Recent Posts

[Ben Saul is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism] The Israeli human rights NGOs Public Committee Against Torture in Israel and Hamoked recently reported that around 6,800 Palestinians are detained by Israel outside the regular criminal justice process. Approximately 3,436 are held as “unlawful combatants” captured in Gaza – although...

On April 4, a group of five states -- Costa Rica, Germany, Sierra Leone, Slovenia and Vanuatu -- formally submitted to the UN Secretary-General the text of a proposed amendment to the Rome Statute. The amendment seeks to harmonise the ICC's jurisdiction over the crime of aggression with the jurisdictional regime that applies to the other crimes. It would do...

[Mona Rishmawi is an international human rights lawyer and a former senior UN official. She worked in several conflict contexts including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Libya, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sri Lanka, Sudan, and Syria.] This post is written in the author's personal capacity. Israel has resumed pounding Gaza. Civilian casualties are mounting, and humanitarian assistance once again is weaponized....

[Azadah Raz Mohammad is a legal advisor for the End Gender Apartheid Campaign and a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne. She is the co-author of the Handbook on Universal Jurisdiction: Holding the Taliban Accountable for International Crimes. Akila Radhakrishnan is an independent human rights lawyer and gender justice expert. She is a legal advisor for the End Gender Apartheid Campaign.] Part I of this post...

[Azadah Raz Mohammad is a legal advisor for the End Gender Apartheid Campaign and a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne. She is the co-author of the Handbook on Universal Jurisdiction: Holding the Taliban Accountable for International Crimes. Akila Radhakrishnan is an independent human rights lawyer and gender justice expert. She is a legal advisor for the End Gender Apartheid Campaign.] On March 8,...

[Maya Nirula is a dual-qualified international human rights lawyer with multi-jurisdictional experience consulting and litigating on issues of business and human rights] Recapitulation  This is the second of a two-part series, the Role of Business in War. Part I: The Old Offense evaluated the interaction between International Humanitarian Law (IHL), International Human Rights Law (IHRL), and International Criminal law (ICL) in governing gross...

[Maya Nirula is a dual-qualified international human rights lawyer with multi-jurisdictional experience consulting and litigating on issues of business and human rights] Introduction  This is the first of a two-part series, the Role of Business in War. Part I: The Old Offense will evaluate the interaction between International Humanitarian Law (IHL), International Human Rights Law (IHRL), and International Criminal law (ICL) in governing...

To have your event or announcement featured in next week’s post, please send a link and a brief description (1-2 paragraphs) to ojeventsandannouncements@gmail.com. Calls for Applications Research Prize of the International Nuremberg Principles Academy to Participate in the Adamas Residencies 2025: The Adamas Residencies are a European residency programme for legal researchers at the Château de Goutelas in Marcoux, France. From 5...

[Ilias Bantekas is Professor of Law at Hamad bin Khalifa University (Qatar Foundation) and Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University, Edmund A Walsh School of Foreign Service Andrew Dahdal is an Associate Professor at the College of Law and Legal Advisor in the Office of General Counsel at the College of Law, Qatar University] Modern international law is an outgrowth of the...

[Javier Urizar is a Guatemalan human rights lawyer, currently working at the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)] National courts have always had an inseparable relationship with human rights. As the controlbody by excellence, they have been fundamental in limiting the acts of authority and sanctioning those responsible for human rights violations. Only if they fail in this task can the...

Featured Announcement The British Institute of International and Comparative Law (BIICL) has announced its 2025 short course programme. Led by BIICL experts and external partners, BIICL's training integrates world-leading research with insights from practice around the world.  This year’s programme includes its highly acclaimed courses: in public international law, climate change law, artificial intelligence, cultural heritage, business and human rights and law...

[Luciano Pezzano is Professor of Human Rights at the University of Business and Social Sciences (UCES, Argentina) and Lecturer of Public International Law at the National University of Cordoba (UNC, Argentina)] On 5 March 2025, the Republic of Sudan instituted proceedings before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for breaches of the Genocide Convention. The...