International Law
665 Articles
America’s “Unequivocal Yes” to the Torture Ban
Last week in Geneva, the U.S. delegation appeared before the Committee Against Torture and announced important changes to the U.S. government’s legal position regarding the…
Does International Law Matter?
Editors’ Note: The following post is the ninth installment of a new feature, “Monday Reflections,” in which a different Just Security editor will take an in-depth look…
UN Panel: Blackwater Convictions are the “Exception, not the Rule”
Last week’s Blackwater convictions highlight an urgent need for an international treaty ensuring that private security contractors are held accountable if they commit human rights…
An Obligation to Prevent Rebel Groups from Committing Atrocities
It’s no secret that several nations (including the United States) are arming or otherwise supporting rebel groups in Syria, and that Russia is doing the same in eastern Ukraine.…
International Agreements—and Disagreements—on Cybersecurity
Russian media report here and here that Russia and China are preparing to sign a cybersecurity treaty when Vladimir Putin visits China on November 10. The reported agreement would…
Reflections on Hassan v UK: A Mixed Bag on the Right to Liberty (Part 1)
A few weeks ago, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (GC) gave judgment in Hassan v UK . The GC found that the British government did not violate Tarek…
Obama’s ISIL Legal Rollout: Bungled, Clearly. But Illegal? Really?
Editors’ Note: The following post is the fourth installment of a new feature, “Monday Reflections,” in which a different Just Security editor will take a…
Towards a Global Debate? UN Human Rights Council Takes on Drones
On Monday, the UN Human Rights Council’s (HRC) expert panel on the use of armed drones and international law, expressed clear consensus around the need for greater transparency…
Now is the Time to Think About Detentions with ISIL: A Response to Benjamin Wittes
Over at Lawfare, Ben Wittes shrugs off Jeff Stein’s important question,“What Will U.S. Forces Do With ISIS Prisoners?” Ben’s reaction, I believe, minimizes several important…
Strikes in Syria: The International Law Framework
[Cross-posted at Lawfare] As is now well-known, the United States last night hit approximately 25 targets inside Syria, some of which were directed at ISIL, and some at a group…
Unwilling or Unable: A Roundup of Just Security’s Debate on the Legality of Airstrikes Inside Syria
While it was only last night that the United States and five Arab nations began air strikes against ISIL and the al-Qaeda-linked Khorasan group inside Syria, Just Security has…
The United States’ Long (and Proud) Tradition in Support of the Extraterritorial Application of International Human Rights Law
[Editor’s Note: Just Security is holding a “mini forum” on the extraterritorial application of human rights treaties in light of the release of two State Department memos and…