Ewelina U. Ochab

The third edition of the World Christian Encyclopedia presents important findings regarding the c... more The third edition of the World Christian Encyclopedia presents important findings regarding the current situation of Christians in the world, how it has been changing, and how it is expected to change. Some of the changes consider the limitations of the right to freedom of religion or belief in various parts of the world. This article discusses troubling trends in this area in the Middle East. The projections of the WCE-3 for 2050 should be seen as a warning for anyone working on the issue of the right to freedom of religion or belief, especially in the Middle East. [Formula: see text]

Medical Involvement in Enhanced Interrogation Techniques in American Detention Centres During the War on Terror: How Can Doctors Be Effectively Held to Account?

9/11 has had a profound effect on the way the US Administration has approached the issue of terro... more 9/11 has had a profound effect on the way the US Administration has approached the issue of terrorism. The War of Terror has led to the introduction of the controversial enhanced interrogation techniques (EITs) that have raised the question of legality. The US Administration needed to change the perception of EITs from what could be classified as torture or other criminal and unlawful acts, to interrogation methods that were 'safe, legal and effective.' In order to do so, the US Administration engaged medical professionals who then became involved with every aspect of EITs, from designing to implementing them. However, medical professionals, who are subject to different laws and medical professional norms, may have different duties than other actors, and as such, face disciplinary, civil and criminal consequences for their involvement. Because of this risk, and to encourage their assistance, the US Administration has argued that medical professionals in American detention ce...

The Iraqi constitutional failure to protect the right to freedom of religion or belief

Freedom of Religion or Belief, 2020

UN General Assembly assisting the UN Security Council

The UN Security Council has been struggling to pass a resolution that would provide for some deci... more The UN Security Council has been struggling to pass a resolution that would provide for some decisive steps regarding the situation in Syria. Eight of the proposed resolutions, including a resolution referring the situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC), were vetoed by Russia. Eight vetoes over the period of over six years may suggest that the members of the UN Security Council are unable to agree the best approach to the situation in Syria. However, such a deadlock at the UN Security Council does not mean the end of the story. The situation in Syria is deteriorating, people are dying on a daily basis, and a solution is urgently needed. There may be a solution that the UN Security Council has not looked into yet.

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Dignity and International Human Rights Law

The Punta del Este Declaration, and this book dedicated to elaborating upon it, is devoted to exp... more The Punta del Este Declaration, and this book dedicated to elaborating upon it, is devoted to exploring the ways that human dignity for everyone everywhere can be a useful tool in helping to address the challenges and strains facing human rights in the world today. In 2018, an initiative was instigated to revitalize the human rights project by way of engaging the notion of human dignity. This resulted in the Punta Del Este Declaration on Human Dignity for Everyone Everywhere (Punta Del Este Declaration), a declaration co-authored by over 30 human rights experts from all over the world. The Punta Del Este Declaration simplifies and brings coherence to the concept of human dignity in 10 brief statements that capture the many dimensions and aspects of human dignity and the practical ways that human dignity is useful in the promotion of human rights. This book provides an overview of how the notion of human dignity has been used to strengthen human rights. It discusses how human dignity plays many different roles in human rights discourse and has the force to revitalize the human rights project; it is the foundational principle upon which the human rights project is built. But it is also the telos, or end goal, of human rights. At the same time, it is an important evaluative mechanism for assessing how well a country is doing in the implementation of human rights. The book will be a valuable resource for all those working in the areas of International Human Rights Law, Legal Philosophy, and Law and Religion.

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Article 9

Dignity and International Human Rights Law, 2021