Book Symposium: Existing Legal Limits to Security Council Veto Power in the Face of Atrocity Crimes

This week, we have the pleasure of hosting an exciting discussion on Jennifer Trahan’s award-winning book, Existing Legal Limits to Security Council Veto Power in the Face of Atrocity Crimes, published by Cambridge University Press.

From the Publisher:

In this book, the author outlines three independent bases for the existence of legal limits to the veto by UN Security Council permanent members while atrocity crimes are occurring. The provisions of the UN Charter creating the veto cannot override the UN’s ‘Purposes and Principles’, nor jus cogens (peremptory norms of international law). There are also positive obligations imposed by the Geneva and Genocide Conventions in situations of war crimes and genocide – conventions to which all permanent members are parties. The author demonstrates how vetoes and veto threats have blocked the Security Council from pursuing measures that could have prevented or alleviated atrocity crimes (genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes) in places such as Myanmar, Darfur, Syria, and elsewhere. As the practice continues despite regular condemnation by other UN member states and repeated voluntary veto restraint initiatives, the book explores how the legality of this practice could be challenged.

After Jennifer introduces the symposium, we have fantastic posts lined up by Charles C. Jalloh, Dire Tladi, Milena Sterio, Roger S. Clark and Carrie McDougall. Please follow along and join the conversation in the comments section.

A list of the posts (and links to them) in order of publication:

Jennifer Trahan, New Perspective for Tackling a Core Challenge to the UN System on the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations

Charles C. Jalloh, Are there Jus Cogens Limits to UN Security Council Vetoes in Atrocity Crime Contexts?

Milena Sterio, Voluntary Veto Restraint Initiatives as Evidence of the Global Community’s Disapproval of the Use of the Veto Power

Dire Tladi, Doing Away with the Veto for Atrocity Crimes? Trimming the Edges of an Illegitimate Institution in Order to Legitimise It

Roger S. Clark, Reflections on Trahan’s Book

Carrie McDougall, Mass Atrocities and the Security Council–The Limits of the Law

Jennifer Trahan, Reply to Professors Sterio and Clark, and Dr. McDougall

Jennifer Trahan, Reply to Professors Jalloh and Tladi