BACKGROUND,
WORLD COURT HEARINGS
On May 14, 1993, the World Health Organization asked the International Court of Justice to advise
whether. "In view of the health and environmental effects, would the use of nuclear weapons by a State in war or other armed conflict be a breach of its obligations under international law including the WHO Constitution?" (Resolution
WHA46.40, World Health Assembly).
On December 15, 1994, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 49/75 K, asking
the International Court of Justice "urgently to render its advisory opinion on the following question:
'Is the threat or use of nuclear weapons in any circumstance permitted under international law?'."
Written statements to the Court were due by June
20, 1995, and written comments on the other written statements were due by September 20, 1995. The Court set hearings for October 30-November 15, 1995.
Written statements were filed by Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burundi, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland,
France, Germany, India, Ireland, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Italy, Japan, Lesotho, Malaysia,
Mexico, Nauru, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Korea, Qatar, the Russian Federation,
Samoa, San Marino, the Solomon Islands, Sweden, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland, and the United States of America. Oral testimonies were also submitted in writing on the day of the hearing.
Zimbabwe, which helped bring the World Health resolution to the United Nations, appropriately had the last word.
These historic hearings, held in the magnificent Peace Place Hall of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, may never have happened without the vision and persistence of a coalition of international lawyers known as the
World Court Project -->.