CYIL vol. 13 (2022)

CYIL 13 ȍ2022Ȏ

PROFESSOR ČESTMÍR ČEPELKA PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE OF 95

PROFESSOR ČESTMÍR ČEPELKA PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE OF 95

This year, a number of eminent international lawyers left us. It is with sadness that we announce that a member of the Advisory Board of the Czech Yearbook of Public and Private International Law and the long-time teacher of the Faculty of Law of Charles University in Prague, professor JUDr. Čestmír Čepelka, DrSc., died on 18 May 2022 at the age of 95. Professor Čepelka was born in 1927 in Kopisty in northern Bohemia. After graduating from the Charles University (1950), he began teaching as an assistant at the Department of international law of the Faculty of Law. This field, public international law, then became the subject of his lifelong interest and scientific work. After defending his dissertation (1961) and habilitation, he became an associate professor (1964), later a doctor of science (DrSc., 1988) and a full professor of international law (1990). His research work was characterized by thoroughness and theoretical scope. Armed with a deep knowledge of foreign literature and logical thinking, he brought to the then Czechoslovak doctrine of international law opinions that may not have always been generally accepted, but which significantly influenced the discourse of the time and the further development of the theory. His book (co-authored by prof. V. David) Introduction to (Theory of ) International Law (1978, 1983) left impact on teaching and research in the former Czechoslovakia. Among his main topics were issues of international responsibility of states and sources of international law (especially international customary law and its codification), as well as the law of international treaties. Although it was not so common at the time, he also wrote some works in foreign languages (French and English), his monograph Les conséquences juridiques du délit en droit international contemporain (1963) is one of few publications of Czech authors cited in reports of the International Law Commission. He also stayed and lectured at foreign universities (Université Libre de Bruxelles, McGill University Montreal, Université Paris 2 – Panthéon-Assas). In 1991, he together with prof. Michael Geistlinger (University of Salzburg) started the tradition of summer seminars on human rights and international humanitarian law. He continued this and other activities even after his retirement (1993). Professor Čepelka was one of the more demanding teachers and strict examiners, but where he saw a deeper interest in international law, he always devoted himself tirelessly to students and doctoral students (especially in the research seminar). He thus influenced several generations of lawyers (including the author of this medallion), some of whom also chose his field as a lifelong mission and achieved significant success in it, such as the positions of judge of the International Court of Justice, member of the UN International Law Commission, etc. May he rest in peace!

Pavel Šturma

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