Two Weeks in Review, 19 May – 1 June 2025

Over the previous two weeks, EJIL: Speak’s publications explored a number of key points. These embody developments in worldwide legal regulation, debates over state obligations arising from the warfare in Gaza, and the implications of Tunisia’s withdrawal from the African Court docket. As well as, contributions delve into the position of worldwide legal professionals and students in defending the liberal order, the Persian Gulf naming dispute, water rights in Kashmir, labor requirements within the fisheries sector, and evolving state follow within the cyber area. This evaluate concludes with a preview of the forthcoming situation of the European Journal of Worldwide Legislation, highlighting key areas of rising educational inquiry.

Worldwide Felony Legislation

Kushtrim Istrefi and Robert Muharremi critique a current choice by the Kosovo Specialist Chamber that rejected the appliance of the lex mitior precept to a warfare crimes case. They argue the Chamber wrongly claimed autonomy from Kosovo’s authorized framework, regardless of obligations underneath the Structure and ECHR to think about extra lenient legal guidelines. The authors warn that this undermines legality and basic rights in worldwide legal justice. Learn their full evaluation right here.

Rana Moustafa Essawy argues that every one states have a common authorized obligation to arrest Israeli officers Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant for alleged grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions. The writer contends that this responsibility is a jus cogens norm, not restricted to ICC member states, which overrides conflicting norms, similar to diplomatic immunity. Though the ICC has not issued arrest warrants for grave breaches, the writer maintains that widespread allegations alone are adequate to set off states’ responsibility to arrest, regardless of ICC motion. Learn the total submit right here.

Vincent Chetail argues that the removing of Palestinians from Gaza, whether or not by way of ‘voluntary’ emigration or inside evacuations by Israel, violates worldwide humanitarian regulation and constitutes each a warfare crime and a criminal offense in opposition to humanity. Chetail demonstrates that underneath worldwide authorized requirements, displacement underneath coercive circumstances, even when framed as voluntary, is illegal and can’t be justified by navy necessity. The writer requires the pursuit of accountability measures in each worldwide and home courts. Learn the total submit right here.

Worldwide Human Rights Legislation

Sol Meckievi explores how regional human rights courts, notably the ECtHR and IACtHR, are shaping worldwide authorized norms on states’ obligations for local weather change, which can affect the ICJ’s upcoming advisory opinion on the problem. These courts have more and more acknowledged that local weather change poses threats to basic human rights and have developed authorized frameworks that increase state accountability past territorial borders, primarily based on ideas like attribution, foreseeability, and capability to behave. Meckievi argues that the ICJ has a historic alternative to consolidate these evolving norms right into a coherent authorized paradigm, probably recognizing local weather obligations as erga omnes and even jus cogens norms underneath worldwide regulation. Learn the total submit right here.

Nicole De Silva and Mary Amadi analyze Tunisia’s choice to withdraw particular person and NGO entry to the African Court docket on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR), making it the fifth nation to take action amid growing authoritarianism and disrespect for the Court docket’s rulings. The authors place Tunisia’s transfer inside a broader sample of state backlash in opposition to the Court docket, as governments push again when rulings problem their political actions or suppress opposition. The authors warn that continued withdrawals threaten the Court docket’s legitimacy, cut back entry to justice, and widen the hole between its meant continental attain and its shrinking sensible affect. Learn their full evaluation right here. 

E book Dialogue

Over the previous week, EJIL:Speak hosted a guide dialogue on the Handbook on Creating a Nationwide Place on Worldwide Legislation and Cyber Actions: A Sensible Information for States authored by Kubo Mačák, Talita de Souza Dias and Ágnes Kasper. 

Of their submit, the authors introduce the handbook, designed to help States in creating and publishing nationwide positions on how worldwide regulation applies to cyber actions. The authors stress the rising significance and complexity of this situation throughout this period of elevated cyber threats. The authors focus on the motivations, processes, authorized significance, and challenges States face in formulating these positions, emphasizing their position in fostering dialogue, clarifying authorized norms, and contributing to customary worldwide regulation. The Handbook additional underscores the necessity for broader participation, particularly from less-represented areas, and means that the nationwide place mannequin may assist deal with authorized uncertainties in different rising international applied sciences.

