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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3,156 Articles
CAMP SHORAB, AFGHANISTAN - SEPTEMBER 11: A U.S. Army helicopter flies outside of Camp Shorab on a flight to Camp Post on September 11, 2017 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. About 300 marines are currently deployed in Helmand Province in a train, advise, and assist role supporting local Afghan security forces. Currently the United States has about 11,000 troops in the deployed in Afghanistan, with a reported 4,000 more expected to arrive in the coming weeks. Last month, President Donald Trump announced his plan for Afghanistan which called for an increase in troop numbers and a new conditions-based approach to the war, getting rid of a timetable for the withdrawal of American forces in the country. (Photo by Andrew Renneisen/Getty Images)

Opaque Transparency on the Use of Force: Observations on the 2022 “1264” Report

The 2022 report illustrates the limits of congressionally mandated reporting requirements on matters of war and peace and the need for Congress to be more proactive in informing…
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas wears a dark suit and red tie while sitting in the East Room of the White House.

Republicans Are Calling to Impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Here’s Why Their Case is Bunk

The arguments to impeach Sec. Mayorkas boil down to disapproval of the Biden administration’s relaxation of Trump-era immigration policies.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Chinese President Xi Jinping arrive to pose for a photo in front of their respective flags during their meeting in Beijing, on February 4, 2022, when they said in a joint statement that their "Friendship between the two States has no limits." (Photo by ALEXEI DRUZHININ/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images)

US Must Sharpen Attention to Potential Global Crisis Posed by Russia and China

Given Putin's war on Ukraine and Xi's threats to Taiwan and the two leaders' "no limits" partnership, deterrence and democracy are at risk.
The National Security Agency (NSA) headquarters at Fort Meade, Maryland, as seen from the air, January 29, 2010.

The Year of Section 702’s Reauthorization: A Reply on “Back Door” Searches

There are targeted, sensible reforms regarding use of Section 702-acquired information by the FBI for non-national security investigations that would avoid throwing the baby out…
a guard tower is visible behind a razor-wire fence at the detention camp on July 23, 2008 at Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base, in Cuba.

Rehabilitation for Torture at Guantanamo is a Moral and Legal Imperative

To be an effective leader, the United States must honor its commitments under the Convention Against Torture.
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 28: A view of the U.S. Capitol on February 28, 2022 in Washington, DC. Security has been heightened and fencing was erected around the U.S. Capitol ahead of U.S. President Joe Biden's State of the Union address on Tuesday evening. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

As Afghanistan Hearings Begin, Congress Must Rise Above Partisanship to Find Meaningful Solutions

Today, the House Foreign Affairs Committee begins hearings on the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Protesters hold signs that read "Trans Rights are Human Rights" while a wall of police stand between them and Proud Boys members with handkerchiefs over their faces.

The Proud Boys and Oath Keepers Are Domestic Terrorists, It’s Past Time to Call Them What They Are

The Proud Boys and Oath Keepers who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6th are not drinking buddies or patriots. They are violent extremists.
A teenage child looks at a screen of age-restricted content on a laptop.

Mind the Gap: The UK is About to Set Problematic Precedents on Content Regulation

Potentially positive elements of the UK's Online Safety Bill "are overshadowed and at risk of being negated by some of the more politically-motivated, hyperbolic aspects. The House…

Насильницьке переміщення Росією українських цивільних осіб: Громадянське суспільство, підзвітність, справедливість

Ці спільні зусилля є практичним проявом єдності та солідарності міжнародної спільноти, спрямованої…

Russia’s Forcible Transfers of Ukrainian Civilians: How Civil Society Aids Accountability and Justice

A Ukrainian whose organization received the Nobel Peace Prize writes with an exiled Russian democracy activist and a US legal-rights advocate on the challenge of documenting these…
Antonio Guterres speaks at a podium

Starting Bell Rings for U.N. Counterterrorism Negotiations with Big Questions Unanswered

Yesterday, United Nations (U.N.) Secretary-General António Guterres released the biannual report on the “Activities of the United Nations system in implementing the United Nations…
Kazakh police officers carry a protestor

As Secretary Blinken Arrives, Political Prisoners Wait for the `New Kazakhstan’

A political opponent whose husband is jailed says the US enables President Tokayev's repression and buys his empty promises of reform.
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