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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3,181 Articles
Sudanese soldiers sit atop a vehicle driving through a sit-in outside the army headquarters in the capital Khartoum on April 28, 2019. Two Sudanese soldier gesture at protesters in the sit-in.

After Bashir, Sudanese People Continue Fight for Democracy and Accountability

The African Union's three-month extension for Sudan's military to hand over to a civilian government might give the protesters time to plan for the country's future. But it also…
Copies of the "Mueller Report" printed by the US Government Publishing Office are seen at the US Capitol in Washington, DC on April 24, 2019.

Guide to the Mueller Report’s Findings on “Collusion”

Essential reading on the Mueller Report: an annotation plus key findings, drawing on investigative reports and Special Counsel court filings.
Police arrest activists demonstrating against anti-immigration policies near the US-Mexico border fence at Imperial beach in San Diego county, US on December 10, 2018.

CBP’s New Social Media Surveillance: A Threat to Free Speech and Privacy

U.S. Customs and Border Protection's efforts to map out the networks and activities of American activists and journalists through link analysis and social media monitoring pose…
Trump talks to Giuliani as they exit the clubhouse following their meeting at Trump International Golf Club, November 20, 2016 in Bedminster Township, New Jersey.

Mueller Report and the President’s Personal Lawyers: Did They Violate Criminal Law and Ethical Rules?

Leading legal ethics professor analyzes the criminal law and ethical rules that would apply in light of conduct of Trumps personal lawyers revealed in the Mueller Report.
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Milorad Dodik, the Serb member of Bosnia's tripartite presidency, in Belgrade on January 17, 2019.

Serb ‘Auxiliary Force’ Escalates Threats to Bosnia’s Stability

Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik risks plunging Bosnia, and with it the volatile Western Balkans, into the region’s worst security crisis since the end of the Yugoslav Wars.

A Brief Aside on the Inexplicable May 2017 Rosenstein Memo About Comey

This is hardly the most important thing about the Mueller Report, but it warrants a short note, if only to fill out the historical record. When President Trump removed FBI Director…
Presidential Seal President USA Coat Of Arms

Word-Searchable Version of Mueller Report

Please find below Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller’s Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election. Word-searchable PDF versions:…

The (Redacted) Mueller Report: First Takes from the Experts

A roundup of leading experts' views on the publicly released — and redacted — Mueller report.
U.S. Attorney General William Barr speaks with a clenched fist about the release of the redacted version of the Mueller report as U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and U.S. Acting Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Ed O’Callaghan stand behind him at the Department of Justice April 18, 2019 in Washington, DC.

On Mueller Report, Barr Says No Executive Privilege Redactions. But Look for Assertion Later.

The release of the redacted version of the Mueller Report may not signal the end of debates over Executive Privilege, and is likely only the beginning of congressional activity…
People walk past a campaign billboard reading "April 21st. Decisive choice!" and bearing the portraits of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin, on April 15, 2019, in the center of the western Ukrainian city of Lviv.

To Battle Russian Disinformation, Ukraine Mimics … Russia

In the five years since the conflict between Ukraine and Russia began, several Ukrainian initiatives have been introduced to reduce the influence of Russian disinformation and…
Russian journalists watch a TV showing U.S. President Donald Trump shaking hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the press center of Presidential Palace on July 16, 2018 in Helsinki, Finland.

Is Trump a Russian Agent?: Explaining Terms of Art and Examining the Facts

Former member of the CIA’s Senior Intelligence Service explains why CIA would never try to recruit someone with Donald Trump's profile, and what may also give the Kremlin pause…
U.S. Attorney General nominee William Barr testifies at his confirmation hearing as his image is shown on a television monitor behind him January 15, 2019 in Washington, DC.

Barr’s Redaction Process, cont’d

Attorney General William Barr testified at length last week, in the House and the Senate, about his ongoing process of redacting the Mueller Report in anticipation of sharing it…
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