International Law Commons^™

Indigenous Peoples, Land Grabs In Brazil, And The Fight For Official Recognition, Christian Zavardino

CICLR Online

In recent years, the Indigenous peoples of Brazil have fought a host of legal obstacles to maintain sovereignty over their traditional ancestral lands, in large part owing to the policy imperatives of successive presidential administrations and Congresses that have favored agribusiness interests and commercial development of Brazil’s interior regions at the expense of the Indigenous peoples who live in these areas. The Brazilian Constitution of 1988 guarantees Brazil’s Indigenous peoples legal recognition of their ancestral lands via the “land demarcation” or “official land recognition” process, providing that the federal government shall recognize “their original rights to the lands they traditionally …

Putin Skirts The Icc: The Invasion Of Ukraine And The Symbolic Power Of International Law, Corbin Gregg

CICLR Online

Much can be said about the role of international law in shaping the behavior of states and leaders. Often maligned, international organizations face criticism from those who wish to see them do more: punish human rights violations, sanction aggressive state actors, and prevent wars of aggression. While these are overall purported goals of international organizations, the way they attempt to effectuate change is sometimes unclear. Nowhere is this more true than the way the international organizations have reacted to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review on December 26, …

Testing The Boundaries Of Torture: Forced Circumcision As A Crime Against Humanity, Marina Coriale

CICLR Online

Female genital mutilation (FGM) has history that extends across countless cultures and regions, impacting women and girls around the world still searching for redress and reparations. Knowing this, the international community should understand the necessity of providing a space for FGM survivors in the International Criminal Court (ICC).

This post was originally published on the Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review on December 4, 2023. The original post can be accessed via the Archived Link button above.

A Comparative Analysis Of The Animal Protection Laws In The United States And Switzerland, Kelly Ziyu Xia

CICLR Online

In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” This statement underlines the significance of how a society cares for those under its dominion, particularly those who are defenseless. Animal welfare laws vary widely across the globe, reflecting the diverse approaches taken by different countries to protect the interests of animals. While the United States has made commendable strides, the current legal framework for animal protection remains inadequate. Both Switzerland and the United States have federal laws that aim to protect animal welfare, but …

Applicants Beware: Chinese Trademark Fraud Is Rampant, And It Is Affecting U.S. Trademarks, Lily Barash

CICLR Online

If you are looking to file a trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), you should raise your vigilance. When the COVID-19 pandemic sent people in the United States into emergency lockdown, brick and mortar businesses closed their doors and people started opening their minds. People found new, and more, ways to be creative and e-commerce began to boom. With budding ideas, creators and companies recognized the imperativeness of protecting their intellectual property. The USPTO announced that as of June 17, 2021, it had experienced an increase of roughly 63% in trademark applications filed over the …

Out Of The Shadows: The Need For Increased Scrutiny Of Shadow Banking In China, Benson M. Clements

CICLR Online

Zhongrong International Trust Co., a Chinese investment trust with significant real estate exposure, has missed payments on dozens of corporate trust products since late July. Retail investors are left with frustration and panic as they fear they may have lost their life savings. Regulators are concerned they may have to further tame an already faltering economy. It may be time to question the free reign with which shadow banks have enjoyed for decades.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review on November 14, 2023. The original post can be accessed via the Archived Link …

Writer V. Big Pharma: How John Green, Author And Youtuber, Fought The Evergreening Of A Drug Patent, Rachel Bier

CICLR Online

Tuberculosis (TB), an illness caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is the deadliest disease in human history. In the 1950s and 1960s, scientists developed several drugs that could treat TB. These developments meant that TB became a curable disease. However, TB remains a terrible epidemic in poor communities around the world. About 4,000 people die from TB every day, with over eighty percent of those deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review on November 9, 2023. The original post can be accessed via the Archived Link button …

Higher Wages In A High Inflation World: What The United States Can Learn From Icelandic Unionization, Jack Berroug

CICLR Online

Since March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the entire world, inflation has slowly been on the rise. OECD countries across the globe immediately felt the effects of inflation and despite the increase in wages amongst workers globally, inflation outpaced nominal wage growth for many countries. Over the past couple years, many of the capitalist OECD countries have dealt with inflation in various ways with varying degrees of success. One capitalist country in particular has kept up with real wage growth despite inflation: Iceland. Iceland is the most unionized country in the world with 90 percent of its workplace …

