Jus Cogens : The International Law Podcast

In this episode, we speak with Cris van Eijk (@crisveijk) on everything from Elon Musk writing a constitution of Mars, to how global south contributions to international space law have been disregarded over time, to discussing challenges of getting into an international law Ph.D., to examining the inclusiveness of the discipline in addition to a host of other issues affecting young and upcoming international lawyers.

You can find more about Cris and his work at:  https://linktr.ee/crisveijk http://www.jusadastra.org/Our-Team.html

Material Referenced in the Episode:

Article - Unstealing the Sky: Third World Equity in the Orbital Commons <https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3909536>

Article - Sorry, Elon: Mars is not a legal vacuum – and it’s not yours, either

Article - International Lawyers, Look to the Heavens – Before We Lose Them

You can listen to the video version of the podcast on anchor.fm/jus-cogens-podcast

https://www.youtube.com/c/JusCogensPodcast

Our Socials:

Twitter: @JCLawPodcast

Blog:   https://juscogens.law.blog/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/JCLawPodcast

In this episode, as the elections for the ILC get closer than ever, Shayan Ahmed sits down with Dr. Danae Azaria to have an in-depth discussion on ILC's role as an interpreter of international law.  

Material Referenced in the Episode: 

Article - ‘Codification by Interpretation’: The International Law Commission as an Interpreter of International Law https://academic.oup.com/ejil/article... https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint...  

You can listen to the audio stream of the podcast on anchor.fm/jus-cogens-podcast  

Our Socials: 

Twitter: @JCLawPodcast  

Blog:   https://juscogens.law.blog/ 

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/JCLawPodcast

In this episode, we talk to Stefan Ziegler - a humanitarian practitioner, lecturer, and filmmaker about his diverse career experiences and his latest documentary film 'Broken - A Palestinian Journey Through International Law' - https://broken-the-film.com/ -  

 Audio stream of the podcast:  

• Anchor.FM: https://anchor.fm/jus-cogens-podcast  

Jus Cogens Socials: 

Twitter: @JCLawPodcast​ Blog:   https://juscogens.law.blog/​ 

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/JCLawPodcast​

This episode features a discussion with Dr. Ntina Tzouvala, trailblazing international law scholar, historian, and author, renowned for her groundbreaking book "Capitalism as Civilisation: A History of International Law. We explore her personal story, approach towards international law, and views on the role of critical scholarship in international law.

Ntina's Twitter: @ntinatzouvala

Material Referenced in the Episode:

Book - Capitalism as Civilisation by Ntina Tzouvala (https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/capitalism-as-civilisation/F66ABF447B13A75739D4644A8674EAD9)

Book - Guano and the Opening of the Pacific World (https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/guano-and-the-opening-of-the-pacific-world/D0713743C3D7F36BFF2B4628D1D9EE69)

You can also audio stream our podcast on the following platforms:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JusCogensPodcast

Our Socials:

Twitter: @JCLawPodcast

Blog:   https://juscogens.law.blog/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/JCLawPodcast

In this episode, the brilliant Dapo Akane joins Jus Cogens for an all-round chat on the UN International Law Commission. We explore the role & function of the ILC and discuss some key issues that its work focuses on. It also features Professor's Akande elevator pitch for the upcoming election of the members of the ILC where he has been nominated as a candidate by 5 countries.   

Material Referenced in the Episode: 

Article - Implications of the Diversity of the Rules on the Use of Force for Change in the Law. https://academic.oup.com/ejil/article/32/2/679/6324073  

Panel Discussion - Implications of the Diversity of the Rules on the Use of Force for Change in the Law by American Society of International Law https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhKJZpEM73s  

You can also audio stream our podcast on the following platforms:  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JusCogensPodcast

Our Socials: 

Twitter: @JCLawPodcast​ 

Blog:   https://juscogens.law.blog/​

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/JCLawPodcast​

1. On the 16th of June we will officially be saying goodbye to current ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, after which Karim Khan will be taking the post. In Bensouda’s final briefing before the UN security council, which took place on the 9th of june, the chief prosecutor took the opportunity to reflect on her recent visit to Sudan, and emphasised the urgent need to execute the four outstanding arrest warrants, including the warrant for former Sudanese Minister of state, Ahmad Harun.

