The right of self-defence in the Earth's orbit

Mediževec, Anže (author)

The increasing presence of non-State actors in space raises a plethora of legal questions, including those related to the use of force, especially in the context of the right of self-defence. The first aim of this article is to explain the legal basis for resorting to force in the exercise of self-defence in space, specifically in the Earth's orbit. The second goal is to contribute to the legal framework concerning how States may exercise self-defence against attacks committed by non-State actors in space. In this regard, the author distinguishes between the rules of attribution of the use of force to a State and the "unwilling or unable" doctrine. It is suggested that the latter may be transposed into the space domain, mutatis mutandis, by a re-conceptualisation of the notion of a State's "territory", shifting from its sovereignty-based foundation towards State jurisdiction. Further on, in the realm of the rules of attribution of conduct to a State, the author compares the ARSIWA rules of State responsibility with the strict responsibility regime of the Outer Space Treaty (OST), to clarify which system applies when addressing State responsibility for the use of force by non-State actors in space. Three solutions are offered in this regard. The first rests on the premise that space law, specifically Article VI OST, may be seen as lex specialis in relation to ARSIWA. The second supports the view that the general rules of State responsibility in ARSIWA should apply, as they are secondary rules of international law, whereas Article VI OST encompasses primary rules. The third approach offers a combined reading of Article VI OST and ARSIWA, based on a systematic interpretation of the norms contained therein, to preserve the purpose of the secondary rules on State responsibility.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Outer Space Treaty, OST, Article IV OST, Article VI OST, peaceful purposes, national activities, self-defence in space, strict responsibility regime
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: PF - Faculty of Law
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: Str. 125-156, 347-348
• Numbering: Letn. 84
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-168338
• UDC: 347.85:341.229:347:355
• ISSN on article: 1854-3839
• DOI: 10.51940/2024.1.125-156
• COBISS.SI-ID: 224864259
• Publication date in RUL: 09.04.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Zbornik znanstvenih razprav
• Shortened title: Zb. znan. razpr.
• Publisher: Pravna fakulteta
• ISSN: 1854-3839
• COBISS.SI-ID: 223437312

Licences

• License: CC BY-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/
• Description: Under the NoDerivatives Creative Commons license one can take a work released under this license and re-distribute it, but it cannot be shared with others in adapted form, and credit must be provided to the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Pravica do samoobrambe v Zemljini orbiti

Abstract

Z razvojem vesoljske tehnologije so v vesolju poleg držav čedalje bolj prisotni tudi nedržavni akterji. Njihova vse večja prisotnost odpira številna pravna vprašanja, tudi v zvezi z uporabo sile, zlasti v okviru pravice do samoobrambe. Prvi cilj tega članka je pojasniti pravno podlago za uporabo sile pri izvajanju samoobrambe v vesolju, zlasti v Zemljini orbiti. Drugi cilj je prispevati k pravnemu okviru, kako lahko države izvajajo samoobrambo pred napadi nedržavnih akterjev v vesolju. Avtor razlikuje med pravili o pripisovanju uporabe sile državi in doktrino nepripravljenosti ali nezmožnosti države "gostiteljice". Predlaga, da se slednja lahko smiselno prenese na področje vesolja s pomočjo rekonceptualizacije pojma "ozemlja" države od paradigme državne suverenosti v smeri državne jurisdikcije. Nadalje avtor na področju pravil o pripisovanju ravnanja državi primerja določbe v Členih o odgovornosti držav za mednarodno protipravna dejanja (ARSIWA) o odgovornosti države in režim objektivne odgovornosti iz Pogodbe o vesolju (OST). Njegov namen je pojasniti, kateri sistem pravil naj se uporablja pri obravnavi vprašanja odgovornosti države za uporabo sile s strani nedržavnih akterjev v vesolju. Glede tega ponudi tri rešitve. Prva temelji na predpostavki, da se pravo vesolja, konkretno VI. člen OST, lahko obravnava kot lex specialis v razmerju do sistema pravil po ARSIWA. Druga podpira stališče, da bi se morala uporabljati splošna pravila o odgovornosti držav iz ARSIWA, saj gre za sekundarna pravila mednarodnega prava, VI. člen OST pa zajema primarna pravila. Tretji pristop ponuja kombinirano razlago VI. člena OST in ARSIWA, ki temelji na sistematični razlagi tam vsebovanih norm, da se ohrani namen sekundarnih pravil mednarodnega prava o odgovornosti držav.

• Keywords: Pogodba o vesolju, IV. člen OST, VI. člen OST, miroljubni nameni, nacionalne dejavnosti, samoobramba v vesolju, režim objektivne odgovornosti