The Development of International Sanctions Policy and the International Humanitarian Law (From Economic Sanctions to Smart Sanctions)

The development of the concept of smart sanctions occurred during the second half of the 1990s, due to the increasingly detrimental and unacceptable consequences observed at both the international level (involving the United Nations and its affiliated Nations and its affiliated organizations) and the domestic level (involving states and civil society organizations). Many academics highlighted these issues through various conferences and educational programs. This study aims to propose an intelligent approach to mitigate the adverse consequences associated with the traditional approach. Particularly, it focuses on the concept of "targeted" or "smart" sanctions, which directly impact political leaders or individuals responsible for peace violations. The objective is to ensure that innocent civilian populations remain unaffected by these measures, thereby eliminating civilian suffering. This emphasis on targeted sanctions has been underscored by decision makers. There is a growing emphasis among scholars on the significance of formulating an original system of penalties in order to effectively accomplish their intended objective.