The Right to Reparations in International Human Rights Law and the Case

The evolution of international law towards a system capable of promoting "global justice" has been accompa-nied by a growing consensus that States bear an obligation both to punish wrongdoers and to act on behalf of victims in the wake of widespread, systematic human rights abuses. In fact, U.N. General Assembly Resolution 60/147, Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparations for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law, sets forth "existing," complementary international legal obligations of States in this arena without introducing new obligations. The right to a remedy is premised on three core rights: (1) the right to "equal and effective access to justice"; (2) "the right to adequate, effective and prompt reparation for the harm suffered"; and (3) "the right to truth." Despite being a U.N. Member State since September 21, 1971, [FN4] the Kingdom of Bahrain ("Bahrain") is a nation with a disturbing legacy of unaddressed human rights abuses and impunity for perpetrators.