cejil.org/api/files/3938.pdf, last accessed on 2021.12.28.
    25. Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Provisional Measures Requested by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in the Matter of Peru, CHIPOCO CASE, Resolution of the President of the Tribunal, datec 14 December 1992, at https://corteidh.or.cr/docs/medidas/chipoco_se_01_ing.pdf, last accessed on 2021.12.28.
    26. Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Provisional Measures Rquesteed by the interamerican commission on Human regarding Guatemala Case of Raxcacó et al., Order of the Inter-American Court dated 30 August 2004, at https://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/medidas/Raxcaco_se_01_ing.pdf, last accessed on 2021.12.28.
    27. Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Case of Raxcacó-Reyes v. Guatemala Judgment of September 15, 2005 (Merits, Reparations and Costs), at https://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_133_ing.pdf, last accessed on 2021.12.18.
    28. Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Provisional Measures Rquesteed by the interamerican commission on Human regarding Guatemala Case of Raxcacó et al., Order of the Inter-American Court dated 4 September 2012, https://www.corteidh.or.cr /docs/medidas/Raxcaco_se_08_ing.pdf, last accessed on 2021.12.28.
    29. Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Order of the court on Provisional Provisional Measures Adopted by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in the Matter of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, James et. al. case, 27 May 1998, https://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/medidas/james_se_01_ing.pdf, last accessed on 2021.12.28.

     

    Doucments

    1. Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Second Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders, OEA/Ser.L/V/II. 66, December 31, 2011.
    2. Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Advisory Opinion Oc-17/2002 of August 28, 2002, Requested By The Inter-American Commission On Human Rights, Juridical Condition and Human Rights of the Child.
    3. Pen International, Honduras: End judicial harassment of journalist and PEN member Julio Ernesto Alvarado, published on 4 December 2014, https://pen-international.org /news/honduras-end-judicial-harassment-of-journalist-and-pen-member-julio-ernesto-alvarado, last accessed on 2019.01.14.

     

    1. D) Websites
    2. https://www.corteidh.or.cr/medidas_provisionales.cfm?lang=en, last accessed on 2021.12.28.
    3. https://www.oas.org/en/IACHR/jsForm/?File=/en/IACHR/decisions/MC/history.asp

     

    References In Persian:

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    2. Mohebi, M., & Bazzar, V. (2020). Assessing US Objections to the Interim Order in the Alleged Violations of the Treaty of Amity. Public Law Studies Quarterly, 50, 1, doi: 10.22059/jplsq.2019.268988.1850 (In Persian).
    3. Khosroshahi, H. (2019). The Role of Provisional Measures of International Judicial and Quasi-judicial Bodies in Protection of International Human Rights, PhD Thesis in International Law, under the supervision of Alireza Ebrahimgol, University of Tehran, College of Farabi (In Persian).