THE JURIDICAL AMBIGUITY SURROUNDING UNILATERAL SANCTIONS IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Abstract
The increasing use of unilateral sanctions by sovereign states, particularly by major actors like the United States and the European Union, has raised concerns about their legality and potential impact on international peace and security. This article delves into the complex landscape of unilateral sanctions, which are imposed without authorization from international organizations or clear boundaries in international law. As of 2022, numerous countries and entities have been targeted by such sanctions, reflecting their growing popularity as a tool of foreign policy.
This study critically examines the legal dimensions of unilateral sanctions, highlighting their ambiguous status within international law. Unlike conventional international agreements and treaties, sanctions lack a precise definition and a comprehensive legal framework. This legal vacuum poses significant challenges to ensuring accountability and maintaining global stability.
Keywords:
Unilateral sanctions, International law, Sanctions legalit, International peace and security Foreign policyDownloads
Published
Issue
Section
How to Cite
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Dr. Wei Xinyi

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
Rebecca Barber. An Exploration of the General Assembly's Troubled Relationship with Unilateral Sanctions [M]. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2021.
Clinton E. Cameron. Developing a Standard for Politically Related State Economic Sanction [J], Michigan Journal of International Law, 1999(13): 253.
Masahiko Asada. Economic Sanctions in International Law and Practice [M], Oxfordshire: Routledge Publisher, 2021.
Ma Guang. On the International legality of Anti-sanction Measures and the Improvement of China's Anti-sanction legislation [J]. Rule of Law Research, 2022(1):151.
Devika Hovell, Unfinished Business of International Law: The Questionable Legality of Autonomous Sanctions [M]. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2019.
Hans Kochler. Sanctions and International Law [J], International Organisations Research Journal, 2019, 14(3): 28.
Liu Ying, Li Meng. International Law analysis of unilateral financial sanctions of the United States [J]. International Economic Review, 2020(3): 163-164.
Kuang Lasheng, Guo Zhouming. Legal Analysis of current international economic sanctions [J]. International Economic Cooperation, 2019(3): 142.
Zhang Hu. Legal Review and Response to the unilateral economic sanctions of the United States [J]. Review of Political Science and Law, 2020(2):92.
Antonios Tzanakopoulos, The Right to be Free from Economic Coercion [J], Cambridge Journal of International and Comparative Law, 2015(4): 620.
Iryna Bogdanova, Unilateral Sanctions in International Law and the Enforcement of Human Rights [M], Oxfordshire: Hart Publishing, 2021.
G. Kapterian. A Critique of the WTO Jurisprudence on “Necessity” [J]. International and Comparative Law Quarterly, 2010, 59(1): 90.
Dong Jingbo. Analysis on the legality of carbon Tariff under the WTO framework—Taking GATT 20 General Exception Clauses as the center [J]. Macroeconomic Research, 2022(6):131.