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.
3,183 Articles

Chronology of a Dozen Times Trump Pushed to Prosecute His Perceived Enemies
A deeply researched list of specific instances in which former president Trump used the Department of Justice and other levers of government power — including by directly, publicly…

After Immunity: How Judge Chutkan Should Apply Trump v. U.S.—and When
A deep dive into the state of play in United States v. Trump.

Durov, Musk, and Zuckerberg: Tech Oligarchs Cry Censorship and What It All Means
"It is important for the heads of social media companies to demand fair and legitimate boundaries are set. The current strategy by some of them seems more like the tale of the…

Rights of National Minorities in Armed Conflict: A Ukrainian Perspective
Russia's aggression against Ukraine underscores the critical challenges in safeguarding the rights of national minorities in conflict zones.

‘Good Moral Character?’ Holding Trump to the Same Standards as the Immigrants He Vilifies
Were Trump an immigrant and subject to the same scrutiny as those he now maligns, he would be at high risk of being either refused entry, denied a green card, or rejected for citizenship.…

Don’t Downplay Risks of AI for Democracy
In the midst of the first-ever round of AI-influenced elections globally, it’s important to guard against a false sense of security.

A Reply to Chris O’Meara: Necessity and Proportionality in International Law on the Use of Force
In his thought-provoking essay in Just Security, Chris O’Meara provides an insightful analysis of Ukraine’s recent incursion into Kursk Oblast under the law governing the use…

Don’t Sanction the ICC for Doing its Job
Writes an American-Israeli citizen whose family was decimated in the Holocaust: "It is my family history and three decades spent advocating for human rights and the rule of…

The ICC Prosecutor’s Policy on Complementarity and Cooperation: A Dynamic Tool for Accountability
The OTP’s Policy on Complementarity and Cooperation builds on the idea of a dynamic process of partnership with national authorities, civil society, and other accountability…

Presidential Immunity Decision May Have Implications for Congressional-Executive Divide on Criminal Contempt
With Trump v. United States, a majority of the Supreme Court appears ready to resolve a longstanding dispute over prosecutorial discretion in contempt of Congress cases in favor…

Magnitsky Sanctions and Political Prisoners: Lessons from the Case of Vladimir Kara-Murza
The US and allies can build on the coordinated Magnitsky-like sanctions in his case to continue turning up the heat on repressive regimes.

Warrantless “Defensive” Searches of FISA Section 702 Data Violate the Fourth Amendment
The Fourth Amendment requires that queries of the FISA Section 702 database for information about U.S. persons be performed pursuant to a court order, regardless of whether the…