The Right To Life During Armed Conflicts: Examining The Relationship Between International Human Rights Law And International Humanitarian Law
Runjun Baruah & Dr Syed Wajid Ul Zafar
ABSTRACT
The right to life is a foundational guarantee of international human rights law, yet its operation during armed conflict requires engagement with the specialised rules of international humanitarian law. This article examines how the prohibition of arbitrary deprivation of life under Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights interacts with the rules governing targeting, civilian protection and humane treatment under the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols. It analyses the International Court of Justice’s treatment of lex specialis, the continuing application of human rights treaties in wartime, and the distinction between conduct-of-hostilities and law-enforcement standards. Particular attention is paid to occupation, extraterritorial operations, investigative duties and accountability for unlawful deaths. The article argues that the two bodies of law should be applied complementarily through a context-sensitive approach that preserves both operational specificity and effective protection of human dignity.
Keywords: Right to life; armed conflict; international humanitarian law; international human rights law; lex specialis; civilian protection; accountability.
