publications_unodc_commentary-e

6.4 A judge shall keep himself or herself informed aboutrelevant developments of international law, includinginternational conventions and other instrumentsestablishing human rights norms.CommentaryRelevance of international human rights law206. In the context of the growing internationalisation of societies and theincreasing relevance of international law in relations between the individual and theState, the powers entrusted to a judge must be exercised not only in accordance withdomestic law but also, to the full extent that domestic law permits, in a wayconsistent with the principles of international law recognized in modern democraticsocieties. Subject to any requirements of local law, whatever the nature of his or herduties, a judge cannot properly ignore, or claim ignorance of, international law,including the international law of human rights, be it derived from customaryinternational law, the applicable international treaties or the regional human rightsconventions. In order to promote this essential facet of a judge’s obligations, thestudy of human rights law should be included in the initial and in-service trainingprogrammes offered to new judges, with particular reference to the practicalapplication of such law in the regular work of a judge to the full extent that domesticlaw permits.137