International Symposium “Islam in International Human Rights Law”

Faculty of Law and Political Science, Lecture Hall C, Building 1 – 39 rue de l’Université, 34060 Montpellier.

While much research focuses on the role of human rights in Islam, studies devoted to Islam in the context of international human rights law are, by contrast, quite rare, even though this is a crucial issue that highlights the tension between the universality of rights and the discourse on particularity.

This conference project stems from two observations: first, a disconnect between, on the one hand, the recurrence of caricatured discourse on Islam—which is often viewed as contrary to the ideology of human rights—and, on the other hand, the adherence of Arab-Muslim states to international human rights treaties, and even the development of an Arab-Muslim system for the protection of human rights; second, the dramatic increase in cases involving Islam in the case law of human rights bodies.

Increasingly, international human rights bodies must examine whether practices and mechanisms derived from Islamic law are consistent with the Convention. One need only cite the landmark 2003 ruling by the European Court of Human Rightsin Refah Partisi v. Turkeyregarding the compatibility of Sharia law with the values of the Convention.

Furthermore, this event—which is intended to be multidisciplinary, even though it will retain a predominantly legal focus—provides an opportunity for a broad and critical examination of the links between Islam and international human rights law.

The goal is to go beyond merely comparing the principles of Islam with those of international human rights law—a comparison that remains, of course, essential. The aim is to contribute to the discussion on solutions that—without denying the differences that may exist in this area—highlight relationships based on mutual enrichment and complementarity.

The participation of practitioners who are members of international regulatory bodies will help give concrete substance to the ideas and proposals put forward.

More information:

• Download the program
• Download the registration form and return it no later than October 20, 2018