Type: ICJ Advisory Opinion
Year: 1975
Focus:
- Territorial status
- Principle of self-determination
Key Contribution:
The Court rejected the claim that Western Sahara was terra nullius and affirmed that the people of the territory must exercise self-determination through a free and genuine expression of will.
Legal Significance:
Strengthens the central role of self-determination in decolonization processes.
Relevance to Research:
Provides a key legal standard for evaluating claims involving historical ties versus the will of the people.