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.
3,764 Articles
Alternative Jurisdictional Bases for a Hybrid Tribunal for Syria
As we have discussed, one option under consideration to address the commission of grave international crimes during the conflict in Syria is the creation of a hybrid tribunal within…
A Mixed Chamber for Syria: An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
As we have discussed in a prior post and in the press, the international community must think creatively about how to build an accountability mechanism for Syria that does not—at…
UN Torture Committee seeks further answers from Lithuania on involvement in CIA detention and rendition
Last week, the UN Committee against Torture adopted its Concluding Observations [full text] on Lithuania’s third periodic report on its compliance with the Convention against…
Targeting Transparency: A Call for DoD to Automatically Release Investigations of Civilian Casualties in Armed Conflict
There has been much discussion on the lack of demonstrable government follow through after President Obama’s 2013 claims of increased transparency of US lethal targeting of suspected…
Major development concerning transparency of the use of force in Yemen
“I think the rule should be that if we’re going to take actions overseas that result in the deaths of people, the United States should take responsibility for that.”…
Taking on “Killer Robots”
New weapons that could revolutionize killing are on the horizon. Lethal autonomous weapons systems, also called fully autonomous weapons or “killer robots,” would go beyond…
Ending the Forever War: One Year After President Obama’s NDU Speech
Today, May 23, 2014, marks the one-year anniversary of President’s important speech at the National Defense University (NDU) setting forth his proposed framework for post-9/11…
NDAA Followup: Outcome on Amendments a Mixed Bag
Here’s a quick follow-up on what happened to the five proposed amendments to the House version of the FY2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that I flagged yesterday.…
David Barron and the OTHER missing memos
David Barron was just confirmed to the First Circuit. To secure that vote, the Administration announced it would not appeal the Second Circuit’s order to turn over a redacted…
Options for Accountability in Syria
The Security Council is poised today to vote on a resolution referring the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC). This would be the third such referral following…
5 Key NDAA Amendments to Watch For
Congress is considering the National Defense Authorization Act this week, and several proposed amendments in the House to this annual authorization bill would have significant…
Is the CIA Drone Program More Accurate than the DOD’s—and if so, why?
Some commentators suggest that we have the data: CIA-directed drone strikes appear to involve fewer civilian casualties (e.g., less collateral damage) on average than DOD-directed drone…