From Maritime Pushbacks To Naval Blockade: How Europe Is Drowning In Legal Pitfalls, Martine Bjørnstad

CICLR Online

As if haunted by the past, the headlines are once again filled with cautionary tales of Europe’s unsecure borders and looming migration crisis. The arrival of 11,000 migrants on the Italian island of Lampedusa in early September, amidst deadlocked negotiations over the European Union’s New Pact on Migration and Asylum, has again sparked debate in Europe about how to tackle illegal immigration from North Africa. The proposed solution that has perhaps drawn the most attention is that of a naval blockade.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review on October 25, 2023. The original …

Island States Turn To The Law To Fight Climate Change, Adam Auerbach

CICLR Online

The sea is rising. 2023 has seen the highest annual average sea level in recorded history, with sea level measuring four inches above 1993 levels. To many, this may seem inconsequential. However, for those in developing countries, particularly small island nations, rising sea levels present a very real, very pressing threat. For these island countries, the danger of losing their statehood and sovereignty is all too real “as their land surface may be totally covered by the sea or become fully inhabitable” in the near future.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review on …

Collaboration, Exclusion, And Refuge: Ftx’S Cross-Border Insolvency Strategies, Ethan Ashley

CICLR Online

The recent collapse of FTX and ensuing insolvency proceedings in the United States has stoked conversation regarding the administration of cross-border cryptocurrency insolvencies. In the case of FTX, insolvency proceedings in the United States, Australia, Turkey, and the Bahamas have demonstrated an unprecedented global footprint for a cryptocurrency exchange. As a result, these proceedings will have long-lasting impacts and may serve as a road map for how regulators and administrators can cooperate and navigate competing regulatory pressures and proceedings in the future.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review on October 2, 2023. The …

Hiding Art In Freeports, Wendy Li

CICLR Online

In Tenet, one of Christopher Nolan’s time and reality bending movies, we are introduced to freeports. Robert Pattinson’s character, Neil, must steal something from a freeport and in a few scenes, through his time in the freeport’s vaults, we learn a bit on why freeports exist and what people store in them. In a tour, the guide tells Neil that clients can store anything in the freeports and the vault that they walk through holds expensive collections of paintings and artifacts. The items are “shipp[ed] to and from other freeports without customs inspection.” From there, we are brought on a …

Inspiration For How The Doj Can Handle Its Antitrust Investigation Against Ticketmaster, Brandon Simon

CICLR Online

“It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me” is not something Ticketmaster would have anticipated Congress would mandate it to admit about itself, but that all changed after its botched sale of tickets for Taylor Swift’s upcoming U.S. stadium tour.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review on May 2, 2023. The original post can be accessed via the Archived Link button above.

An Outlook On Whether Competition In High-Voltage Transmission Line Development Is Necessary?, Andrew Leahy

CICLR Online

Various concerns, such as climate change, supply issues, and bad actors with vast energy resources, have increased global interest in increasing power grid security and efficiency. One method to increase power grid security and efficiency that has gained popularity is using high-voltage powerlines, cables transporting energy over long distances with minimal power losses along the route. The People’s Republic of China has been at the forefront of implementing high-voltage powerlines within its borders. For example, the Changji-to-Guquan project, which began in 2019, consists of a 1,100-kV direct current line spanning 2,046 miles, “roughly the distance between Los Angeles and Cleveland.” …

Election Fraud In Romania, Mara Nicole Chiriac

CICLR Online

Election fraud is a severe issue that has plagued Romania's political system for decades. The electoral process in Romania has been affected by a variety of fraudulent conduct, from suspicions of vote buying to cases of ballot stuffing. This is a significant issue that must be addressed to safeguard the future of the democratic process in Romania and the integrity of its elections.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review on April 27, 2023. The original post can be accessed via the Archived Link button above.

