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
A youth looks out through a metal fence as she stands in the rain in front of a campground.

European Court Tackles the Thorny Issue of Family Repatriation From Northeast Syria

Despite its shortcomings, the ECHR decision on repatriation of alleged IS family members from Syria marks an important turning point.
This photo taken on September 16, 2022, shows the tree used to beat children to death in the former Khmer Rouge prison camp at the Choeung Ek killing fields memorial in Phnom Penh. Mementos such as beads and candles hang from the tree and surround the base, and a sign at the base of the tree says, “Killing tree against which executioners beat children.” Cambodia's UN-backed court set up to try Khmer Rouge leaders ends its work on September 22, but with just three convictions after 16 years' work the tribunal has brought only limited solace to survivors of the genocidal regime. (Photo by TANG CHHIN SOTHY/AFP via Getty Images)

On Crimes Against Humanity, Protect the UN Sixth Committee’s Integrity With Action

The process and the International Law Commission risk irrelevance if the well-supported Draft Articles do not progress to the next phase.
A wide shot of the United Nations General Assembly hall.

Addressing Atrocity Crimes at the United Nations General Assembly’s 77th Session

As the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly’s 77th annual session kicks off, atrocity crimes are being committed in many parts of the world. The U.N. Security Council, with…
Ukrainian and Russian flags.

Richard Gowan on Ukraine and How Russia’s War Reverberates at the United Nations

"This is a wartime General Assembly, and both Ukraine’s allies and the Russians are in town to gain political advantage, not talk peace."
Wide view of the United Nations General Assembly Hall

The Case for Creating an International Tribunal to Prosecute the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine (Part I)

Launching a new high-level series on an international criminal tribunal for Putin’s aggression against Ukraine and the role of the United Nations General Assembly.
A speaker in a white shirt addresses a crowd with a blue sky and clouds behind him. There is a sign that reads "5th Anniversary Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day" and "Hope is Home"

Inching Forward but a Long Road Ahead to Achieve Justice for the Rohingya

Five years after the Myanmar military launched its clearance operation targeting the Rohingya in Rakhine State, the wheels of international justice continue slowly to turn. On…

Gorbachev: The Leader We Needed in My Time

Then-General Counsel of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency Amb. Thomas Graham Jr. recalls the landmark signing of the INF Treaty.
A child stands near two US army vehicles, which carry American flags. Nearby is a male American military officer.

How the FY23 NDAA Can Strengthen Oversight and Transparency of U.S. Security Assistance and Civilian Harm (Part II)

The draft NDAA contains a number of important provisions for preventing and responding to civilian harm.
A line of US soldiers walk in the countryside of the town of al-Malikiya in Syria.

Tit-for-Tat Hostilities In Syria: War Powers and International Law Implications

The Biden administration's latest war powers report to Congress and letter to the UN Security Council raise questions about the domestic and international legal basis for hostilities…
Muslim Uyghurs hold pictures of their relatives detained in China during a press conference in Istanbul, on May 10, 2022. The signs behind them say "Close the Chinese Concentration Camps" and "Rescue Our Families From Camps." Turkey's Uyghur community urged UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet to probe so-called "re-education camps" during a long-delayed visit to China that month, including to Xingjiang, where Western lawmakers have accused Beijing of genocide and crimes against humanity. Bachelet subsequently released her report on Aug. 31. (Photo by OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images)

A UN Report Implicates the Chinese Government in Crimes Against Humanity. What Comes Next?

Governments and UN bodies must act swiftly to hold the Chinese government accountable and protect those who are speaking out.
A man and a woman stand at a microphone, holding a sign that says "March for Our Lives" and a poster of their deceased child. Behind the couple, many protestors who also hold signs sit on the steps of the Texas Capitol building.

Ensuring Access to Courts for Gun Victims: The Case for Repealing PLCAA

Victims of gun violence have the right to a remedy according to U.S. and international human rights law. Congress should repeal PLCAA in order to dismantle the inordinate legal…

A Crisis of Justice for Afghan Victims of War

Afghan citizens are denied justice at every level - from domestic impunity for Taliban crimes to international impunity for abuses by coalition forces. A clarion call from the…
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