Cultural rights in the case-law of the International Court of Justice (ICJ)

One of the most remarkable developments of the new millennium has been the expansion of debates on culture at the highest levels of the international community’s decision-making processes. This development has necessarily had an impact on cultural rights empowerment, including enhancing their justiciability. Substantial progress has been made both at a regional and international level. Yet, not all thresholds have been reached. The International Court of Justice (‘ICJ’) has never explicitly addressed cultural rights in its case-law. Despite its ‘multicultural’ composition, it is only with great difficulty that the Court examines questions related to culture. However, a thorough examination of the jurisprudence of the ICJ reveals that opportunities to take cultural rights seriously have arisen more than once. Recent judgments of the Court reveal the emergence of a certain trend calling for a ‘culturally sensitive’ understanding of legal issues brought to the Hague. The present paper submits that this trend is beneficial not only for the protection of cultural rights, but also for the maintenance of human and cultural diversity, as well as for the survival and livelihood of indigenous peoples. In light of the urgent worldwide need for peace, addressing culture as a legal issue before the ICJ, in accordance with articles 36 and 60 of its statute, may be a fruitful pathway for the Court to follow in order to resolve international disputes

Application of the ATLAS DAQ and Monitoring System for MDT and RPC Commissioning

The ATLAS DAQ and monitoring software are currently commonly used to test detectors during the commissioning phase. In this paper, their usage in MDT and RPC commissioning is described, both at the surface pre-commissioning and commissioning stations and in the ATLAS pit. Two main components are heavily used for detector tests. The ROD Crate DAQ software is based on the ATLAS Readout application. Based on the plug-in mechanism, it provides a complete environment to interface any kind of detector or trigger electronics to the ATLAS DAQ system. All the possible flavours of this application are used to test and run the MDT and RPC detectors at the pre-commissioning and commissioning sites. Ad-hoc plug-ins have been developed to implement data readout via VME, both with ROD prototypes and emulating final electronics to read out data with temporary solutions, and to provide trigger distribution and busy management in a multi-crate environment. Data driven event building functionality is also used to combine data from different detector technologies. Monitoring software provides a framework for on-line analysis during detector test. Monitoring applications have been developed for noise and cosmic tests and for pulse runs. The PERSINT event display has been interfaced to the monitoring system to provide an on-line event display for cosmic runs in the ATLAS pit

Victim Reparations in the Inter-American Human Rights System: A Critical Assessment of Current Practice and Procedure

Part II of this article analyzes the statutory authority for reparations in the Inter-American system in light of the legislative history of the American Convention\u27s reparations provision and compares that authority with that provided for in the European human rights system. Part III sets forth the Inter-American Court\u27s procedures for determining reparations once State responsibility has been established. Part IV evaluates the parties who may receive reparations. Part V analyzes the types of reparations provided generally under international law and specifically in the Inter-American system. Part VI criticizes the Court\u27s determination to grant only a small share of the reparations to the victim\u27s spouse. Part VII sets forth the method of payment of Court ordered compensation. Part VIII suggests that the Court consistently structure its procedural phases to provide for a final, comprehensive reparations phase. Finally, Part IX outlines the principles of the execution of Court-ordered reparations and delineates State compliance to date

Interim Measures in International Human Rights: Evolution and Harmonization

In this Article, the Author undertakes a comprehensive study of interim measures ordered in human rights cases before six international enforcement bodies--the International Court of Justice, the European Court of Human Rights, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the United Nations Human Rights Committee, the United Nations Committee against Torture, and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. An order of interim measures may require that the State take positive action, such as providing protection for human rights activists or journalists, or it may call upon the State to refrain from taking action, such as not extraditing a person or delaying the execution of prisoners until their cases have been resolved before the international body. The purpose of interim measures in international human rights law is most often to protect persons involved in a case from urgent danger grave and irreparable injury. The Author concludes that the multiple jurisdictions charged with the enforcement of international norms are successfully harmonizing and evolving their treatment of interim measures. In general, States have accepted the decisions of international courts that interim measures are binding on the States that are parties to the applicable treaties. Many States have not yet accepted the view that interim measures specified by international quasi-judicial bodies also are binding on States. The Author argues inter alia that States that have accepted the right of individuals to petition international human rights bodies are bound to respect that petition process by refraining from interfering with the process and by protecting the lives and rights of those involved in the case. Thus, interim measures are implied in the constituent documents that provide for the right of individual petition and must be considered to be binding on States that are parties

Comments on: Methylene blue? therapeutic alternative in the management of septic shock refractory to norepinephrine

It is a comment on an interesting case report focusing on the use of methylene blue in septic shock refractory to noreprinephrine. In septic shock, the response to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPS) and damage-associated molecu- lar patterns (DAMPS) generates a combination of vasodilation and increased capillary permeability. Capillary leak, coupled with greater vessel capacitance mediated by vasoplegia, may result in absolute or more commonly relative hypovolemia. The L-arginine nitric oxide (NO) pathway plays a pivotal role in regulating cardiovascular hemodynamics and vascular permeability. Methylene blue inhibits inducible NO synthase (NOS) and guanylate cyclase, thereby reversing NO induced vasodilation. In septic shock, it was firstly used at the beginning of the 1990s. This drug has resulted beneficial and safe in randomized clinical trials and case reports. Recently, its clinical use has been deeply reviewed, and we are strongly convinced that it would deserve further attention and prospective, randomized, clinical trials