Blocking Humanitarian Assistance: A Crime Against Humanity?

John D. Kraemer, Dhrubajyoti Bhattacharya, and Lawrence O. Gostin. "Blocking humanitarian assistance: a crime against humanity?." Lancet 372 (2008): 1203-1205

3 Pages Posted: 13 Aug 2012

See all articles by John Kraemer

John Kraemer

Georgetown University Law Center; Georgetown University - School of Nursing & Health Studies

Dhrubajyoti Bhattacharya

Loyola University of Chicago

Lawrence O. Gostin

Georgetown University - Law Center - O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law

Date Written: August 12, 2012

Abstract

Governments have the duty to respect, protect, and fulfill the right to health. During humanitarian emergencies, governments continue to have these duties. When large numbers of people are in grave risk of death or irreparable harm during humanitarian emergencies, governments have an obligation to mitigate that risk or, if they lack the resources, to allow and facilitate assistance from the international community. To block international assistance, as Burma did after Cyclone Nargis, can constitute a crime against humanity under international law.

Keywords: right to health, international law, crime against humanity

Suggested Citation

Kraemer, John and Bhattacharya, Dhrubajyoti and Gostin, Lawrence O., Blocking Humanitarian Assistance: A Crime Against Humanity? (August 12, 2012). John D. Kraemer, Dhrubajyoti Bhattacharya, and Lawrence O. Gostin. "Blocking humanitarian assistance: a crime against humanity?." Lancet 372 (2008): 1203-1205, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2128327

John Kraemer (Contact Author)

Georgetown University Law Center ( email )

600 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
United States

Georgetown University - School of Nursing & Health Studies ( email )

3700 Reservoir Road
Washington, DC 20057-1107
United States

Dhrubajyoti Bhattacharya

Loyola University of Chicago ( email )

Lawrence O. Gostin

Georgetown University - Law Center - O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law ( email )

600 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
United States
202-662-9038 (Phone)
202-662-9055 (Fax)

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