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.
3,511 Articles

Reengaging on Treaties and Other International Agreements (Part I): President Donald Trump’s Rejection of International Law
If Joe Biden defeats President Donald Trump, he will face the question of how to revive U.S. participation on the international stage, including through rejoining many of the international…

Will COVID-19 Create a Human Rights Crisis in the Middle East and North Africa?
Emergency powers imposed to stop the spread of COVID-19 jeopardize free speech and other fundamental rights-- and they may linger long after the threat to public health recedes.

Online Symposium on Civilian Casualties: The Law of Prevention and Response
An important symposium series, “Civilian Casualties: The Law of Prevention and Response,” is kicking off on Wednesday (September 30) at noon EDT.

The U.S. Bears International Responsibility for Forced Sterilization of Women in ICE Detention
A sterilization performed without the patient’s prior, full, free, and informed consent is a human rights violation.

An Enduring Impasse on Autonomous Weapons
Are existing international laws sufficient or are new legal rules needed to codify the “human element” in the use of force?

The US “Snapback” Against Iran – Bad Politics and Flawed Law
One of the most eminent former US Ambassadors issues 9-page memorandum challenging the US government's position on the Iran nuclear deal.

Access to Information During a Pandemic – A Matter of Life or Death
Sept. 28 marks the first International Day for Universal Access to Information. As the pandemic reveals, access to timely and accurate information has never been more vital. And…

Reclaiming the Universal Declaration of Human Rights from the Pompeo Commission – Part 2
The panel's lengthy exegesis of the Declaration contains at least six glaring omissions that have real-world consequences.

Reclaiming Human Rights from the Pompeo Commission – Part 1
Its report displays an interpretative sneakiness, invoking the “founding era” and “founding principles” in a highly selective and under-inclusive way.

The Netherlands’ Action Against Syria: A New Path to Justice
Cases such as one in Germany to address individual criminal responsibility are insufficient on their own to address the scope of the documented criminality.

The Verdict in the Khashoggi Murder Isn’t Final By Any Stretch
The world must show MBS, Putin, the IRGC, and other would-be princely assassins the heavy price they will pay for murdering their citizens abroad.

UN Experts to Trump Administration: Reproductive Rights are Human Rights
It is crucial to call out US efforts to undermine the UN human rights system and erase the well-established framework of rights protections.