重拾主權獨立，面對國際人權──拉脫維亞憲法法院適用國際人權之分析

Reclaim Independent Sovereignty, Incorporate International Rights—Analyses of Applications of Human Rights Treaties by the Constitutional Court of Latvia

經過多年的國內法與國際法之互動，已有許多國家將國際人權規範納入其國內憲法中。拉脫維亞於1918年成立，於1922年通過憲法，為古老憲法之一。拉脫維亞在1941年至1990年間被蘇聯佔領掌控，於1990年發表重回獨立宣言，並重新適用1922年憲法，且在1994年以修憲方式形成新憲法。1922年憲法並未包括人民權利規定，1994年憲法通過時依然沒有涵蓋人民權利，直到1998年10月才再次修憲增加基本人權規範，憲法第89條規定國家應依拉脫維亞受拘束之國際協議而承認並保障基本人權。
拉脫維亞憲法法院確實廣泛引用拉脫維亞受拘束之人權條約，認為凡是拉脫維亞受拘束之國際協議，只要與人權有關，均得引用之。在憲法法院所引用的許多條約中，相當清楚地歐洲人權公約處於特殊之地位，但是聯合國人權救濟系統尚未對憲法法院產生實質之衝擊。即使憲法法院已經直接適用國際人權，確實使得憲法基本權內涵與國際人權較為接近，但是無法解決所有問題，拉脫維亞依然可能被國際人權監督機制認定為違反國際人權條約。

After interactions between domestic laws and international laws for many years, there are many states have adopted international human rights norms into their constitutions. Latvia became sovereign state in 1918 and adopted its constitution in 1922 which is one of old constitutions. Latvia was occupied by Soviet Union between 1941 and 1990; and declared regaining independence in 1990. Latvia decided to reapply 1922 Constitution and by adding new constitutional amendments to form its new constitution. But 1922 Constitution did contain people’s rights, neither did the 1994 constitutional amendments. Provisions of fundamental rights were not included until 1998 when new constitutional amendments were inserted, of which Article 89 requires the State to recognize and protect fundamental rights that are guaranteed by international agreements that Latvia is bound.
The Latvian Constitutional Court makes broad reference to those international human rights treaties that Latvia is bound. Among those human rights treaties applied, the UN remedy system does not have much substantial impact, and it is obviously that the European Convention on Human Rights obtains special status. Even though the Latvian Constitutional Court has directly applied international human rights, Latvia still could be considered by international monitoring mechanisms as violating international human rights treaties.