نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی

نویسندگان

1 دانشجوی دکتری حقوق بین‌الملل دانشگاه تهران، تهران، ایران

2 دانشیار گروه حقوق عمومی دانشگاه تهران، تهران، ایران

چکیده

مسئولیت بین ­المللی دولت مجموعه قواعدی است که متناظر با قاعده اولیه دارای اهمیت می ­باشد. بر اساس پیش­نویس طرح مسئولیت بین­المللی دولت­ ها، هرگونه عمل متخلفانه هر یک از ارکان دولت قابل انتساب به دولت­ها می‌باشد اما پرسش آن است که آیا عمل اشخاص خصوصی به‌طور خاص در زمینه حقوق دریاها می­تواند قابل انتساب به دولت­ باشد؟ بخش قابل توجهی از ناوگان دریایی از بخش خصوصی تشکیل می­شود در حالی که در حوزه صلاحیت دولت­ها فعالیت دارند. این مقاله با روش توصیفی – تحلیلی و با استفاده از منابع کتابخانه­ای – اسنادی با توجه به رویه قضایی همچون رای مشورتی 2015 دیوان بین‌المللی حقوق دریاها در خصوص کمیسیون زیرمنطقه­ای شیلات به این نتیجه می­رسد که شرط انتساب اعمال متخلفانه بخش خصوصی به دولت­ها، عدم اعمال مراقبت مقتضی توسط دولت­ ها نسبت به اعمال متخلفانه بخش خصوصی است. از این‌رو باید اعمال یا عدم اعمال مراقبت مقتضی توسط دولت ­ها را اساس مسئولیت بین‌المللی آن­ها در حقوق دریاها در خصوص اعمال متخلفانه بخش خصوصی دانست.

کلیدواژه‌ها

موضوعات

عنوان مقاله [English]

International Responsibility of States for Failing to Observe Due Diligence Under the International Law of the Sea

نویسندگان [English]

  • Mohammadreza Mohammadi 1
  • Ahmad Momeni Rad 2
  • Mostafa Yektafar 1

1 Ph.D Student, International Law, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Public Law, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

چکیده [English]

Introduction

In every legal system, the question of who is responsible for violations of established laws and regulations is inseparable from the system in that it serves as a guarantee for enforcing the law. Concerning the international responsibility, the debate centers on how and under what criteria the acts of private persons can be attributed to a state. The core issue is the international responsibility of states for the wrongful acts of private persons under their jurisdiction that affect the international arena. The main challenge lies in establishing the criteria for attributing the acts of private persons to states. In this respect, it is essential to examine the exercise of due diligence and the failure to observe it by states. The current study generally aimed to analyze the concept of due diligence within international law, focusing on its implications for state responsibility toward private persons’ acts. The analysis specifically examined due diligence in the context of the law of the sea, where private fleets constitute key actors. In such cases, attributing wrongful acts to the flag state becomes a critical concern. The research question is: What is the role of states’ failure to exercise due diligence regarding the conduct of private actors under the international law of the sea?

Literature Review

During the 19th and 20th centuries, the doctrine of due diligence attracted scholarly attention, especially regarding the protection of foreigners within a state’s territory. In English-language scholarship, this theme has been explored extensively. There are also a few Persian-language studies on the concept of due diligence. For instance, in the article “The Concept and Nature of ‘Due Diligence’ in International Law,” Hosseini and Rahaee (2024) examined the topic in the context of international human rights law. Moreover, the article “Understanding the Concept and Status of ‘Due Diligence’ in International Investment Law” (Hosseini & Habibi-Mojande, 2024) emphasized the role of due diligence in the investment law. The current study, however, deals with a different issue, namely, state responsibility for the actions of private vessels that fly its flag.

Materials and Methods

The research adopted a descriptive–analytical method. The data was collected from library sources and various documents.

Results and Discussion

Given the growing involvement of the private sector in areas traditionally dominated by the state, it is increasingly important to scrutinize the scope of states’ international responsibility for their actions. This issue is especially salient with respect to the law of the sea. Examining a range of doctrinal opinions, the analysis revealed that the concept of due diligence plays a crucial role in determining whether states bear international responsibility for the acts of private actors.
The concept of due diligence lacks a single, universally accepted definition in international law; instead, the requirements for exercising due diligence vary according to the specific context. However, according to the established practices and doctrinal opinions, the concept has several essential elements in international law, including the degree of risk predictability, the potential risks associated with various actions, and the exertion of maximum effort to mitigate those risks.
In addition, due diligence is a pivotal principle widely recognized by most doctrines on state responsibility under the law of the sea. This is particularly underscored by the 2015 advisory opinion of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, which holds that a state’s international responsibility for the acts of private persons, especially fishing vessels, hinges on whether due diligence was exercised or not.

Conclusion

The current inquiry focused on state responsibility for the acts of private vessels that fly its flag, examining the extent to which a state is obligated—under the principle of due diligence—to meet its obligations under the law of the sea. According to the results, states are responsible for the unlawful acts of fishing vessels if they fail to exercise due diligence.

