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.
3,769 Articles

A Drop in the Ocean: A Preliminary Assessment of the Koblenz Trial on Syrian Torture
April 23 marks one year since the start of the Syrian torture trial in Koblenz, Germany. It has already offered some preliminary lessons for future “universal jurisdiction”…

Belarus Jailing of Journalists for Reporting on Peaceful Protest Violates International Law
An appeal hearing in Minsk offers a chance for the court to rectify an injustice that illustrates how reporters have been targeted for abuse..

An Opportunity for Congress to Require Transparency of the Executive’s International Agreements
The newly introduced bipartisan legislation would constitute the most significant improvement in the transparency of international agreements since the enactment of the Case Act…

Biden Team’s Litigation Tactics on Guantanamo Undercut Biden Policy to Close the Prison
The administration's new moves before Supreme Court raise questions about whether it will more broadly decline to use straightforward tools to close Guantanamo and end indefinite…

Federal Agencies Face April Deadline on Secret JFK Files
Congress has mandated that agencies update the public on thousands of files related to the JFK assassination by April 26. Previous disclosures have been incomplete. Will agencies…

Combating Transnational Authoritarian Kleptocracy: Cracking Down on Western Professional Enablers
Effectively battling corruption and human rights abuses requires the tools provided by the Global Magnitsky Act - including the ability to target those who aid money laundering.…

Why Must Central American Asylum Seekers Risk Their Lives to Reach the US? There is an Alternative.
Cold War politics continues to shut out Guatemalans, Hondurans, and Salvadorans from the US Refugee Admissions Program. That needs to change.

National Security This Week at the United Nations (April 9-16)
US and NATO Plan to Withdraw Troops from Afghanistan; Taliban Withdraws from Planned Peace Talks in Istanbul President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday that he plans to begin withdrawing…

SolarWinds: Accountability, Attribution, and Advancing the Ball
Assessing the United States' actions on SolarWinds and what it means for global responses to malicious cyber activities in future.

Don’t Place Judicial Accountability In The Dark
Efforts to ensure the safety and security of federal judges – including by shielding certain personal information, such as addresses, from public disclosure – are sadly necessary…

Congress Must Reform Sanctions Law to Avoid ICC Penalties from Happening Again
Reversing the sanctions the Trump administration placed on International Criminal Court leaders is not enough to prevent something like that from happening again.

Team of Legal Gladiators? Iraqi Militias’ Tortured Relationship with Law
The country's Iran-backed militias are not law-abiding, but they know Iraqis care about rule of law and have adopted the law as a battlespace.