Search: Syria Insta-Symposium
18 Dec Update on Syria
In yesterday’s Washington Post, we find an article in which Detlev Mehlis, the chief UN investigator into the murder of Rafik al-Hariri, actually accuses Syria of direct involvement in the assassination, as well as linking Syria to the murder of Gibran Tueni. While we can only sit and wait for the UN to release its evidence, let’s hope that what has been gathered is so damning that Russia, China, and Algeria will have no hope but to support punishment. I’m skeptical…but slightly hopeful that the UN will actually be able...14 Sep Brief Thoughts on the Russia-US Deal (and No, I’m Not in Favor of Force)
it wouldn’t be illegal.) So what do I think of the US-Russian deal? For what it is, and assuming Assad complies, it seems like a good idea. Anything that reduces Syria’s stockpiles of chemical weapons is positive. Although I don’t think Assad ordered the Damascus attack, I have no doubt he would use chemical weapons if (as seems unlikely at that this point) the rebels ever threatened to overthrow his regime. And of course someone in the Syrian military used chemical weapons, so it would be great if that could...15 Dec Enforcing Law and Punishing Syria, Part 2
Unsurprisingly, and as I suspected, the UN is having difficulty maintaining its focus in the investigation into Syrian involvement in the assassination of Lebanese former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri. And, while the investigation has been extended by six months, several members of the Security Council, including Russia, China (both with veto power) and Algeria, have resisted calls to accuse Syria of uncooperative behavior and to pressure Syria towards greater cooperation with the probe. This points out a serious problem for the UN specifically, and the prospects of international law more...
15 Nov Multinational Lafarge Facing Unprecedented Charges for International Crimes: Insights Into the French Court Decisions
...criminal complaint filed in France in 2016 by Sherpa, the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) and a dozen former Syrian Lafarge employees, which addressed Lafarge’s activities in Syria via its subsidiary, Lafarge Cement Syria (LCS), the parent company (Lafarge SA) was indicted in June 2018 for complicity in crimes against humanity, endangering the lives of others, financing terrorism, and violating an embargo. The judicial inquiry revealed that, to maintain operations in its newly renovated cement factory in Syria, Lafarge transferred at least 15 million US dollars to...12 May The Security Council Won’t Even Go Dutch with the ICC on Syria
There are many reasons to be skeptical of the Security Council referring the situation in Syria to the ICC, not the least of which is that an ICC investigation is unlikely to accomplish anything given the ongoing conflict. (One that Assad is almost certainly going to win.) But just in case that’s not enough, take a gander at this provision in the draft referral: [The Security Council] recognizes that none of the expenses incurred in connection with the referral, including expenses related to investigations or prosecutions in connection with that...23 Nov Melbourne Journal of International Law, Vol. 11-1: Opinio Juris Online Symposium
We are delighted to introduce the second online symposium issue of the Melbourne Journal of International Law hosted by Opinio Juris. This week will feature three pieces published in our most recent issue — issue 11(1). The issue was generalist in its focus and saw articles on topics as diverse as the law of space tourism, the right to cross-examine prosecution witnesses in international criminal courts and the nature of legal inquiry in the Mekong River basin. Three of the authors published in 11(1) will be contributing to this online...
16 Apr Symposium on Confronting Colonial Objects: Introduction
...our following posts show, return processes involve national or post-colonial rebranding. They often fail engage with radically different positionalities or inflict new forms of epistemic violence through seemingly ‘neutral’ frames or labels (‘shared heritage’, cooperation, loan). For instance, the management of return claims reduces the engagement with the past to technical-bureaucratic processes (e.g., de-accessioning, transfer of ownership). These factors may impede new encounters with material culture or past histories and a renewal of social relations. This symposium seeks to engage with some of these dilemmas, including some of the themes...
30 Sep Distant Justice Symposium: An Introduction by Phil Clark
[Phil Clark is a Professor of International Politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London. An Australian by nationality but born in Sudan, Dr Clark is a political scientist specialising in conflict and post-conflict issues in Africa, particularly questions of peace, truth, justice and reconciliation. This is the latest post in our symposium on his book, Distant Justice: The Impact of the International Criminal Court on African Politics .] When I began researching Distant Justice in 2006, the rhetoric within the ICC and...08 Jun Virginia Journal of International Law, Vol. 49-4: Online Symposium
The Virginia Journal of International Law is delighted to continue its partnership with Opinio Juris this week in this online symposium featuring three articles and two essays recently published by VJIL in Vol. 49:4, available here. Today, Dr. Anne T. Gallagher, Head of Operations of Equity International, Technical Director of Asia Regional Trafficking in Persons Project, and former UN Adviser on Trafficking, will discuss her article Human Rights and Human Trafficking: Quagmire or Firm Ground? A Response to James Hathaway. In a Fall 2008 article published in the Virginia Journal...
16 Apr Symposium on Confronting Colonial Objects: Introducing Debates
...(Principle 10: Multi-dimensional memorialization), and Non-Recurrence (Principle 11: Reviewing object ontologies and cultural national foundations of inalienability and deaccession laws, Principle 12: Object protection in source countries or communities of origin, Principle 13: Due diligence duties of auction houses and private collectors, Principle 14: Decolonial education). What new perspectives does the symposium provide? I am grateful for contributors to set the broader themes discussed in the book into perspective. The first set of posts focus on extractive histories and legal frames in a broader context. Alonso Gurmendi Dunkelberg discusses the...