کلیدواژه‌ها [English]

  • Due Diligence
  • The Law of the Sea
  • Advisory Opinion
  • International Responsibility
  • International Law
مقاله­ ها­
- حدادی، مهدی و مرادیان، بهرام، «مفهوم مراقبت بایسته در حقوق بین­الملل و مقررات گروه ویژه اقدام مالی»، مجله حقوقی بین­المللی، دوره 36، شماره 61، (1398).
- حسینی، سیدمحمد و حبیبی مجنده، محمد، «ره­گیری مفهوم و جایگاه «مراقبت مقتضی» در حقوق بین­الملل سرمایه­گذاری»، فصلنامه تحقیقات حقوقی، دوره 27، شماره 106، (1403).
- حسینی، سیدمحمد و رهایی، سعید، «"مراقبت مقتضی" ضابطه­ای در قلب نظام بین­الملل حقوق بشر»، دوفصلنامه حقوق بشر، دوره 19، شماره 37، (1403).
- صالحی، ‌جواد، «نظریه مشورتی دیوان بین‌المللی حقوق دریاها؛ تجلی تعهدات دولت صاحب پرچم راجع به صید غیر­مجاز کشتی حامل پرچم وی در منطقه انحصاری اقتصادی دولت ثالث»، اقیانوس­شناسی، جلد 7، شماره 28، (1395).
References
Books
- Brownlie, Ian, Principles of Public International Law (United Kingdom: Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008).
 - Koivurova, Timo, Due Diligence (United Kingdom: Oxford: Heidelberg and Oxford University Press, 2013).
- Kraska, James, Maritime Power and the Law of the Sea: Expeditionary Operations in World Politics (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011).
- Krieger, Heike et al., Due Diligence in the International Legal Order (United Kingdom: Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020).
- Kulesza, Joanna, Due diligence in international law, Queen Mary Studies in International Law, Vol. 26 (The Netherlands: Leiden: Brill | Martinus Nijhoff, 2016).
- Ollino, Alice, Due Diligence under International Law: Reappraising Its Scope, Functions and Limits (Milan: Universita degli Studi di Milano- Bicocca, 2018).
Articles
- Hessbruegge, Jan Arno, “The Historical Development of the Doctrines of Attribution and Due Diligence in International Law”, New York University Journal of International Law and Politics, Vol. 36, No. 2 & 3, (2004).
- Putri, Siti N. M., “State Responsibility for IUU Fishing: A Reflection on the 2015 ITLOS Advisory Opinion on IUU Fishing and Its Relevance to Indonesia”, Indonesia Law Review, Vol. 8, No. 2, (2018).
- “Reasons for Sir Alexander Cockburn for dissenting from the Award of the Tribunal of Arbitration”, Supplement to the London Gazette (September 24, 1872).
- Samuel, Katja L.H., “The Legal Character of Due Diligence: Standard, Obligation, or Both?”, Central Asian Yearbook of International Law, (2018/2019).
Jurisprudence
- Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, Bosnia and Herzegovina v. Serbia and Montenegro, International Court of Justice(ICJ), February 26, (2007).
- British Property in Spanish Morocco, Spain v. United Kingdom, Ad hoc Arbitration, Constituted Due Arbitration Agreement of Spain and the United Kingdom (1923), May 1, (1925).
- Report of International Arbitral Awards (RIAA), United States v. Great Britain, Alabama Claims Arbitration, 8 May (1872).
- International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), Request for Advisory Opinion submitted by the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission, Advisory Opinion, Case No. 21, April 2, (2015).
- International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), Responsibilities and Obligations of States with Respect to Activities in the Area, Advisory Opinion, Case No. 17, February 1, (2011).
- International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), ITLOS, Request for  an Advisory Opinion submitted by the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law, Case No. 31, May 21, (2024).
Documents
- Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: Implementing the United Nations “Protect, Respect and Remedy” Framework, UN Human Rights Council, UN Doc. A/HRC/17/31 (21 March, 2011).
- International  Law Association, Study Group on Due Diligence in International Law, First Report, 7 March (2014).
- International  Law Association, Study Group on Due Diligence in International Law, second Report, July (2016).
- IMO, International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1184 UNTS 3, 1 November (1974).
- ILO, Maritime Labour Convention, 2952 UNTS, (2006).
- International Law Commission, Draft Articles on Prevention of Trans boundary Harm from Hazardous Activities, UN GAOR 56th Sess., Supp. No. 10, UN Doc. A/56/10, (2001).
- International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), Convention on the Determination of the Minimal Conditions for Access and Exploitation of Marine Resources within the Maritime Areas under Jurisdiction of the Member States of the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission, June (2012).
- United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Available at: https:// www. un. org/ depts/ los/ convention_ agreements/ texts/ unclos/unclos_e.pdf.
- United Nations, Eighth Report on State Responsibility by Mr. Roberto Ago, Special Rapporteur: the Internationally Wrongful Act of the State, Source of International Responsibility, A/ CN.4/ 318 and Add.1 to 4, 24 January, 5 February, and 15 June (1979).