International Law

Just Security offers expert analysis of international law and its role in addressing global challenges. Our coverage includes litigation in international and regional tribunals, the process of international law-making, analysis of compliance and accountability for international law violations–including international criminal justice, and challenges to the international legal order.

Highlights:

Crew members of the US Navy warship USS Sampson (DDG 102) are pictured at the Amador International Cruise Terminal in Panama City on September 02, 2025. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on September 1, 2025, that eight US military vessels with 1,200 missiles were targeting his country, which he declared to be in a state of "maximum readiness to defend" itself. (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images)

Using Labels, Not Law, to Justify Lethal Force: Inside the Venezuelan Boat Strike

Applying a new label to an old problem does not transform the problem. Nor does it grant the U.S. president or the U.S. military expanded legal authority to kill civilians.
Police officers and medical team members gather at a cemetery in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on July 28, 2025, as they begin the exhumation of a girl's grave. Authorities order the exhumation to conduct a post-mortem examination and establish the cause of death following allegations that the girl was killed under orders from a jirga, an informal tribal court. Suspects are brought to the site for identification as part of the investigation. The incident has sparked public outcry and renewed scrutiny over the role of illegal jirgas, which continue to operate outside the formal legal system in parts of Pakistan. Human rights activists condemn the extrajudicial process and call for legal reforms and stronger protections for women. The case underscores the ongoing challenges of enforcing state law in rural and semi-urban areas where customary practices still hold sway. (Photo by RAJA IMRAN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

When Law Fails Women: Jirgas, Gender Violence, and the Collapse of International Accountability

When women are walked to their deaths with the world watching, international law must offer more than words. It must deliver protection with power.
US Marines' Lockheed Martin F35-B jets arrive in formation to José Aponte de la Torre Airport

Murder by Drone: The Legal and Moral Stakes of the Caribbean Strikes

If allowed to go unchecked, the Caribbean strikes could encourage additional unlawful executions by the United States and other leaders.

Book Release – Perpetual War and International Law: Enduring Legacies of the War on Terror

Introducing a new OUP book interrogating how precedents set in the post-9/11 era continue to shape contemporary conflicts.
The US Navy warship USS Sampson (DDG 102) docks at the Amador International Cruise Terminal in Panama City

The Many Ways in Which the September 2 Caribbean Strike was Unlawful … and the Grave Line the Military Has Crossed

A deep dive into US domestic authority and law most relevant to the US strike on alleged Venezuelan drug boat.
The US Navy warship USS Sampson (DDG 102) docks at the Amador International Cruise Terminal in Panama City

Striking Drug Cartels Under the Jus ad Bellum and Law of Armed Conflict

Analysis of laws of war and law on the resort to armed force in U.S. military action against Tren de Aragua.
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3,475 Articles
Protesters carry a banner reading "Stop genocide, sanctions now" during a pro-Palestinian rally in Brussels, Belgium on September 7, 2025. More than 200,000 people filled the streets of the Belgian capital to denounce Israel's actions in Gaza. (Photo by WAHAJ BANI MOUFLEH/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

Sanctions against Israel: An International Law Perspective

An examination of proposed sanctions against Israel, the legal framework for sanctions, and States’ obligation to prevent genocide.
A man walks through the rubble of buildings destroyed in Israeli airstrikes at the Bureij camp for Palestinian refugees in the central Gaza Strip on January 12, 2025, as the war between Israel and Hamas militants continues. (Photo by EYAD BABA/AFP via Getty Images)

U.N. Commission Finds That Israel Is Committing Genocide in Gaza: What Does It Mean?

Context for those seeking to understand what it does (and does not) mean for the UN Commission to make a genocide determination.

Collection: U.S. Lethal Strikes on Suspected Drug Traffickers

Collection of expert analysis on the legality of the U.S. strike on Venezuelan vessels in the Caribbean, the consequences of the strike, and related issues.
Collage of images pertaining to artificial intelligence

Just Security’s Artificial Intelligence Archive

Just Security's collection of articles analyzing the implications of AI for society, democracy, human rights, and warfare.
The Just Security Podcast

The Just Security Podcast: Murder on the High Seas? What You Need to Know about the U.S. Strike on the Caribbean Vessel

Rebecca Ingber and Brian Finucane join Tess Bridgeman to unpack what you need to know about the U.S. strike on a purported drug trafficking vessel in the Caribbean.
The US Navy warship USS Sampson (DDG 102) docks at the Amador International Cruise Terminal in Panama City on September 02, 2025. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on September 1, 2025, that eight US military vessels with 1,200 missiles were targeting his country, which he declared to be in a state of "maximum readiness to defend" itself. (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images)

Legal Issues Raised by a Lethal U.S. Military Attack in the Caribbean

The Trump administration’s extraordinary lethal attack on a purported drug smuggling vessel – and its vow that it is the start of a campaign – raise significant legal issues.
Security Council Chamber at United Nations

The United Nations in Hindsight: The Security Council and the UN80 Initiative – What Lies Ahead?

The road to a leaner, more efficient U.N. is likely to be bumpy, but as the U.N. turns 80, its future may lie in being able to adapt to shifting global realities.
A collage of images featuring scenes from the Russia - Ukraine War.

Just Security’s Russia–Ukraine War Archive

A catalog of over 100 articles (many with Ukrainian translations) on the Russia Ukraine War -- law, diplomacy, policy options, and more.
Binders of executive orders stacked on a desk.

Collection: Just Security’s Coverage of Trump Administration Executive Actions

Coverage of key developments, including in concise “What Just Happened” expert explainers, legal and policy analysis, and more. Check back frequently for updates.
Judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) await the verdict of a sentencing on November 20, 2024 at the ICC court in The Hague. (Photo by EVA PLEVIER/ANP/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Raising the Cost of U.S. Coercion Against the ICC

Previous administrations sought to reinterpret, evade, or selectively engage with international law. The Trump administration is actively delegitimizing and dismantling it.
Afghan women walk along a stone-laden street on the outskirts of Kabul on July 22, 2025. (Photo by WAKIL KOHSAR/AFP via Getty Images)

What the Erosion of the International System Means for Afghanistan

The ongoing struggle of Afghanistan’s exiled democratic movement is a vital bulwark against a rising tide of authoritarianism and extremism.
A retro computer encircled by CCTV cameras

Legal Frameworks for Addressing Spyware Harms

Introducing a new series on accountability for spyware harms convened by the Atlantic Council in partnership with Just Security.
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