UNLOCKING ASEAN'S LEGAL CAGE: ULTRA VIRES, INSTITUTIONAL PARALYSIS, AND HUMAN RIGHTS IMPUNITY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/acsr.2026.7Keywords:
ASEAN Human Rights, Ultra Vires Doctrine, Institutional Paralysis, Culture of Impunity, Normative HierarchyAbstract
This article rigorously investigates the profound institutional and legal limitations paralyzing the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR). Utilizing a doctrinal legal research methodology, the study critically analyzes the normative conflict between the ASEAN Charter and the AICHR Terms of Reference (TOR). The findings reveal that the AICHR TOR unlawfully dilutes the mandatory protection mandate established in Article 14 of the ASEAN Charter. Consequently, creating the AICHR TOR constitutes an ultra vires act that deliberately undermines regional human rights enforcement. Furthermore, the strict application of non-interference principles and consensus-based decision-making constructs a restrictive legal cage, actively granting abusive states an implicit veto to block vital investigations. This deliberate structural failure fosters a deeply entrenched culture of impunity and exacerbates the severe justice deficit across Southeast Asian societies. To dismantle these formidable socio-legal barriers, the research urgently recommends elevating the AICHR TOR into a legally binding protocol. Additionally, adopting a Qualified Majority Voting mechanism is essential to override consensus rules in cases involving gross human rights violations and state-sponsored crimes.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Nattapat LIMSIRITONG, Pattawee SOOKHAKICH
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