Second, Danielle Yeow discusses the significance and challenges of states creating nationwide positions on how worldwide regulation applies to cyber actions, highlighting the roles these positions play in communication, authorized growth, and prevention of battle. Yeow outlines the important thing motivations for states to situation such positions, together with enhancing authorized readability, accountability, and home cyber resilience, whereas additionally addressing constraints like useful resource limitations and strategic considerations. Finally, the writer stresses that issuing a nationwide place is a sovereign choice and anticipates that extra states will take part on this evolving course of sooner or later. Learn the submit right here.

Lastly, Mohamed Helal examines how the continued international debate on the appliance of worldwide regulation in our on-line world is reshaping foundational worldwide authorized guidelines, with practically 40 States and regional organizations issuing detailed place papers on key ideas like sovereignty, use of drive, and humanitarian regulation. Helal highlights that whereas States agree worldwide regulation applies in our on-line world, important variations stay on how particular guidelines function on this area, underscoring the significance of States, particularly from underrepresented areas, to actively take part in shaping this dialogue. Learn the total submit right here. 

Defending the liberal order

Kjersti Lohne explores the essential position of legal professionals and the authorized occupation in defending and sustaining the ‘liberal worldwide order’, particularly throughout instances of political disaster and rising illiberalism. Lohne highlights how authorized networks function transnationally to advertise political liberalism, human rights, and the rule of regulation, whereas additionally critically inspecting challenges like geopolitical energy imbalances, colonial legacies, and selective enforcement that undermine this order. Finally, the writer requires renewed scholarly give attention to the resilience and transformation of worldwide regulation amid shifting international politics and the dangers of an rising intolerant worldwide authorized order. Learn the total submit right here. 

Naming the Persian Gulf

Masoud Zamani explores the authorized and historic dimensions of the Persian Gulf naming dispute amid experiences that the Trump Administration thought of utilizing “Arabian Gulf.” Zamani highlights the longstanding use of “Persian Gulf” in international maps and scholarship, and Iran’s constant objections to alternate options pushed by Pan-Arab nationalism. Drawing on vital knowledge principle from worldwide regulation, Zamani argues that Iran’s declare is stronger as a result of historic continuity and broad worldwide recognition. The submit emphasizes that naming rights, whereas symbolic, intersect with deeper problems with cultural legitimacy, authorized precedent, and state follow, and usually are not simply altered by unilateral state actions. Learn the total submit right here.

Water Rights in Kashmir 

Rishabh Bajoria analyzes the authorized implications of India’s unilateral launch of water into Pakistan-Administered Kashmir following its announcement that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) could be held “in abeyance.” Bajoria argues that India’s actions doubtless violate each the IWT and customary worldwide regulation, because the treaty doesn’t allow unilateral suspension and India failed to offer required discover to Pakistan. The writer additionally underscores the long-standing influence of India-Pakistan water disputes on Kashmiris, who proceed to endure the environmental and political penalties. Learn the total submit right here. 

Fisheries and Labor Rights

Chris Wold discusses the adoption of binding labor requirements by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Fee (WCPFC) to fight fashionable slavery and unlawful, unreported, and unregulated fishing, emphasizing that labor rights are integral to sustainable fisheries administration. Wold outlines the challenges, limitations, and significance of the brand new WCPFC Conservation and Administration Measure, which goals to guard fishing crew from abuses like compelled labor and poor working circumstances. Wold argues for the adoption of various measures to make sure efficient safety of fishers and sustainable fisheries worldwide. Learn the total submit right here.

A New Problem of EJIL is Coming Out! 

Quantity 36(1) of the European Journal of Worldwide Legislation shall be revealed quickly. Within the meantime, the desk of contents for the forthcoming quantity might be discovered right here. As well as, see the foreword to this quantity by Francisco-José Quintana right here, and the “Evaluations” by Gail Lythgoe and Christian Tams right here. EJIL’s “Important Statistics” revealed by Anny Bremner might be discovered right here.