Article

Legal evaluation of the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen : consensual intervention in cases of contested authority and fragmented states

Themistoklis Tzimas

• Zeitschrift für ausländisches öffentliches Recht und Völkerrecht = Heidelberg journal of international law, 78. Jg, H. 1/2018, s. 147-187

English

In addition to the Houthi uprising, a Saudi-led intervention with the consent of ousted President Hadi led to a further escalation of the violence in Yemen. Such intervention raised critical questions in relation to international law and consensual intervention, as well regarding domestic legitimacy. This article suggests the lawfulness of the consenting government is the primary precondition for the lawfulness of the intervention. Second, whilst in principle consensual intervention remains a right of a legitimate government, it cannot be exercised unconditionally. Consensual intervention is lawful so long as the purpose of the invervention complies with international law. This means that even a lawful government does not possess a carte blanche to enable it to legitimize an intervention without any other precondition. Third, the intervention per se, maintains its legitimacy only as long as it complies with international law principles, as well as with necessity and proportionality.

• Zeitschrift für ausländisches öffentliches Recht und Völkerrecht = Heidelberg journal of international law / Max-Planck-Institut für Völkerrecht
• Zeitschrift für ausländisches öffentliches Recht und Völkerrecht = = Heidelberg journal of international law [78. Jahrgang, H. 1/2018] / Max-Planck-Institut für Völkerrecht