The Current State Of Art Restitution Laws, Emily Carbali

CICLR Online

New York’s Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is currently in litigation regarding the Blue Period painting “Women Ironing” by Pablo Picasso. The painting was originally owned by Karl Adler and his wife Rosi Jacobi. Their heirs filed a suit in New York Supreme Court last week arguing that the painting would not have been sold but for the owner’s duress due to Nazi persecution. The family seeks return of the painting or compensation at the painting’s current market value, estimated at up to $200 million.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review on April 25, …

Understanding China's Cryptocurrency Stance: Analysis Of The Recent Developments And Future Prospects, Zhengchun Wan

CICLR Online

In September 2021, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), China’s central bank, in conjunction with nine other state bodies, including the police and the supreme court, issued a statement regarding the country’s stance on cryptocurrency businesses. There, regulators have explicitly stated that all cryptocurrency trading, exchanges, and investments—both crypto-to-crypto and crypto-to-fiat—are prohibited, whether they are carried out through domestic or international platforms. Despite China’s official strong hostilities toward cryptocurrencies, some believe the policy might change soon.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review on April 24, 2023. The original post can be accessed via …

Damar Hamlin: Legal Implications Of An Nfl Injury, Evan Feder

CICLR Online

On January 2nd, 2023, in an NFL game played between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills, Damar Hamlin, a Bills safety, tackled Bengals receiver Tee Higgins. After the collision, Hamlin stood up and began to walk, but after two steps he collapsed to the ground. He went into cardiac arrest and was given CPR and was later taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in critical condition. On the following Monday, January 9th, Hamlin was released from the ICU, and he has continued to improve since then. It was an extremely rare injury; in fact, there has only …

Bolsonaro: Extradition And The Limits Of The Political Exception Doctrine, Allison Herstic

CICLR Online

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s recent move to Florida represents a potential clash between the immunity afforded to former political leaders and the notion of extradition – a treaty-based obligation to return individuals charged with offenses to their home country.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review on April 3, 2023. The original post can be accessed via the Archived Link button above.

Law Of Art, Law Of War: The Legacy Of The Law Of War In International Cultural Property Law, Richard G. De Schweinitz

CICLR Online

Issues of international art law tend to center on the restitution of lost works of art to their owners across borders. Wars today engender many disputes over rightful ownership; but historically, these conflicts were decided rather simply by the law of nations. Per one Judge Croke, “all property belonging to the enemy shall be liable to confiscation”. However, one of the earliest principles of just war in the modern era was the extension of special protections to works of culture. This principle, developed in the international conflict context, evolved through a lineage of international agreements into the basis for modern …

Always A Suspect: Law Enforcement’S Use Of Location History Data In Criminal Investigations, Aaron A. Bengart

CICLR Online

Imagine taking your dog on a walk around the neighborhood or visiting an ill parent in a nursing home and suddenly being considered a prime suspect in a serious criminal investigation. This has happened to a multitude of people over the past few years as law enforcement has increasingly used Location History data to identify perpetrators of criminal activity in every US state. For example, Zachary McCoy found himself as a suspect in a local home invasion simply for riding his bike past the house at issue multiple times on the day of the invasion. Consequently, Mr. McCoy felt obligated …

Deterrence, Punishment, Or Retribution: American Criminal Prosecution Of Sayfullo Saipov And Intern, Madeline Epstein

CICLR Online

On Halloween in 2017, Sayfullo Saipov drove a large truck into dozens of people on the cycling and pedestrian pathway near the West Side Highway in Manhattan, causing eight deaths and numerous injuries. Saipov was allegedly acting on behalf of the Islamic State (“ISIS”), and the Southern District of New York charged him with twenty-eight counts, including murder and attempted murder in aid of racketeering and provision of material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, among other included charges. Saipov, a citizen of Uzbekistan, was found guilty by the American jury on all counts during the guilt phase of …

Facial Recognition Law: Why Should We Care?, Xueyang Peng

CICLR Online

What if you are a lawyer and you would like to spend an evening enjoying your favorite artist’s concert at the Radio City Music Hall? Or a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden? The first thing you should check is not the ticket price, but rather whether you, or your law firm, has made the MSG blacklist. Even though for years, the owner of MSG has been using the blacklist to exclude its enemies (and their associates) from setting foot in any MSG-owned venue, the facial recognition technology (“FRT”) just brought this practice to a new level.

