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.

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3,508 Articles
Konstantin Ivashchenko (seated in foreground on the right), former CEO of the Azovmash plant and appointed pro-Russian mayor of Mariupol, visits a polling station as people vote in a referendum in Mariupol on September 27, 2022. He is seated in a green uniform in front of a desk where poll workers are examining documents, and a uniformed, armed soldier wearing a balaclava is standing behind him. In the background is another desk with poll workers on one side and a civilian on the other, possibly a voter. Western nations dismissed the referendums in Kremlin-controlled regions of eastern and southern Ukraine as the voting on whether Russia should annex four regions of Ukraine started on September 23, 2022. (Photo by STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images)

Dealing with Putin’s Nuclear Blackmail

The risk cannot be dismissed, but giving in to his threats in his war on Ukraine would create a precedent that he likely would use elsewhere.
Rubble lies on the floor near the site of a recent Al Shabab attack on the Hayat Hotel, seen through the window of an armoured car on September 4, 2022 in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Bombing for Peace in Somalia? Time for a Different Approach

The path to peace in Somalia cannot rest on counterterrorism operations alone.
Russian Federation Minister for Foreign Affairs Sergey V. Lavrov speaks during the United Nations Security Council meeting at the United Nations Headquarters to discuss the conflict in Ukraine on September 22, 2022 in New York City.

The Case for Creating a Special Tribunal to Prosecute the Crime of Aggression Committed Against Ukraine (Part IV)

Discussing details for an international tribunal for aggression against Ukraine including outreach, victim participation, and more.
Ukrainian and Russian flags.

US Intervention in Ukraine v. Russia at the ICJ: A Q&A with Chimène Keitner

"The recent flurry of interventions shows that the ICJ proceeding continues to serve as a rallying point for Ukraine’s supporters."
Smoke rises from a Russian tank destroyed by the Ukrainian forces on the side of a road in Lugansk region on February 26, 2022.

Mobilized to Commit War Crimes?

As Russia mobilizes its troops against Ukraine, States must review the asylum claims of those who desert, surrender, or flee conscription.
Russian Federation Minister for Foreign Affairs Sergey V. Lavrov speaks during the United Nations Security Council meeting at the United Nations Headquarters to discuss the conflict in Ukraine on September 22, 2022 in New York City.

The Case for Creating a Special Tribunal to Prosecute the Crime of Aggression Committed Against Ukraine

Discussing details for an international tribunal for aggression against Ukraine including outreach, victim participation, and more.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remotely speaks on a screen during the United Nations General Assembly. Next to the screen is the United Nations emblem.

The Case for Creating a Special Tribunal to Prosecute the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine (Part III)

Rules of procedure and evidence; how many to prosecute; rights of accused; double jeopardy (non bis in idem); amnesty; immunity; penalties.
People attend a rally and a concert in support of annexation referendums in Russian-held regions of Ukraine, in Saint Petersburg on September 23, 2022. - Voting on whether Russia should annex Kremlin-controlled regions of Ukraine opened Friday as the West denounced the referendum that has dramatically raised the stakes of Moscow's seven-month invasion.

Q&A on Russia-Backed Referendums in Eastern Ukraine and International Law

"There is simply no legal route through which a referendum can take place unilaterally without the consent of the territorial state."
A pair of hands behind metal bars.

How Biden Can Bring Detained Americans in Iran Home

This week, the Biden administration agreed to swap Afghan drug lord Bashir Noorzai for the freedom of U.S. citizen Mark Frerichs, who the Taliban held in captivity for the last…
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (L) speaks at a Security Council meeting on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He is surrounded by others, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The Case for Creating a Special Tribunal to Prosecute the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine (Part II)

Ця стаття також доступна українською мовою тут. [Editor’s Note: This article is part of a Just Security series, Prosecuting the Crime…
A woman displays photographs of her family.

In ICC Investigation of 2008 Russia-Georgia War Crimes, Don’t Let Justice Delayed Become Justice Denied

Delivering justice at the ICC for the long-neglected victims of the 2008 Russia-Georgia war requires international community support.
Different national flags fly in front of the General Secretariat Building at the United Nations Headquarters.

Tracking UNGA 77: Notable Moments and Key Themes

During the next two weeks, Just Security will highlight expert analysis and issues relating to the 77th United Nations General Assembly.
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