Developments in Libya and Doctrine of Responsibility to Protect

Recent developments and popular uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa and the approach taken by international community to support or not to support civilians against irresponsible and violent behavior of their rulers have led to renewed attention to humanitarian intervention according to doctrine of “responsibility to protect.” The question is why, in view of similarities between developments in Libya and other regional countries like Bahrain, Yemen, and Syria, the international community is only protecting civilians in Libya and no such approach is seen toward other countries?Analysts believe the doctrine of responsibility to protect is the main ground for international community’s intervention in Libya. This doctrine has been applied in past years to prevent repetition of deadly conflicts and violation of basic human rights as those which took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Congo, Kosovo, Rwanda, Sudan, and Uganda. At least parts of the international community have recognized this doctrine to constitute a norm of international law. The present paper briefly discusses this doctrine in the light of recent regional and international trends and concludes that the doctrine of "Responsibility to Protect" is gradually rising as a concept of customary international law.