International Law, Dignity, Democracy, and the Arab Spring

This paper draws from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Charter to explore the fundamental legal precepts of human dignity, self-determination, and free participation in democracy. The topics of unlawful political oppression and the right to rebellion or revolution are explored abstractly from the perspective of Arab Spring 2011-2012 rebellions in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, and Syria. The article mentions, but does not discuss at length, that effective protection of women’s human rights will require affirmation of human rights duties on private groups and persons, and the prioritization of rights of women over contradictory claims to religious freedom. Self-determination assistance is explained as permissible in some forms according to the UN Charter, and related to military force in Libya beginning March 2011.