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.
3,768 Articles

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.

11 Takeaways from Senate Hearing on Expanding War Crimes Act and a Crimes Against Humanity Statute
Bipartisan hearing with takeaways for Ukraine War, International Criminal Court, war crimes and torture prosecutions and more.

The United Nations in Hindsight: The Long and Winding Road to Security Council Reform
The UN Security Council's inability to address Russia's war against Ukraine has generated renewed interest in ideas for Security Council reform -- but "the path to reform may be…

In Weaponizing Asylum Seekers, DeSantis & Abbott Unwittingly Demonstrate the Possibility of Safe Transit Policies for Migrants
Ironically, the governors' actions show that the US could implement policies that better reflect the realities of migration - by treating migrants has human beings rather than…

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.

Bombing for Peace in Somalia? Time for a Different Approach
The path to peace in Somalia cannot rest on counterterrorism operations alone.

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.

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."