2. The European Commission has sent a letter of formal notice to Germany, stating a breach of the principle of supremacy of European Union Law. The infringement proceeding is the result of the German Federal Constitutional Court’s PSPP judgement of May 5th 2020. Here the Court declared that the Public Sector Purchase Programme of the European Central Bank, as well as the Heinrich Weiss judgement of the European Court of Justice were ultra vires. The commission noted it is concerned about the precedent being set by the German court for other Member States. Germany has two months to respond.

3. Lastly, the Jus Cogens blog is open to submissions for its International Criminal Law series, where we focus on the international criminal court but also general international criminal law. Submissions should be no longer than 1500 words and can be sent to our editors at [email protected]. For more information, check out our blog at juscogens.law.blog.

1. The public hearings on the question of reparations in the case concerning Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo concluded on the 30th April. The International Court of Justice has begun its deliberation in the case.  

2. ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda presented the Office’s 21st report on the Situation in Libya to the UN Security Council. She outlined the work of the team from the ICC in Libya over the past year, focusing in particular on evidence of serious crimes committed in detention facilities.   

3. On the 25 of May, 2021, the confirmation of charges hearing in the case of The Prosecutor v Ali Kushayb concluded before Pre-Trial Chamber II of the ICC. In accordance with the Regulations of the Court, the Pre-Trial Chamber will deliver its written decision within 60 days.   

4. In light of the escalation of violence in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as in and around Gaza, the ICC also voiced concern about the possible commission of war crimes.   

5. Opinio Juris has opened a call for applications for an unpaid Editorial Assistant Position with the blog. Applicants are required to send their CVs and a short letter of motivation to the team by no later than the 7th of June, 2021. More details are present on the blog’s webpage.

In this episode, Prof. Naz Modirzadeh joins us to discuss the implications of state silence concerning the right to self-defense. It aims to explore the application of self-defense in general and also in the context of counterterrorism. 

Resources for the podcast: 

https://pilac.law.harvard.edu/quantum-of-silence-paper-and-annex

https://pilac.law.harvard.edu/arriaformula-meeting-briefing

Jus Cogens socials:

• Website/Blog:   https://juscogens.law.blog/

• Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/JCLawPodcast

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/JCLawPodcast

• Audio Stream on Anchor. FM:  https://anchor.fm/jus-cogens-podcast

1. After days of fresh violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel, the UN security council met in a specially convened session where attendees called for a ceasefire and for both sides to respect international humanitarian law.

Among many targets leveled by Israeli Airstrikes over the last week, one included a building housing various international media outlets such as the Associated Press and Al-Jazeera. As a result, a Paris-based media watchdog, Reporters Without Borders, has asked the international criminal court to investigate Israel’s bombing of the building as a possible war crime.

2. A report recently published by 9 Human Rights organisations under the ‘Protecting Rights at Borders Initiative’ suggests that EU States have been informally cooperating to deny refugees asylum rights. The report was released at a time when the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, Dunja Mijatović singled out Greece on the practice of pushing back migrants at the land and sea borders it shares with Turkey.

3. A new law pushed through parliament and passed in Australia allows refugees to be detained indefinitely and allows the government to withdraw a person’s refugee status recognition – declaring they can be returned to the country they fled. More than 30 legal academics and refugee law practitioners have signed a joint statement to government arguing that the new law “increases the risk that refugees and others in need of protection will be detained indefinitely and without adequate judicial review.” The statement also stresses that “this is contrary to international law and inconsistent with the practices of other democratic countries”.

In episode 25, Omer talks to Olga Kavran, the former head of outreach and legacy at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon on the work of STL, its 2020 judgment, and its outreach program. More info can be found about the tribunal can be found at https://www.stl-tsl.org/en

Jus Cogens socials:

• Website/Blog:   https://juscogens.law.blog/​

• Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/JCLawPodcast

​• Twitter: https://twitter.com/JCLawPodcast

​• Audio Stream on Anchor. FM:  https://anchor.fm/jus-cogens-podcast