UN Charter
187 Articles
Legal Questions (and Some Answers) Concerning the U.S. Military Strike in Syria
Unpacking the right of self-defense under international law when it comes to use of force in response to a series of attacks.
The Definition of Aggression and Self-Defense
Exactly forty-six years ago, on December 14, 1974, the United Nations General Assembly adopted, by consensus, the Definition of Aggression, “the most serious and dangerous form…
Revisiting the Office of Legal Counsel’s Override Opinion
A critical analysis of 1989 OLC Opinion that would allow President to use force in violation of UN Charter and without Congressional support.
Toward a New Approach to National and Human Security: End Unlawful, Secret, and Unaccountable Use of Lethal Force
A core component of post-9/11 counterterrorism policy has been the use of secretive and unaccountable killings of terrorism suspects. The killings must stop. Here's how the president…
Despite US Veto, Desperate ISIS Suspects and Families Remain at Risk
There is good news and bad news from the recent UN Security Council vote on a dangerously flawed draft resolution on so-called “foreign terrorist fighters."
The UN Charter’s Original Effect on State Sovereignty and the Use of Force
In 1945, not all states were UN members and not all territories were states: Dehn explains how use of force and self-defense rights under the Charter reflect these different statuses…
The UN Security Council Is About to Dangerously Undermine Fair Trial Guarantees
Dangerous flaws in a current draft U.N. Security Council resolution on foreign fighters need to be addressed, if the Security Council is to live up to its responsibility to respect…
The Challenges of a New UN Security Council Resolution on Foreign Fighters
The United Nations Security Council is actively negotiating a new Chapter VII resolution directed at the regulation of so-called “foreign terrorist fighters” this month. The…
A Threat or A Warning: Russia’s Weapons Testing in Space
Are there rules governing the use of weapons in space? A well-established framework of international law centered on the Outer Space Treaty (OST), to which all major spacefaring…
The UN Cannot Live on Past Laurels: The Time for Courageous Leadership on Anti-Black Racism Is Now
The U.N. and its specialized agencies must take action to redress anti-Black racism within and beyond its institutional walls.
The United Nations Charter at 75: Between Force and Self-Defense — Part Two
A more complete view of the UN Charter explains why there are no unwritten exceptions to the prohibition of force.
The United Nations Charter at 75: Between Force and Self-Defense — Part One
As we celebrate the Charter’s seventy-fifth birthday, a deep dive into its negotiating history shows that the right of self-defense under Article 51 is triggered by an act of…