Why international law is still the world’s best defence. By former ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and her chief of staff Sam Sasan Shoamanesh

The combined human and environmental toll of this unlawful and unnecessary war is obscene

What must follow is accountability. Great work by @bellingcat.com

“The Unwillingness to Call This Illegal Is a Terrible Mistake” Five Questions to Oona A. Hathaway Read it in English here: verfassungsblog.de/the-unwillin... And in German here: verfassungsblog.de/die-weigerun...

For an earlier discussion of related practice in Gaza see www.justsecurity.org/109263/gaza-...

Historians will refer to this era as the "Warcrimapalooza period"

The costs (human, political, financial, social) of the Iraq war 2003 have been utterly devastating. This time, the lack of planning and the disregard of international law are even more manifest. Don't want to think how devastating this war can be (and already is). www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...

10 years negotiating the criminalization of ecocide, endless academic discussions about its definition and requirements, meanwhile the most powerful army in the world doesn’t care that intentionally hitting oil refineries can poison a city of 9 million people and the environment. It’s infuriating.

1/ Timothy Snyder posted this at 2am. He's right. But the full picture is even worse than he describes. Here's what I've found about the evidence and implications 🧵

The United Kingdom is not only aiding and assisting the United States’ unlawful use of force against Iran but also is running the risk of committing an act of aggression itself. The 1974 Definition of Aggression of the UN General Assembly includes the following:

A U.S. submarine’s deadly attack on an Iranian warship does not appear to have violated international or American military law, though it’s not yet clear whether the sub took sufficient measures to rescue nearly three dozen survivors, legal experts said.

You know who is getting things done today? ICC appeals court judges. They just released a decision keeping former Philippine President Rodrigo Dutertein custody.

"No stupid rules of engagement ... no politically correct wars" US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth

Maybe this is too international law of me, but you can’t liberate women by slaughtering school girls.

Anyone working in #InternationalJustice should not stop calling for this to be investigated and prosecuted, the same way we do in other contexts. #IntLaw should be upheld for everyone. If Putin, if Netanyahu, then also Trump and co. #Accountability #Justice #UnitedStates #Iran

Sometimes when I look at my students I feel so lucky I was born in the 80s. They really don’t have it easy on so many levels. Let’s normalize asking them to meet certain standards but then give positive feedback when they meet them. Or open up about their challenges.

This is sociopathic

Remember the t-shirts and campaign to “bring back our girls” kidnapped by Boko Haram? Well, turns out you are the Boko Haram of Iranian girls.

The gap that's opened up between the military capacity of the United States (unmatched in human history) and its political and diplomatic capacity (none) is frightening

every time I hear speeches by Trump and his gang about wars I get 20+ years younger and immediately start singing to my head: youtu.be/zUzd9KyIDrM?...

Seeing Iranian friends begging to "not stand against the ongoing war" because it is "exactly like the D-Day operation to take down the Nazi regime" is both dumbfounding and heartbreaking. I guess that when you live in a world full of wannabe-Hitlers, wishful thinking is the last refuge.

Your periodic reminder there is an ICC arrest warrant out for Netanyahu

The U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran are illegal. Iran's attacks in Gulf States are illegal. The U.K. defending Gulf States is legal, but allowing the U.S. to use its bases is illegal. In short, everyone is violating international law and should stop. My latest @justsecurity.org

“Luxembourg state bank Spuerkeess decided at the end of February 2025 to close the two accounts held in the name of the International Criminal Court … because it was apparently concerned about jeopardising its business with the United States” www.luxtimes.lu/luxembourg/l...

Spain out there single-handedly preserving the future possibility of Western civilization.

The American Society of International Law has published a statement on the US Use of Force against Iran

For the record: the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Antonio Tajani, has said (and I quote) that “Iran has provoked the reaction of the US and Israel”. Victim blaming at its finest to appease the bullies. www.ilpost.it/2026/03/01/t...

And this is how European leaders lost any little credibility they had left after Gaza. We’re beyond double standards, we’re acquiescing to clear violations because we can’t upset “our” bully. (So why should a small country bordering with Russia/China/India/you name it do otherwise?)

I hope you all stop bragging about the EU’s “commitment to international law", is "support for multilateralism", its "normative power", and the like. This is getting grotesque. I’m not thinking only of EU scholars, but them too. www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/pre...

Masks are off: this is not even pretend self-defence. This is bombing and targeted killing seeking regime change. The masks are off and we need to take note of who will be standing up for international law and the international legal order. No room for hypocrisy.

International lawyers: US-Israel strikes on Iran are illegal European government officials: are the strikes illegal? WhO cAN sAy? Certainly not us. The media: Iran takes illegal escalating action across the Middle East

Indeed illegal. EU and its member states must say this, otherwise contributing to the disregard of the norm itself (on the prihibition of the use of force), eventually undermining its own security.

Fighting terror with terror, the War on Terror continues to be a War OF Terror that will see civilians suffer the brunt

why does anyone still believe anything trump says? serious question. his mode involves prevarication, denial, secrecy, unilateralism & deception. if he says he takes action because of [noted reason], is there any ground to take him at face value?

Has anybody found any confirmation that Netanyahu might have fled to Germany after Israel’s attack on Iran? I’ve seen rumors spreading online but no official news

Horrible man killed by other horrible men telling the entire world that the only justice comes from the sky in the form of missiles. Which has been and always will be the easiest way to trigger further violence and empower more horrible men.

The difference between how European states respond to these attacks (and Venezuela) compared to Greenland are telling about the hypocrisy involved. A willingness to tolerate - or enable - illegal war when it happens "out there."

108 schoolgirls killed during a blatantly illegal war lauched to distract from domestic politics. The international community needs to unambiguously condemn it if international law means anything to it.

THIS

Add this wonder to the list of spineless and unprincipled takes of EU representatives for foreign affairs - AKA representatives of the EU’s irrelevance

Iran must be bombing itself

To everyone who cheerleaded Carney's faux speech in Davos & posturing as independent middle power - His atrocious statement today backing US-Israeli attacks on Iran make clear that he & Canada are firmly aligned with dominant imperial interests. And he did so while shaking hands with Modi in India

I want to throw up, really

Hillbilly irony. #Satire

Every single word:

Another super interesting and informative episode of our favorite podcast

Impressive words. >70 orders violated. Actions do, indeed, have to follow

A man who manages to survive genocide but can't survive ICE. This is what happens when cruelty isn't an outcome but the very purpose of policy.

🚨Calling all #intLaw researchers! A team at Leiden is doing a research project on what research methods we use & how we choose our research methods. Help our colleagues by filling in the survey about your #research! www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/research/...