The Resort to Military Force in the COVID-19 Health Emergency: A Justification
Posted: 12 Aug 2021
Date Written: August 10, 2021
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has been mobilizing the full capacities of societies worldwide to respond to unprecedented threats to national and human security. In many cases, emergency measures have involved military support to civil institutions, including law enforcement operations. This paper aims to better understand the legality and legitimacy of these military operations, using hermeneutic, comparative, and survey methodology. It is based on the assumptions that international human rights standards crucially determine moral requirements for domestic use of military force and that just war theory can be equally helpful in the decision-making on domestic military operations in such circumstances. This study assesses the justification of current military enforcement and recommends criteria for future emergencies.
Keywords: COVID-19; ethics; human rights; public health emergency; use of force
JEL Classification: K33
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation