Q1. Which of the following is regarded as a subsidiary means for determining rules of international law under Article 38 of the ICJ Statute?
- Treaties
- Custom
- General principles of law
- Judicial decisions
Q2. The doctrine that certain obligations are owed to the international community as a whole is known as:
- Jus cogens
- Erga omnes
- Pacta sunt servanda
- Rebus sic stantibus
Q3. Which concept explains that international law binds States irrespective of their internal constitutional arrangements?
- Dualism
- Monism
- Supremacy of municipal law
- International comity
Q4. The legal personality of international organisations is primarily derived from:
- State consent alone
- Domestic incorporation
- Constituent instruments and functions
- Customary international law
Q5. Which principle limits State immunity in commercial transactions?
- Absolute immunity
- Functional necessity
- Restrictive immunity
- Sovereign equality
Q6. Customary international law requires:
- Written codification
- Long usage only
- State practice plus opinio juris
- Judicial approval
Q7. Which term best describes non-binding international instruments like declarations and guidelines?
- Hard law
- Municipal law
- Soft law
- Treaty law
Q8. A reservation to a multilateral treaty is invalid if it:
- Is objected to by one State
- Alters domestic law
- Is incompatible with the object and purpose of the treaty
- Is made after ratification
Q9. The doctrine that prohibits intervention in the internal affairs of States is rooted in:
- Territorial sovereignty
- Diplomatic protection
- Universal jurisdiction
- State succession
Q10. Which body has principal judicial authority within the United Nations system?
- International Criminal Court
- Permanent Court of Arbitration
- International Court of Justice
- UN Human Rights Committee
Q11. Nationality in international law primarily serves to:
- Confer political rights
- Enable diplomatic protection
- Grant residence rights
- Create municipal obligations
Q12. Statelessness arises when:
- A person migrates
- A State dissolves
- No State recognises a person as its national
- A person renounces citizenship
Q13. Which concept allows States to exercise jurisdiction over certain crimes regardless of where they occur?
- Territorial jurisdiction
- Passive personality
- Universal jurisdiction
- Protective principle
Q14. Piracy is subject to universal jurisdiction because it is considered:
- A domestic offence
- A crime against humanity
- Hostis humani generis
- A treaty violation
Q15. The law governing maritime zones is primarily codified in:
- Hague Convention
- Vienna Convention
- UNCLOS
- Chicago Convention
Answers
1. D – Judicial decisions
Explanation: Under Article 38 of the ICJ Statute, judicial decisions are only subsidiary means for determining international law. They assist in identifying rules but do not themselves create binding law.
2. B – Erga omnes
Explanation: Obligations erga omnes are owed to the international community as a whole, such as prohibitions on genocide or slavery, recognised in Barcelona Traction.
3. B – Monism
Explanation: Monism treats international and municipal law as a single legal system, making international law binding regardless of domestic constitutional arrangements.
4. C – Constituent instruments and functions
Explanation: International organisations derive legal personality from their founding treaties and assigned functions, as affirmed in Reparation for Injuries.
5. C – Restrictive immunity
Explanation: Modern international law limits State immunity to sovereign acts (jure imperii), excluding commercial acts (jure gestionis).
6. C – State practice plus opinio juris
Explanation: Customary law forms only when consistent State practice is accompanied by a belief that such practice is legally obligatory.
7. C – Soft law
Explanation: Declarations and guidelines guide conduct without binding force and often shape future treaties or customary rules.
8. C – Incompatible with the object and purpose of the treaty
Explanation: The Vienna Convention invalidates reservations that defeat a treaty’s core aim, regardless of consent by some States.
9. A – Territorial sovereignty
Explanation: The non-intervention principle flows from sovereign equality, preventing interference in a State’s internal affairs.
10. C – International Court of Justice
Explanation: The ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, settling disputes between States.
11. B – Enable diplomatic protection
Explanation: Nationality links an individual to a State, allowing that State to espouse international claims on the person’s behalf.
12. C – No State recognises a person as its national
Explanation: Statelessness exists where no State considers a person its national under its laws.
13. C – Universal jurisdiction
Explanation: Certain grave crimes may be prosecuted by any State, regardless of where they were committed.
14. C – Hostis humani generis
Explanation: Pirates are treated as “enemies of all mankind,” justifying universal jurisdiction.
15. C – UNCLOS
Explanation: The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea codifies maritime zones and navigation regimes.