Human Rights Law Marko Milanovic explores how lies by state officials, whether in authoritarian regimes or democracies, can constitute violations of international human rights, particularly when they affect freedoms of expression, the right to health, or public participation. He argues that such lies are often integral to or even sufficient for committing human rights abuses, and that both domestic and international deception can have serious legal consequences. Milanovic also examines how lying during human rights proceedings may obstruct justice and undermine the credibility and functioning of human rights institutions. Read the full post here. …
EJIL Analysis
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Is Israel’s Use of Force Against Iran Justified by Self-Defence?
This morning, Israel launched a major military operation against Iran targeting its nuclear programme, including facilities, individual scientists and military leadership. In this post, I will provide a quick, preliminary analysis of the legality of Israel’s use of force against Iran as a matter of the jus ad bellum. As I will explain, Israel’s use…
The Pandemic Agreement: A Milestone in Global Health, but Will it Work?
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant weaknesses in the global legal framework for pandemics. In response, in 2021, WHO member states launched negotiations to develop a new pandemic agreement aimed at addressing the gaps revealed by the pandemic. After three years of negotiations, on 20 May 2025, the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted the WHO Pandemic…
Sanctions, Coercion and the Right to Development
Last week, the Trump administration sanctioned four judges of the International Criminal Court, who were subjected to an asset freeze and a travel ban simply for doing their job. Yesterday, the governments of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom sanctioned two extremist Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, for inciting violence and…
No Longer Hard Law’s ‘Poor Relative’: The Growing Respect for Soft, Non-Binding Legal Instruments in the International Order
In the rich scholarship on and practice of hard and soft laws in the international order, hard law (specifically legally-binding treaties) is often perceived more favourably than soft, non-binding legal instruments, given the former’s precise wording and enforceable obligations compared with the latter’s aspirational remit and assumed transitional status towards hard law. Preference for hard law persists despite…
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