Professor Tomoya Obokata

Title: Professor of International Law and Human Rights
Phone: +44(0)1782733148
Email:
Location: CBC 2.025
Role: Director of PGT
Contacting me: During office hours without appointment, or email to make an appointment.

Tomoya Obokata is a Japanese scholar who joined the School in 2012 as Professor of International Law and Human Rights.  Previously he taught at Queen’s University Belfast (2006-2012) and University of Dundee (2004-2006).  He holds BA in International Relations (University of Southern California), MA in Theory and Practice of Human Rights (University of Essex), LLM in International Criminal Law (University of Sussex) and PhD in Law (University of Nottingham). Prior to commencing his PhD degree, Professor Obokata worked for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Regional Office of Japan and the Republic of Korea (1999-2000). 

Professor Obokata’s expertise lies in transnational organised crime generally and trafficking of human beings in particular.  He has a number of publications on these topics and currently serves as the Adviser to the Northern Ireland Assembly All Party Group on Human Trafficking. Previously he advised the bodies including the UK Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, the International Organisation for Migration and the European Union. 

Professor Obokata is currently leading a major research project entitled “North-South Irish Responses to Transnational Organised Crime,” funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (£195,000), as the Principal Investigator.  In this project, the research team is examining the extent to which Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland has been successful in implementing action against major crimes such as drug and human trafficking as well as cigarettes/fuel smuggling, with particular reference to cross-border co-operation. 

Books

  • Transnational Organised Crime in International Law (Oxford: Hart Publishing)(2010), pp.246  + xxxi 
  • Trafficking of Human Beings from a Human Rights Perspective: Towards a Holistic Approach (Leiden: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers)(2006), pp241 ­+ xvii

 

Journal Articles

  • 'Maritime Piracy as a Violation of Human Rights: A Way Forward for Its Effective Prevention and Suppression?’ (2013) 17 International Journal of Human Rights 18-34
  • (with Brian Payne) 'Implementing Action against Trafficking of Human Beings under the TFEU: A Preliminary Analysis' (2012) 3 New Journal of European Criminal Law 298-319
  • ‘Key EU Principles to Combat Transnational Organised Crime’ (2011) 48 Common Market Law Review 801-828
  • ‘Global Governance and International Migration: A Case Study of Trafficking of Human Beings’ (2010) 29 Refugee Survey Quarterly 120-136
  • (with Rory O’Connell – 50% contribution), ‘Ambition, Achievement and Potential: The UK and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at Sixty’ (2010) 14 International Journal of Human Rights  394-406
  • ‘Illicit Cycle of Narcotics from a Human Rights Perspective’ (2007) 25 Netherlands Quarterly of HumanRights 159-187
  • ‘A Human Rights Framework to Address Trafficking of Human Beings’ (2006) 24 Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights 377-409
  • ‘Smuggling of Human Beings from a Human Rights Perspective: Obligations of Non-State and State Actors under International Human Rights Law’ (2005) 17 International Journal of Refugee Law 394-415
  • ‘Trafficking of Human Beings as a Crime against Humanity: Some Implications for the International Legal System’ (2005) 54 International & Comparative Law Quarterly 445-457
  • ‘Human Trafficking, Human Rights and the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002’ (2003) 4 European Human Rights Law Review 410-422
  • ‘EU Council Framework Decision on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings: A Critical Appraisal’ (2003) 40 Common Market Law Review 917-936
  • ‘Trafficking and Smuggling of Human Beings in Europe: Protection of Individual Rights or States' Interests?’  (2001) Web Journal of Current Legal Issues (Issue 5)  <http://webjcli.ncl.ac.uk/>

 

Book Chapters

  • ‘Analysis of Climate Change from A Human Rights Perspective’ in Farrall, French and Ahmed (eds.), Criminological and Legal Consequences of Climate Change (Oxford: Hart Publishing)(2012), 113-132
  • ‘A Human Rights Framework to Address Trafficking in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region’, Le Roux, Baffie and Beullier (eds.), The Trade in Human Beings for Sex in Southeast Asia (White Lotus Press: Bangkok)(2010),  327-342
  • ‘International Legal Framework to Address Migrant Smuggling at Sea,’ Ryan and Mitsilegas (eds.), Extraterritorial Immigration Control: Legal Challenges (Leiden: Brill Academic Publishers)(2010), 151-166
  • (with Rory O’Connell – 50% contribution), ‘The United Kingdom: Developing a Human Rights Culture’  in Jaichand and Suksi (eds.) 60 Years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Europe (Antwerp/Oxford; Intersentia)(2009), 27- 40
  • ‘EU Action against Trafficking of Human Beings: Past, Present and Future’ in Minderhoud and Guild (eds.) Immigration and Criminal Law in the European Union: The Legal Measures and Social Consequences of Criminal Law in Member States on Trafficking and Smuggling in Human Beings (Leiden: Martinus Nijhoff Publisher)(2006), 387-406

 

Other Publications

  • Analysis of Current Responses to Human Trafficking in Northern Ireland (A Briefing Paper written for the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities)(July 2012)
  • (with Brian Payne) Response to the Department of Justice Consultation on the Amendment to the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants etc) Act 2004  (May 2012)
  • Written Evidence ‘Trafficking of Human Beings in the United Kingdom’ in Trade in Human Beings: Human Trafficking in the UK, UK Parliamentary Home Affairs Committee Sixth Report of Session 2008-2009 (Volumes I and II)
  • ‘Human Trafficking’ Microsoft Encarta Encyclopaedia (World English Edition) (2007)

Undergraduate

Public Law 1

 

Postgraduate

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