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.
3,523 Articles
The Biden Drone Playbook: The Elusive Promise of Restrained Counterterrorism
The new policy guidance on direct action is welcome, but more work is needed to fulfill the promise of restrained counterterrorism.
The Crime of Aggression: Putting Lukashenko and His Senior Officials on Notice
This week, as Russia intensified attacks on civilians in Ukraine, Belarus’s President Alexander Lukashenko doubled down on his support for Putin’s war of aggression. As Ryan…
Extremist Ideologies and the Roots of Mass Atrocities: Lessons for Ukraine
Mass atrocities consistently depend on justificatory narratives rooted in prevailing ideological worldviews and institutions.
Russian Torture and American (Selective) Memory
"No nation ever has and no nation ever will . . . torture their way to security."
The Politics of the ECCC: Lessons from Cambodia’s Unique and Troubled Accountability Effort
"For all its problems and shortfalls, the ECCC has managed to sentence a head of state for genocide. In a region where authoritarianism is on the rise, the significance of this…
The Law of Occupation Must Address the Lives of Women and Girls
For far too long, occupation law has ignored the experiences of women and girls. It is time to refocus the conversation.
On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Reflections on Tribal Sovereignty in Haaland v. Brackeen
"As Indigenous people and allies celebrate and reflect, it is equally imperative to understand and champion both historical and contemporary issues – and to understand the ways…
At the UN: New Moves to Speak Up for a Crimes Against Humanity Treaty
Amid a new resolution, delegations will need to send a crucial signal that protections for civilians are deepening -- not withering.
Averting Future Mass Atrocities in South Sudan as Peace Terms Stall
Pressing for certain "reforms" carries risks. The US, with allies, can take steps to help avert a further deterioration.
Stop Saying “Annexed Territories”: Alternatives to the Bully’s Term
To say Russia has “annexed” a Ukrainian oblast while Ukraine maintains its territorial claim is, in a minor way, to aid Russia in its wrongful act. The clearest description…
Poland’s Judicial Reform Falls Short of EU Expectations, Complicating Cooperation Against Russia
Pres. Duda’s failure to reverse course on actions that increase tensions and decrease solidarity in Europe weakens their alliance with the US.
The ECCC Begins Winding Down: In Cambodia, a Hybrid Tribunal’s Hybrid Legacy
Constrained by domestic politics and with its final verdict delivered, the ECCC's legacy – like its nature – is a hybrid one.