Recent Posts

Here’s your weekly selection of international law and international relations headlines from around the world: Africa Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir has travelled to Indonesia, defying an international warrant for his arrest, to attend an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation summit. South Africa’s human rights record will be reviewed for the first time by the UN Human Rights Committee. Africa Union peacekeeping forces (AMISOM) backed by Somali...

In a tumultuous U.S. presidential campaign season, it is easy to conclude that the U.S. is hopelessly polarized between a proto-fascism and a proto-communism. But while there may be some truth to that observation with respect to immigration and economic policy, it is worth noting that the presidential candidates of both parties agree on many issues of foreign policy, even...

Sponsored Announcements The Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law is happy to announce its call for applications to the 2016 Program of Advanced Studies on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, which takes place in Washington D.C. from May 31 – June 17. This annual Program offers 19 courses in English and Spanish lectured by over 40 scholars of relevance in...

[Liora Lazarus, BA (UCT), LLB (LSE), DPhil (Oxon), is an Associate Professor in Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Oxford, and a Fellow of St. Anne's College. Her primary research interests are in comparative human rights, security and human rights, comparative theory and comparative criminal justice.] The UN WGAD Assange decision was initially met with incredulity and general ridicule from British...

We are pleased to announce that Opinio Juris will begin an occasional series on international law and Presidential politics. Foreign policy and international law have been a central topic of discussion among the U.S. presidential candidates, and there is much fodder for discussion regarding the fidelity of their positions with the United States’ commitments under international law. The...

In a surprise announcement late last week, the Second Circuit granted a hearing in the Haiti Cholera Case.  The hearing will take place tomorrow, and the lawyers will have had only 4 days to prepare.    While no reasons were given as to why the hearing was granted so suddenly, the speculation is that upon reading the papers, at least...

Here’s your weekly selection of international law and international relations headlines from around the world: Africa Angola said on Friday it has proposed that the United Nations Security Council impose an arms embargo on South Sudan, where more than 10,000 people have been killed in a two year civil war sparked by a political dispute between the country's leaders. Cameroon's army has killed...

Sponsored Announcements This summer 2016, SOAS will be offering five different law short courses, co-convened by leading academics in the field. Through a mixture of lectures, readings, discussions and activities, the courses will explore contemporary issues of; Gender, Conflict & Law, English Law in the Global Context, Climate Change Law and Policy, International Law: Contemporary Issues, Migration, Radicalisation and the Law....

Just a minute ago, President Obama announced yet again his intention and desire to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. There are no particular surprises here. From what I heard listening to his comments, the plan is merely a renewed push to get Congress to cooperate on closing the prison. Specifically, Obama suggested that the detainees who cannot be...

[Dr. Aaron Matta is a Senior Researcher at The Hague Institute for Global Justice, Rule of Law Program. Anca Iordache is an intern within the Rule of Law Program the Institute. With many thanks to Stephen Rapp, Danya Chaikel and Lyal S. Sunga for their helpful feedback on earlier drafts of this commentary. The views expressed here do not necessarily...