Constitutionalism - Human Rights - Separation of Powers: The Cyprus Precedent

The Constitution incorporates human rights as a dominant feature of its order pervading every aspect of the law and has been the sole source of authority. This book chronicles through the case law of the Supreme Court, a precedent of constitutionalism worthy of the attention of every scholar of constitutional law. Following 82 years of British rule, Cyprus emerged in 1960 as an independent state endowed with a written Constitution, detailed to the extent of making provision for nearly every aspect of government. Two distinct features of the Constitution are a) the incorporation of a comprehensive charter of human rights backed up by a duty cast on every authority of the State to ensure its efficient application and b) the strict separation between the three powers of the State. Another notable aspect of it is the introduction of judicial review of administrative action rendering justiciable every act, decision or omission of every organ, body or person exercising administrative or executive authority. The diversity of the sources of constitutional order, its detailed provisions about nearly every aspect of government convey a distinct complexion to the Constitution of the country. This book covers its application in the turbulent history of the island, which provides a singular if not a unique example of the sustenance of constitutional order in extreme circumstances; constitutionalism in full swing.