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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3,183 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…
United States District Court for the District of Columbia

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…
A refugee family sit in front of a tent at a temporary shelter offered by the "Free Christian Church" on March 20, 2022 in Uszka, Hungary. Prior to the war, Ukraine had an estimated population of 400,000 Roma, with the largest concentration in the region of Transcarpathia (or Subcarpathia), near Hungary's northwest border, where Hungarian is commonly spoken. (Photo by Janos Kummer/Getty Images)

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.
U.S. Republican Presidential Candidate and former President Donald Trump speaks at the U.S.-Mexico border

‘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.…
Wiley and Zuckerberg are sitting at a table in a hearing room, with others seated behind them, against a backdrop of a heavy-looking dark red curtain.

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.
Ukrainian soldier of the assault battalion walks on the empty street of town on August 16, 2024 in Sudzha, Russia.

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…
The blue flag of the International Criminal Court flies outside of the organization's headquarters.

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…
International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan listens to the President of the Special Peace Jurisdiction Eduardo Cifuentes during a press conference in Bogota, October 27, 2021.

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…
The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

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…
The three former political prisoners are laughing as they sit at a table in front of microphones against a blue backdrop displaying the logo of German news agency Deutsche Welle, which organized the press conference.

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.
The U.S. Department of Justice Building, where the Office of Legal Counsel resides.

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…
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