International Rights and Obligations of Governments Resulting from Revolution: With a View on Islamic Awakening

Revolution or insurrection as a social phenomenon has been the subject of international law in some respects. Although revolution and suppression of revolution is not prohibited in international law, in certain forms of government including those based on colonialism, occupation and apartheid, the people's uprising is recognized. An old and unstable stream is evident in the practice of some states as to the recognition of illegitimacy of governments breaching human rights and humanitarian laws and undemocratic governments. The revolutionist movement may be recognized as a belligerent, the representative of the people or a government in exile. In case of being premature and against de jure recognition of the central government, this recognition would be amounted to interference in internal affairs of the state. Becoming successful, the revolution would be faced with the subject of succession to international treaties, international debts and international responsibility. While less doubt exists regarding the succession of governments resulting from revolution to international treaties and international responsibility, there are different practices and views over the succession to international debts. In the event of unsuccessfulness of the revolution, international responsibility of revolutionists would not be transmitted to the central government on the ground of force majeure. In the revolutions occurred in the region called Islamic Awakening in countries such as Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, Syria and Yemen, there is no practice supportive of the doctrine of illegitimacy of undemocratic regimes. As with succession, only the practice of Libyan revolution in support of doctrine of no-obligation in odious debts could be seen..