Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic has asked the ICTY for a new war crimes trial, accusing prosecutors of delaying the disclosure of crucial information. Ecuador will decide on the application of political asylum from WikiLeaks' founder, Julian Assange, this week. Ecuador's president, Rafael Correa, has said officials must weigh that if he were to be extradited to the United States,...
As I noted last week, I have just finished a long chapter critically assessing the work of the Human Rights Council-created International Commission of Inquiry on Libya (COI). My basic conclusion is that although the COI generally did an excellent job, particularly in terms of its fact-finding methodology, it seems clear that it was less interested in holding the rebels...
I am delighted to report that Oxford has just published my friend Sandy Sivakumaran's massive tome, The Law of Non-International Armed Conflict. Here is the publisher's description: This book brings together and critically analyses the disparate conventional, customary, and soft law relating to non-international armed conflict. All the relevant bodies of international law are considered, including international humanitarian law, international criminal...
Syrian government forces have stepped up the attacks in Aleppo, Damascus, Homs and Idlib while the rebels have made a plea for no-fly zones. The United States and Turkey have said they will look into these options. Human Rights Watch reports that civilians in Aleppo are increasingly exposed to great risk in the conflict and also offers a Q & A...
Upcoming Events The Institute for Global Law and Policy is organizing its 4th Annual Workshop which will bring together 50-100 doctoral, post-doctoral scholars, and junior faculty in Doha, Qatar, from January 4-14, 2013. More information can be found here. Applications to participate should be submitted online by October 15, 2012. The event is intended to be cost-free for all selected participants. The ABA Section...
It may be summer break in the US, but in Australia the academic year is in full swing with Kevin keeping the spotlight on Libya. First, he linked to his new essay on SSRN, entitled “The International Commission of Inquiry on Libya: A Critical Analysis.” Kevin also posted Saif Gaddafi's unsigned statement about the fairness of his trial in Libya, discussed the OPCD's response...
The UK has appointed a senior judge to lead the inquest in the death of Russian ex-spy Litvinenko from polonium poising in 2006 in London. Veteran international diplomat, Lakhdar Brahimi, has been tapped as Kofi Annan's successor as UN-Arab League joint special envoy for Syria. In the Syrian conflict, government troops have forced rebels from a key district in the city of Aleppo. In response to the PILPG...
According to the UN, Afghanistan civilan deaths are down for the first time since it started counting in 2007, though officials say that this is due to an extremely harsh winter rather than improved security. The United Nations also reports that targeted killings in Afghanistan have risen 53%. Ex-British Prime Minister Tony Blair has expressed his deep concern that the UK will...
I honestly believed that the Libyan government couldn't make a public claim more ridiculous than the one about the Swatch with a hidden camera and GPS locator. Silly me for my lack of imagination! Mark Kersten, whose Justice in Conflict blog should be prominently featured in your newsreader, called my attention to this recent gem from the prosecutor in charge...
Oxfam reports that hundreds are being raped and killed in Eastern Congo as the army's deployment to fight rebels has created a security vacuum. The International Criminal Court announced its decision on providing reparations to victims in the case of Thomas Lubanga Dyilo. IntLawGrrls offers two posts (here and here) with commentary about the decision. Foreign Policy offers more insight into the...
For you, dear reader, I risked life and limb to obtain the schematics of the video/GPS Swatch that the OPCD's interpreter used to undermine Libya's national security. After assuming deep cover, prowling some of the world's most dangerous locales, and making contact with too many shadowy characters to count, I finally succeeded. Here it is -- look at your own...
Syrian Prime Minister Riyad Hijab has defected from what he terms the "terrorist regime" of President Bashar al-Assad, while violence rages on in Aleppo. IPS offers an insight into what these high-level defections mean for Syria's future. Syria is also losing support of its ally Iran, whose Foreign Minister will visit Turkey today to discuss the situation in Syria and the capture of...
