International Institute of Space Law |
|
Article | The Documentation of Human Rights Violations by Satellites: The Satellite Sentinel Project |
Keywords | Documentation of international crimes, satellite images, evidence, Space Law instruments |
Authors | Ingrid Barbosa Oliveira en Jonathan Percivalle de Andrade |
DOI | 10.5553/IISL/2019062001009 |
Show PDF Abstract Author's information Statistics |
This article has been viewed times. |
This article been downloaded 0 times. |
The present work aims to examine and study the organization “The Satellite Sentinel Project”, created to monitor the commission of international crimes in Sudan, which was essential to support the attacked civilian population and document human rights violations that occurred during the Civil War. By that, it is possible to understand that space technology can also be considered an important asset in the human rights protection systems, especially regarding the production of evidence of heinous acts of violence. Therefore, an important question arises: are those images able to guarantee legal standards to human rights systems regardless of the lack of regulation of satellite use in this particular area? For this purpose, the Sudan case was studied in light of the evidence obtained by the Satellite Sentinel Project, in order to understand its effectiveness. In sequence, the Space Law instruments, which regulate Earth observation and remote sensing activities, were examined. Finally, the discussion relied on the lawfulness and admissibility of satellite imagery as evidence before accountability proceedings. |