Amnesties, accountability, and human rights / Renée Jeffery.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Jeffery, Renée, author.

Series:

Pennsylvania studies in human rights.

Pennsylvania Studies in Human Rights

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Amnesty--History--20th century--Case studies.

Amnesty.

Peace-building--History--20th century--Case studies.

Peace-building.

Amnesty--History--21st century--Case studies.

Crimes against humanity--History--20th century.

Crimes against humanity.

Transitional justice--History--20th century--Case studies.

Transitional justice.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (311 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania : University of Pennsylvania Press, 2014.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

For the last thirty years, documented human rights violations have been met with an unprecedented rise in demands for accountability. This trend challenges the use of amnesties which typically foreclose opportunities for criminal prosecutions that some argue are crucial to transitional justice. Recent developments have seen amnesties circumvented, overturned, and resisted by lawyers, states, and judiciaries committed to ending impunity for human rights violations. Yet, despite this global movement, the use of amnesties since the 1970's has not declined. Amnesties, Accountability, and Human Rights examines why and how amnesties persist in the face of mounting pressure to prosecute the perpetrators of human rights violations. Drawing on more than 700 amnesties instituted between 1970 and 2005, Rene Jeffery maps out significant trends in the use of amnesty and offers a historical account of how both the use and the perception of amnesty has changed. As mechanisms to facilitate transitions to democracy, to reconcile divided societies, or to end violent conflicts, amnesties have been adapted to suit the competing demands of contemporary post conflict politics and international accountability norms. Through the history of one evolving political instrument, Amnesties, Accountability, and Human Rights sheds light on the changing thought, practice, and goals of human rights discourse generally.

Contents:

Front matter

CONTENTS

Introduction

CHAPTER 1. The Politics of Amnesties

CHAPTER 2. Transitions to Democracy

CHAPTER 3. The Pursuit of Truth

CHAPTER 4. Ending Violence

CHAPTER 5. The End of Impunity?

CHAPTER 6. The Persistence of Amnesties

Conclusion

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Acknowledgments

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (ebrary, viewed June 24, 2014).

ISBN:

9780812209419

0812209419

OCLC:

884586006