Since its founding in 1952, the International Commission of Jurists has inspired the international human rights movement with persistent demands that governments obey the rule of law.

The object of this volume is to present a comprehensive survey of the early history and activities of the International Commission of Jurists, highlighting its achievements in defining, developing, and promoting the Rule of Law. It seeks to give readers an awareness of the Commission's unique role in the evolution of the Rule of Law concept, which is not otherwise available. While there were several international organizations, including the Commission, working in the field of human rights following upon the adoption of the Universal Declaration, the Commission was unique in that it focused on the development of the Rule of Law as a sine qua non for the protection and advancement of human rights. The scope of this work is therefore much wider than mere identification and promotion of human rights. It deals with the principles identified by the Commission as underlying the Rule of Law and the institutions and procedure necessary to safeguard those principles; it reviews in-depth studies by eminent jurists on aspects of the Rule of Law; it surveys applications and violations of the Rule of Law in different countries or regions of the world; and it draws attention to trials of persons arrested or detained under cover of legislation patently offending against the Rule of Law. The work also covers the many initiatives taken by the Commission either by itself or in collaboration with the United Nations and other international organizations to ensure better recognition of and respect for the Rule of Law and human rights. Reference is made in this connection to different initiatives of national sections both at the regional and national level.

What is the role of the International Commission of Jurists, and how does it promote justice and human rights around the world? This concise but comprehensive guide provides an overview of the organization's history, structure, and activities, as well as its impact on international law and policy. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.