Explainer: The Israel-Hamas War and the International Criminal Court
The current conflict engulfing Israel and Palestine raises significant issues of international law and policy. This is part one in an anticipated two-part series that will discuss some of the relevant legal questions before the International Criminal Court (ICC; Part I) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ; Part II). With both courts located in [...]
Israel, Counter-Terrorism, and International Law: The Analytic Challenges of 'System'
“The existence of `system’ in the world is obvious to every observer of nature, no matter whom.” Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, The Phenomenon of Man (1959) Whether conspicuous or obscure, terrorism generally presents itself as a systemic challenge. This means, inter alia, that seemingly singular strategic and legal matters may actually be many-sided and interrelated. Regarding legal issues, though [...]
After Afghanistan: Taliban Power, Palestinian Terrorism and Islamist Sacrifice
“History is an illustrious war against death.” – José Ortega y Gasset, Man and Crisis (1958) Afghanistan and “Palestine”: Newly Emerging Linkages At first glance, there are no obvious connections between the Taliban victory over the United States in Afghanistan and Palestinian terrorism against Israel. Upon closer inspection, however, the recent Taliban triumph reflects more [...]
Under Article 1 of the Convention on the Rights of Child, a “child” is defined as a human being below the age of 18 years old and, in legal parlance, a child is referred to as a minor. A study by UNICEF found that 1 out of 3 girls and 1 out of 5 boys [...]
Kosovo appeals court upholds acquittal of deputy PM on war crimes charges
The Republic of Kosovo Court of Appeals on Wednesday upheld the acquittal of current Deputy Prime Minister Fatmir Limaj on war crimes charges. Limaj had been accused of committing war crimes during the Kosovo War in 1998. At the time, Limaj served as a commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). The accusation claimed that Limaj, [...]
International Religious Freedom Summit Fails to Mask Trump’s Scorn for Human Rights
From degrading disabled people, women, LGBT individuals, and other minorities to the forsaking of the United Nation Human Rights Council, and from separating migrant families to the coddling of authoritarians and racists, this presidency consistently ridicules human rights. It follows that the State Department’s first international conference to Advance Religious Freedom might trigger a collective [...]
The UK Court of Appeal ruled on Wednesday that terminally ill Noel Conway can proceed with challenge of the country's law against assisted dying. Noel Conway, a retired college lecturer, was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in...
A UK court of appeals declined on Thursday to allow a man with a terminal disease the right to seek his own death. Noel Conway has terminal motor neurone disease and is only expected to...
The EU Confronts the Ukraine Crisis—Carefully Handling the Double-edged Sword of Self-determination?
JURIST Guest Columnist Larry Eaker of the American University of Paris discusses the EU's position on the Ukraine Crisis ... "United in Diversity"—The Official EU Motto The sweeping expansion of the EU over the past 20 years has seemed to...
UN rights experts call for investigation into death of China lawyer
UN human rights experts on Tuesday called for a full investigation into the death of Chinese human rights activist Cao Shunli. Cao was an influential human rights lawyer and activist in China who "tirelessly campaigned since 2008...
