Latvia’s State Security Service (VDD) was reported on Saturday to have initiated criminal proceedings against Tatjana Ždanoka, a European Parliament lawmaker (MEP) and Latvian citizen, on suspicion of cooperating with Russian intelligence and security services, according to local Latvian media outlets. Per media reports, the VDD had been investigating the activities of Ždanoka, 73, following [...]
Search Results for: 2004-02-03
Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) on Monday accused the US of orchestrating a covert campaign to interfere with the upcoming Russian presidential election, set to take place on Mar. 15-17. The spy agency claims the administration of US President Joe Biden has ordered a group of American NGOs to stifle voter turnout in a bid [...]
The Taliban's Approach to International Law Could Determine the Legal Status of Their Regime
On August 15, 2021, Taliban forces seized Kabul, bringing an end to the era of the internationally sponsored Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (IRA), and reviving the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) in its place. While the Taliban’s approach to issues of rights remains unchanged, their control over Afghanistan is virtually unchallenged for now, fostering inevitable [...]
The resumption of any kind of negotiations or diplomatic ties with the Taliban should come with principles and conditions. Such conditions should be no less than those enshrined in the fundamental principle of human rights and dignity and expected in a multi-ethnic and democratic country. Afghanistan cannot afford to settle for anything less than the [...]
ICC president delivers annual report amid one of court's 'most active periods'
The president of the International Criminal Court (ICC) presented the court’s annual report to the UN General Assembly Monday. The address took place 25 years after the original signing of the Rome Statute and outlined one of the court’s “most active periods since its establishment.” ICC president Judge Piotr Hofmański summarised the evolution of the [...]
Interview: Columbia's Jeffrey Sachs on Russia, Ukraine, and International Justice
Economist and foreign policy expert Jeffrey Sachs, a best selling author and director of Columbia University’s Center for Sustainable Development, has long argued that Russia’s hostility toward Ukraine was provoked by the U.S. vis-à-vis pushes for NATO expansion, military interventions, and other forms of meddling. In an interview with JURIST Assistant Editor Pitasanna Shanmugathas, Sachs [...]
The Impact of Stagnant Legal Aid Rates on Access to Justice in Australia
Access to justice is a foundational principle of the rule of law and is often phrased as requiring “the right of equal access to justice for all” through governments providing “fair, transparent, effective, non-discriminatory and accountable services.” In Australia, this principle was described in Dietrich v. The Queen as “the equal justice for all principle.” [...]
Brothers detained in Guantanamo Bay without charge released after 20 years
The US Department of Defense (DOD) Thursday announced the transfer of two brothers detained without charge in Guantanamo Bay for 20 years. The brothers, Abdul and Mohammed Rabbani, arrived in Pakistan on Friday. Pakistani Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, who long championed their release, praised their release in a tweet. He stated the brothers “escaped from [...]
Since February 24, 2022, Ukraine has been defending itself from the acts of aggression by the Russian Federation. The unprovoked invasion by Russia, one of the largest military forces in the world, has resulted in over 1,100 civilian casualties based on the official UN records, with the actual casualties considered to be significantly greater. The [...]
Russia’s Use of Force Against Ukraine: An International Law Perspective
The basic international law One of the most fundamental rules of international law is that States are prohibited from using force to resolve their international disputes. Any State that uses force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another State violates this solemn rule of international law. Applying this rule, the use of force [...]