This post was …

Privacy Enforcement In Action: Eu Regulators And Us Attorneys General Take On Big Tech, Benjamin Wade

CICLR Online

In the twenty first century, it is impossible to avoid using internet capable devices and programs in our everyday lives. As a result, significant amounts of personal data have become more accessible than ever before, putting the privacy of countless people at risk. To protect user privacy, companies providing services must limit the accessibility of personal data and comply with existing data privacy and protection laws. If they fail to do so, regulators and law enforcement agencies must ensure proper compliance.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review on March 22, 2023. The original …

Duty-Free Shopping: Comparing Tax-Free Travel Restrictions Of The Eu And The United States, Sarah Lerche

CICLR Online

If you have been to an airport, you have likely come across the heavily stocked, halogen lit, mini shopping malls just across from your departing gate. Affixed with the large “Duty-Free” logo, these tempting variety stores lure travelers in with their notorious “tax-free" goods, that “typically offer a distinct assortment of luxury goods-like alcohol, jewelry, and beauty products-to outbound international travelers.” But the question looms, whether these duty-free shops are actually saving customers money, and how countries restrict such purchases throughout international travel. This piece will explore those two questions by comparing the European Union (EU) and the United States …

To Drink Or Not To Drink? Canada’S New Guidelines For Alcohol Consumption, Lauren Cutler

CICLR Online

On January 17, 2023, Canadian health officials from the Centre on Substance Abuse and Addiction released new guidelines for alcohol consumption, replacing a previous set from over ten years ago. These guidelines are reflective of “growing evidence, after decades of sometimes conflicting research, that even small amounts of alcohol can have serious health consequences.” In the technical summary, the Centre states that the costs associated with alcohol use in Canada in 2017 were a whopping $16.6 billion. $5.5 billion of that sum was attributable to healthcare costs.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review …

Should Canada’S Expansion Of Its Medical Assistance In Dying Program Concern Americans?, Tova Wolkenstein

CICLR Online

After suffering from severe chronic back pain and fearing losing his home, 54-year-old Canadian Amir Farsoud applied to Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying program (MAID) to alleviate the stresses of his life. Farsoud is just one instance of an individual choosing to die with a physician’s help under the new criteria of MAID. As Canada is America’s “neighbor to the North,” the expansion of physician-assisted suicide there might be a canary in the coal mine as to what will happen in the United States, unless there is an active pushback to stop it.

This post was originally published on the …

Arbitration: Who Does It Better?, Emma Pearson

CICLR Online

Arbitration is a form of dispute resolution used as an alternative to litigation. It has become an increasingly common method of dispute resolution in the United States, with over 9,000 cases and 15 billion dollars going to arbitration in 2021. Arbitration is seen as a beneficial alternative to litigation in the United States for a number of reasons. It takes much less time than traditional litigation so parties can expect to have a resolution to their claim much faster. Additionally, it can be much more cost effective than litigation because it does not have the same extensive discovery process as …

Turkmenistan's Ban On Beauty Services, Samantha Lauring

CICLR Online

In an act that further restricts the rights of women in Turkmenistan, the Turkmen government has imposed a ban on beauty services and limitations on what women can wear. The ban prohibits women from receiving beauty services from salons, including eyelash and nail extensions, tattoos, injections, and hair bleaching. “Sexy” outfits, tight-fitting clothes, and Western-inspired garments are also prohibited under this new mandate.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review on February 27, 2023. The original post can be accessed via the Archived Link button above.

Artificial Vs. Non-Artificial Intelligence: What Does Chatgpt Mean For Labor And Employment?, Ahren Lahvis

CICLR Online

ChatGPT has set the world ablaze. The publicly available and free-to-use chatbot is an application programming interface (API) that generates responses to language requests through artificial intelligence (AI), and processes millions of such requests per day. Released for public access in November 2022, ChatGPT can, upon request, produce jokes, TV episodes, music, and computer code. Students now use it to write papers, businesses use it to create promotional materials, and lawyers use it to draft legal briefs.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review on February 14, 2023. The original post can be accessed …