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.
3,701 Articles

“Hunting” the October 7 Attackers: What the Law of Armed Conflict Permits – and What It Doesn’t
Legal analysis of Israel's operation to kill or capture every individual involved in the October 7th massacre.

Follow the Law, Not the Plan: Legal Considerations for Third States in Gaza
Third State’s support for Trump’s Gaza plan must remain strictly conditioned on compliance with international law and be continuously reassessed in light of evolving facts.…

Shooting Down Civil Aircraft: What International and U.S. Law Say About a Charge in the Raul Castro Indictment
Q&A providing an overview of the legal framework governing shootdowns, including their status under both international and domestic U.S. law

I Was Afghanistan’s Attorney General. Here Is What Justice Looked Like — and What Destroyed It.
Afghanistan’s justice system took 20 years to build and 11 days to destroy. Former Attorney General Mohammad Farid Hamidi outlines the ongoing fight for accountability.

International Accountability for U.S. Crimes in the Caribbean and Pacific
If no one acts, U.S. crimes in the Caribbean and Pacific will embolden other bad actors and encourage more violations of international law.

Collection: U.S. Lethal Strikes on Suspected Drug Traffickers, Operation Southern Spear, Operation Absolute Resolve
Collection of expert analysis on the legality of the U.S. strike on Venezuelan vessels in the Caribbean, the consequences of the strike, and related issues.

To Memorialize the Fallen, Renew the Pursuit of Peace
This Memorial Day, to honor the memory of those who gave their lives in war, Americans should consider how to help mold a more peaceful future at home and abroad.

Ukrainian Drone Incursions into Baltic States, Russian Electronic Warfare Countermeasures, and International Law
Experts unpack the international law implications of recent incursions of Ukrainian drones into the airspace of Baltic countries due to Russian electronic warfare tactics.

The Kafala System Disables Workers. International Disability Law Can Hold Saudi Arabia Accountable
The story of a Kenyan domestic worker is one of 15 in the first UN communications challenging the Kafala system under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Starvation on Trial: Koblenz and the Case of Yarmouk
A trial in Germany concerning the siege of Yarmouk in Syria tests the application of universal jurisdiction to patterns of siege warfare and civilian deprivation.

In Absentia Trials and the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine
When defendants can be informed of their trial and have a right to a retrial in person, in absentia trials can be legitimate and necessary for victims and society at large.

Is the United States at War with Iraq?
The non-international armed conflict between the Islamic Resistance in Iraq and the United States and Israel has yet to transform into an international armed conflict.