Category «Comparative/Foreign Law»

Attacks against the International Criminal Court: Who cares about victims of atrocity crimes?

The attacks against the ICC are part of a wholesale U.S. assault on international legal norms and institutions since the 20 January 2025 inauguration of President Donald J. Trump. Exactly a year later, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney made a blunt statement at the World Economic Forum in Davos that the world order has been ruptured, and that we now face a “brutal reality where geopolitics among the great powers is not subject to any constraints.” This article by Catherine Morris, attorney and founding director of Peacemakers Trust, considers what can be done to strengthen respect for human rights and to fulfill the promise of equal justice for the millions of victims of atrocity crimes around the world, who, as their last resort, seek accountability of perpetrators in the ICC.

Subjects: Comparative/Foreign Law, Government Resources, Legal Research, United States Law

Violence Against Women and International Law, April 2024 Update

This is the April 2024 update to first installment of the guide Sabrina I. Pacifici published on November 23, 2023. The initial guide had 8 pertinent sources on this topic comprising government reports, academic papers, reviews of UN/NGO programs, news, databases, analysis and commentary. Part 2 of this series, posted December 31, 2023, expanded the original guide with more than a dozen new sources. The February 2024 update to this guide, added new links to over two dozen sources.
This update comprises recent news, reporting, and social media postings. It also includes a report issued by the UN acknowledging, despite months of denial, prevarication and statements to the contrary in official communications as well as action by various representatives of the organization that…”Based on the information it gathered, the mission team found clear and convincing information that sexual violence, including rape, sexualized torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment has been committed against hostages and has reasonable grounds to believe that such violence may be ongoing against those still held in captivity.”

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Criminal Law, International Legal Research, Legal Research

Trapped in Darkness: Women in Europe remain defenseless against gender-based violence

A new cross-border data investigation by the European Journalism Network reveals gaps in the registration of femicides in Europe and the ineffective protection of women against crimes of sexual, physical, psychological and economic violence over the last decade. Reporting by Janine Louloudi, Nikos Morfonios, and Kostas Zafeiropoulos.

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Comparative/Foreign Law, Criminal Law, Legal Research

AI in Banking and Finance, March 17, 2024

This semi-monthly column by Sabrina I. Pacifici highlights news, government documents, NGO/IGO papers, industry white papers, academic papers and speeches on the subject of AI’s fast paced impact on the banking and finance sectors. The chronological links provided are to the primary sources, and as available, indicate links to alternate free [unpaywalled] versions. Five highlights from this post: How AI is reshaping banking; The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Algorithms; Applying AI to Rebuild Middle Class Jobs; ChatGPT and Corporate Policies; and How Artificial Intelligence Could Start To Boost Crypto Crime: Chainalysis.

Subjects: AI in Banking and Finance, Cryptocurrency, Cybersecurity, International Legal Research, Legal Research, Legislative

Buried under the rubble: Haunted reflections at the turn of the year

The buried children have been haunting Catherine Morris. She states it’s difficult to celebrate the turning of the year while thousands of children remain lost in the rubble of humanitarian catastrophes caused by disasters, political turmoil, and armed conflicts around the world. In 2023, apocalyptic stories of children and families lost through earthquakes, landslides, wildfires, atrocities, and war crimes filled the news. The Middle East and Ukraine dominated headlines while Afghanistan, Myanmar, and other places were pushed from attention. An insistent question began to intrude. “What if it was your kids under the rubble?” In late November 2023 this question suddenly came close to my family.

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Human Rights, International Legal Research, Legal Research, Refugees, Terrorism

Jan. 6 was an example of networked incitement

The shocking events of Jan. 6, 2021, signaled a major break from the nonviolent rallies that categorized most major protests over the past few decades. What set Jan. 6 apart was the president of the United States using his cellphone to direct an attack on the Capitol, and those who stormed the Capitol being wired and ready for insurrection. Joan Donovan and her co-authors, a media and disinformation scholar, call this networked incitement: influential figures inciting large-scale political violence via social media. Networked incitement involves insurgents communicating across multiple platforms to command and coordinate mobilized social movements in the moment of action.

Subjects: Communications, Congress, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Government Contracts, Leadership, Legal Research, Social Media, Terrorism, United States Law

Violence Against Women and International Law – Updated December 2023

Sabrina I. Pacifici is curating sources for their relevance and relationship to this site’s Israel-Hamas War Project articles. The first article on this subject can be read here. Until recent weeks there was a dearth of publicly available information about the scope of sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas. But a New York Times article headline dated December 28, 2023 – “How Hamas Weaponized Sexual Violence on Oct. 7” – focused public attention on the facts. My updated article includes links and abstracts to 12 additional sources that provide corroborating testimonies, some in graphic detail, of the sexual violence committed against the initial victims, as well as against released hostages who have shared their experiences from their time in captivity.

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Criminal Law, Ethics, Human Rights, International Legal Research, Legal Research, Terrorism

Violence Against Women and International Law

LLRX is highlighting research sources for their relevance and relationship to this site’s Israel-Hamas War Project articles. This guide by Sabrina I. Pacifici will be updated moving forward and currently includes 8 pertinent sources comprising government reports, academic papers, reviews of UN/NGO programs, news, databases, analysis and commentary.

Subjects: Education, Ethics, Human Rights, International Legal Research, Legal Research, Terrorism

Hamas isn’t the first military group to hide behind civilians as a way to wage war

Benjamin Jensen, a war strategy expert from American University School of International Service who served 20 years in the military explained that civilians often become pawns in war when one side does not have a military advantage against a stronger adversary – and looks for other ways to weaken their opponent.

Subjects: Comparative/Foreign Law, Healthcare, Human Rights, Legal Research, Refugees, Terrorism

Israel-Hamas War Project

With our new Israel-Hamas War Project – read the first article here – we are doing what we can to help Truth catch up with Falsehood. Our goal is to document accurate, timely and actionable resources for researchers. We hope that providing this guide will assist policymakers, diplomats, analysts, journalists, scholars, and the public. Improved understanding of the law of war should raise the level of public discussion and facilitate better decision-making at this critical time.

Subjects: Criminal Law, Government Resources, International Legal Research, KM, Legal Research, Military, Refugees, Terrorism