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.
3,736 Articles
International Law and the U.S. Military and Law Enforcement Operations in Venezuela
Experts survey the international law issues of Operation Absolute Resolve.
Maduro Capture Operation and the President’s Duty to Faithfully Execute U.N. Charter
A decades-old Office of Legal Counsel memorandum claiming the President can disregard the UN Charter does not withstand serious scrutiny.
Nine Stories That Deserved More Attention in 2025 – and Might Shape 2026
What stories or topics merited more attention in 2025, and which might inform law and policy conversations in 2026?
Operation Hawkeye Strike: Attacking ISIS in Syria and International Law
International law, the new Syrian government, and U.S. military strikes against ISIS
Maritime Law Enforcement on the High Seas: Authority, Jurisdiction, and the Seizure of The Skipper
An expert explainer on the U.S. boarding and seizure of the oil tanker, “The Skipper,” off the coast of Venezuela.
Blockading Venezuela: The International Law Consequences
Expert analysis of the announced U.S. military blockade of Venezuela
A U.S.-Russia-China Entente? The Unmaking of the Sovereignty System via the Western Sahara
U.N. Security Council Resolution 2797 endorses Morocco's Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara, normalizing domination in a U.S.-China-Russia tripolar order.
Was the Visit and Seizure of the Skipper off the Coast of Venezuela Lawful?
Experts examine the international law basis of the U.S. boarding and seizure of a vessel carrying Venezuelan crude.
The International Law Obligation to Investigate the Boat Strikes
Operation Southern Spear’s lethal boat strikes are unlawful under IHRL and, even on the administration’s own terms, trigger binding LOAC and DoD duties to investigate.
The Law on Targeting Shipwrecked Drug Traffickers: Expert Backgrounder
Detailing how, under different scenarios, international law and U.S. past practices apply to Sept. 2 boat strike on survivors.
Why a Ukraine-Russia Amnesty Would Violate Geneva Convention Obligations
An amnesty in any future peace plan would be unlawful and a moral abdication of the pursuit of accountability for victims in Russia's war in Ukraine.
History and International Law Proscribe Amnesties for Russian War Crimes
Compromising on prosecutions for Russian atrocities would erode the system of international justice built since Nuremberg and undermine the rule of law itself.