Book 'Sovereign Immunity Under Pressure', coedited by Vladislav Starzhenetsky and Vera Rusinova, has been published by 'Springer'

A monograph ‘Sovereign Immunity Under Pressure. Norms, Values and Interests’ has been published by 'Springer' on January, 21 . Two professors of the HSE Faculty of Law – Vladislav Starzhenetsky and Vera Rusinova– co-edited the book together with Professors Regis Bismuth (SciencePo) and Geir Ulfstein (PluriCourts, University of Copenhagen). The book is written by a unique team of authors representing all main legal systems of the world.

This book offers a critical analysis of current challenges and developments of the State immunity regime through three dimensions: it looks at State immunity from a comparative perspective; it discusses the major trends relating to the interplay between State immunity and the protection of human rights as well as counter-terrorism; and it examines the relationship between State immunity and the financial obligations of States.

Part I of the book ‘Sovereign Immunity from a Comparative Perspective: Weak v. Strong Immunity Regimes’, deals with the diversity of existing regimes of State immunity at the national level. This part aims to explore different approaches of particular states to sovereign immunity and their general attitude to international law, and attempts to understand why some States favour a weaker State immunity regime by multiplying exceptions or interpreting them broadly, while others continuously support a stronger one and sometimes rely on the doctrine of absolute immunity.

Part II is dedicated to international customary law of sovereign immunity, human rights and counter-terrorism and highlights how human rights and counter-terrorism have shaped the law and practice of sovereign immunity. This part specifically discusses the role of national legislators and judges in the development of international law, emerging conflicts between national constitutional norms and the rules of international law concerning State immunity and human rights, and possible ways of their reconciliation.

Part III of the monograph ‘Sovereign Immunity of States and their Financial Obligations’ contributes to on-going debates related to the mixed and complex nature of States’ financial obligations. In this part, authors elaborate on perceptions of the underlying public-private law divide, cross influences in public and private international law and their consequences for State immunity, as well as recent trends relating to immunity from execution.