Under United States Code section 28 USC 1350, non resident aliens may sue in US Federal Court for violations of US treaties and/or violations of international law. This law can be used to address serious human rights violations.
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Treaties
Only self executing treaties can be used for the Alien Tort Claim Act Most treaties are not self executing..
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Violations of International Law
A violation of international law must be universally accepted as such. Piracy is an example. Genocide is another example.
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Other Issues
A large hurdle in Alien Tort Claim Act cases is jurisdiction. Most defendants are either foreign governments or corporations who are either immune or have no connections to the United States.
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Recent Developments
Federal Courts have become reluctant to permit Alien Tort Claim Act cases to proceed. Plaintiffs must now demonstrate that no Local Remedy is available in another country.
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