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.
3,474 Articles

Deep State Dissonance
U.S. National Security Agency Director Michael Rogers delivers remarks arguing for the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act on October 13, 2017 in…

Today’s Mass Guantanamo Habeas Petition and the Ongoing Human Cost of America’s “Battle Lab”
Today, the Guantanamo prison enters its 17th year. 41 Muslim men still languish there, trapped in an ever-present reminder of their captors’ official experiment with torture.…

The Steele Dossier in 2018: Everyone’s Favorite Weapon
The so-called Steele dossier has become a political and cultural weapon. For many of us, it is either a salacious outline of heinous presidential crimes or a complete fabrication…

The House Intelligence Committee’s Section 702 Bill is a Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Image: Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein, DNI Daniel Coats, and NSA Director Adm. Michael Rogers testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee on the…

Will President Trump be Interviewed by Robert Mueller?
NBC News reported this morning that President Donald Trump’s lawyers are talking with FBI investigators about a potential interview between Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s…

The Big Takeaways from the Latest Obstruction Revelations
As the first week of 2018 comes to an end, the chaos surrounding the Trump administration has reached fever pitch. This is largely thanks to a new book from journalist Michael…

Counter-Terrorism and Crackdowns on Civil Society
As countries around the globe contend with the threat of terrorism, the challenges to civil liberties and civil society have never been greater. Acknowledging the threat posed…

International Criminal Court Indictments of U.S. Officials Are not Impossible
The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor’s long-expected request to open an investigation of U.S. armed forces and the CIA for crimes allegedly committed in Afghanistan…

Alseran v MOD and the Legal Risks in Treating All Captives as Prisoners of War
British and American troops with Iraqi captives in March 2003. (UK MOD) Last month, the English High Court delivered its judgment in favour of the claimants in Alseran and Others…

Mueller Wasn’t Appointed Pursuant to the DOJ Regs (and other assorted flaws in the Manafort suit)
Paul Manafort filed a two-count suit yesterday against Acting Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Count Two challenges Special Counsel Mueller’s…

Paul Manafort’s Latest Publicity Stunt
What should we make of former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort’s lawsuit against Special Counsel Robert Mueller, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and the Justice Department?…

Norms Watch: Democracy, the Trump Administration, and Reactions to It (Dec. 2017)
Image: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) speaks about bipartisan legislation to help prevent sexual harassment on Dec. 6, 2017 on Capitol Hill (Alex Wong/Getty) Sign up here to receive…