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
Blocking or Aiding Asylum Seekers? The U.S.-Canada “Safe Third Country” Agreement and Examples from Europe
The Trump administration's new asylum regulation attempts an end run around the statutory requirements of an actual “Safe Third Country” agreement. Here's how such an agreement…
“Safe Third Country” Agreements with Mexico and Guatemala would be Unlawful
The Trump Administration is seeking "safe third country" agreements with Mexico and Guatemala to keep Central American asylum seekers from reaching the country - they can't meet…
Why the ICC’s Judgment in the al-Bashir Case Wasn’t So Surprising
A look at why the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court made the right decision when it decided Jordan should have arrested then-Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir…
U.S. Offensive Cyber Operations against Economic Cyber Intrusions: An International Law Analysis – Part I
On June 11, 2019, White House National Security Adviser John Bolton announced that U.S. offensive cyber operations would be expanded beyond countering election interference to…
We Treat America’s Wartime Detainees Better Than Migrant Children
Migrant children held in temporary government custody should be detained in conditions superior to those of enemy fighters detained during wartime. Today, it appears they are not.…
The Massive Perils of the Latest U.N. Resolution on Terrorism
A newly proposed U.N. Security Council resolution expanding anti-terrorism requirements for member States targets the nexus with organized crime. But like so many counterterrorism…
Self-Defense in International Law: What Level of Evidence?
With the question of whether Iran's actions justify the use of force, the issue of evidence is once again at the forefront of international debate. So, how much evidence does a…
Iran’s Shifting Views on Self-Defense and ‘Intraterritorial’ Force
Iran’s justification for shooting down a US drone suggests a subtle shift in its understanding of international law.
Cyberattack Attribution and the Virtues of Decentralization
In the midst of rising tensions between the United States and Iran over tanker attacks and Iran’s downing of a U.S. drone, reports emerged that U.S. Cyber Command had launched…
Unpacking the State Dept Acknowledgment that 2001 and 2002 AUMFs Don’t Authorize War Against Iran
An analysis of State Dept's major concession, whether the one stated exception is a loophole for military action, and what Congress should now do.
Top Expert Backgrounder: Children in Immigration Detention — What are the International Norms?
Vice Chair of the United Nations Committee Against Torture, Felice Gaer, writing in her personal capacity.
The Missing Piece in US-Iran Drone Dispute: Navigational Freedoms and the Strait of Hormuz
"Even if the drone flew only across 'international airspace,' significant legal questions arise as to whether its activities violated the rules for transit and what legal recourse…