Molefi v. Principal Legal Adviser, Prime Minister, and Commissioner of Police (of Lesotho).

Abstract

International law — Relation to municipal law — Treaties — Effect in municipal law of declaration offering application of multilateral treaty on basis of reciprocity — Whether declaration can only be relied on by parties to the treaty — Whether equivalent to accession for municipal law purposes — The law of Lesotho.

Treaties — Conclusion and operation of — Accession — Succession — Lesotho — Succession or accession to treaties acceded to by United Kingdom and extended to Basutoland — Multilateral conventions Geneva Convention on Refugees, 1951 — Lesotho Independence Order, 1966 — Letter by Prime Minister to U.N. Secretary — General regarding bilateral and multilateral treaties concluded by United Kingdom on behalf of Basutoland — Effect of declaration offering application of multilateral tre~ties on basis of reciprocity — Whether interim accession — The law of Lesotho.

Treaties — Interpretation of — Principles and rules of — Geneva Convention on Status of Refugees, Article 32 — Whether to be construed broadly — “As a result of events…” — Meaning of The law of Lesotho.

State Succession — International conventions — Multilateral treaties — Geneva Convention on Status of Refugees, 1951 — Lesotho, known before independence as Basutoland — Convention acceded to by United Kingdom and extended to Basutoland — Whether Lesotho succeeded or acceded to Convention — Letter by Prime Minister of Lesotho to U.N. Secretary-General regarding succession and accession by Lesotho to bilateral and multilateral treaties — Effect of declaration offering application of multilateral treaties on basis of reciprocity — Whether instrument of accession — Whether only parties to treaty could rely on such declaration — Whether individuals could rely on it — The law of Lesotho.