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.
3,521 Articles
Suit Against Sri Lankan Presidential Candidate Rajapaksa Dismissed on Common Law Immunity Grounds
Among other deficiencies, the ruling failed to acknowledge jurisprudence from other courts indicating that jus cogens violations can never constitute “official” acts entitling…
Abandoning Open Skies: Trump Would Be Squandering More of Our Security Inheritance
Rumors have been swirling about President Donald Trump deciding to withdraw the United States from the Open Skies Treaty. Congress, our allies and the public have been kept in…
“With a Little Help from Our Friends”: Prosecuting the ISIL “Beatles” in U.S. Courts
Civilian prosecution in U.S. courts remains by far the best option for reliably bringing the two ISIL detainees in U.S. custody to justice. The DoJ should look closely at whether…
Reassessing U.S. Cyber Operations Against Iran and the Use of Force
"There is good reason to conclude the United States may have crossed the use of force threshold with this cyber operation."
Turkey’s (Latest) Invasion of Syria: Aggression, Proportionality, and Legal Consequences for NATO and Third-Party States
"All States are legally required to cooperate to bring any serious breach of a peremptory norm to an end by lawful means. Conversely, States are legally prohibited from helping…
The German Constitutional Court on the Right of Self-Defense Against ISIS in Syria
German Constitutional Court concludes that the government has a reasonable claim that the UN Charter permits use of force in self-defense against non-state actors — at least…
Turkey’s Actions Trigger All States’ Obligations to Prosecute War Crimes by Turkish Forces
Activating the global system of criminal enforcement for war crimes prosecutions
Can Turkey be Expelled from NATO? It’s Legally Possible, Whether or Not Politically Prudent
Overall, the absence of a suspension and expulsion mechanism in the North Atlantic Treaty does not prevent the North Atlantic Council from suspending or terminating the membership…
The Netherlands Releases a Tour de Force on International Law in Cyberspace: Analysis
The Dutch make a major contribution to interpretation and application of international law in cyberspace with careful legal analysis on topics ranging from sovereignty to the use…
Sri Lankan War Criminal Gotabaya Rajapaksa May Escape Accountability Yet Again, This Time by Running for President
Recent developments in a pair of human rights cases in U.S. federal court against former Sri Lankan Defense Minister and current presidential hopeful Gotabaya (“Gota”) Rajapakse…
18 Years After 9/11, Why Is Guantánamo Still Open?
That a child born on that day the planes hit would by now have gained the right to vote, but there has yet to be a trial of the alleged attackers, serves to highlight how painfully…
On a President’s Orders: New Frontline Docs Look at Duterte and MBS
In the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte isn’t pulling the trigger every time a drug dealer or drug user is killed by the police. Similarly, when Saudi journalist Jamal…