Democracy & Rule of Law

Just Security’s expert authors provide analysis on threats and challenges to democracy and the rule of law in the United States and globally. Coverage includes analysis of the separation of powers, good governance, democratic backsliding, authoritarianism, judicial independence, freedom of the press and association, and accountability for rule of law violations.

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3,398 Articles
Former chief prosecutor Benjamin Ferencz addresses guests during the inauguration of the new information and documentation center "Memorial Nuremberg Trials", in Nuremberg, southern Germany, on November 21, 2010.

Nuremberg Prosecutor says Guantanamo Military Commissions Don’t Measure Up

In an upcoming filing, the last living Nuremberg prosecutor, Benjamin B. Ferencz, says there is "very limited comparison" between the Guantanamo military commissions and the Nuremberg…
A person watches an investigation film by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in Moscow on January 21, 2021.

Anti-Corruption Crusader Navalny’s Appeal from His Russian Prison Cell

His five-point plan shows he is ready to fight and optimistic that something can be done, including with Biden's Summit for Democracy.
Protesters hold up placards and banners as they attend a demonstration in Sydney on June 23, 2021 to call on the Australian government to boycott the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics over China's human rights record. Signs read, “Boycott Beijing 2022” and “End the Uyghur Genocide”

Boycotting Beijing 2022: Accountability for the Next Olympics and Beyond

History has shown the dangers of allowing repressive regimes to gain legitimacy by hosting the Olympics. China should be held accountable.
Investigators search for evidence in and around the wreckage of a Police bus at the site of a bomb blast in Kabul, 17 June 2007.

Evidence Destruction and the Crisis In Afghanistan

Evidence of international crimes is at risk in Afghanistan - endangering witnesses, victims, and the pursuit of justice. The international community must take steps to secure it.
People offload bags of food flown in from the United States at Antoine Simon airport after a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on August 19, 2021 in Les Cayes, Haiti.

Amid Haiti’s Deepening Crisis After Earthquake, US Must Heed Citizens on Aid and Political Change

Assistance will be ineffective unless it's directed to the right people and comes with backing for civil society to fix the broken state.
A Taliban fighter holds a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) along the roadside in Herat, Afghanistan's third biggest city, after government forces pulled out the day before following weeks of being under siege. People walk along the sidewalk in the background. August 13, 2021

In Afghanistan, Lest We Forget

As the UN Security Council hosts an emergency meeting, world leaders must understand what the abandonment of the Afghan people involves.
An aerial view of the Mall in Washington DC. The US Capitol Building is seen at the end of the mall and the image shows the buildings surrounding the Mall as well. Many trees have bare branches as the date of the photo is November 21, 2008.

The Broader Significance of the Justice Dep’t Opinion on Congress Obtaining Trump Tax Records

Unpacking the Office of Legal Counsel's opinion, how it lines up with past administrations, what it means for future congressional oversight.
The Green Spirits, protestors dressed in green clothing and green headdress, carry a large beach ball of the globe during a demonstration on the beach during the G7 summit on June 13, 2021 in St Ives, England.

A Fresh Approach: Local Thinking Should Shape the G7’s New Plan to Compete With China

For the "Build Back Better World" initiative to work, the G7 must shed its paternalistic past and cooperate with partner countries.
Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Bert Koenders hosts the large international consultations with representatives of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) and the Anti ISIS coalition in the fight against terror In The Hague, January 11, 2016.

Behind the Scenes of the Global Counterterrorism Forum: A Bypass of Human Rights and UN Consensus?

It is time to take stock of what the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) has become and acknowledge what are the critical inflection points for its future development.
The dome of the U.S. Capitol building is seen behind a barbed wire fence on January 14, 2021. The barbed wire was installed after the attempted coup on January 6, 2021.

GAO Faults DHS for Failing to Designate Jan. 6 as a Protected Event in Advance of Attack

DHS erroneously considered activities at the Capitol “routine congressional business” and failed to properly consider threat environment, GAO report says.
A member of the Belarusian diaspora in Ukraine, covered with a former national red and white flag of Belarus, stands next to a symbolic wreath to Aleksandr Lukashenko as he takes part in a rally outside Belarus embassy in Kiev on August 8, 2021. Police officers stand in front of a gated building.

`In Today’s Belarus, Living Outside of Politics is No Longer an Option’

The US and the EU must act swiftly, before more people are hurt or killed and before more damage is done to the credibility of democracy.
Trump speaks as White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows stands behind him prior to Trump's Marine One departure from the South Lawn of the White House July 29, 2020 in Washington, DC.

Mark Meadows Timeline: The Chief of Staff and Schemes to Overturn 2020 Election

Meadows was directly involved at major intersections of President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. A detailed timeline of all the publicly available…
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