International Law Commons^™

The Analysis Of Transitional Justice Initiatives And The Flaw Of Prosecution On The Past Human Rights Violation In Indonesia (Tanjung Priok Case), Junaedi Saibih, Elwi Danil, Kurnia Warman, Nani Mulyati

Indonesian Journal of International Law

The political transition from the New Order era to Reform Era has initiated questions to the transitional government about transitional justice initiatives. This chapter discusses the theoretical perspectives on transitional justice that have been developed by many scholars in their publications. Besides the theoretical perspectives about transitional justice, this chapter also discusses transitional justice elements, the forms, and the institution of justice in transitional regimes. The discussion in this chapter is important as a measurement of the transitional government initiatives to reach political stability and reconciling with the past. The explanation about the forms and the element of justice then …

The Emerging Jurisprudence Of The African Human Rights Court And The Protection Of Human Rights In Africa, John M. Mbaku

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

During most of the post-independence period, many African countries have either been unwilling or unable to protect human rights or relegated this important function to a small group of poorly funded but brave and courageous non-state actors. Most importantly, some African governments have either actively engaged in human rights violations or failed to bring to justice those who have committed atrocities against their fellow citizens. In the 1970s and 1980s, many African heads of state were more concerned with national sovereignty in an effort to hide the violation of human rights committed within their jurisdictions than participating in the building, …

So Far Yet So Close: Comparing Governing Laws In Arbitration Agreements Under English And Chinese Laws, King Fung Tsang, Weijie Lin

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

The governing law of arbitration agreements determines the validity of an arbitration agreement and equally the entire arbitration. However, there is huge disagreement around the world as to the appropriate choice-of-law rules for deciding this governing law, particularly between rules favoring the governing law of the underlying contract (represented by the English approach) and the curial law (represented by the Chinese approach). By comparing the choice-of-law rules of these two jurisdictions, the authors argue that this disagreement is futile and unnecessary because both jurisdictions’ choice-of-law rules are pro-validity in substance and likely lead to the arbitration agreement being upheld. There …

Two Countries In Crisis: Man Camps And The Nightmare Of Non-Indigenous Criminal Jurisdiction In The United States And Canada, Justin E. Brooks

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Thousands of Indigenous women and girls have gone missing or have been found murdered across the United States and Canada; these disappearances and killings are so frequent and widespread that they have become known as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Crisis (MMIW Crisis). Indigenous communities in both countries often lack the jurisdiction to prosecute violent crimes committed by non-Indigenous offenders against Indigenous victims on Indigenous land. Extractive industries—businesses that establish natural resource extraction projects—aggravate the problem by establishing temporary housing for large numbers of non-Indigenous, primarily male workers on or around Indigenous land (“man camps”). Violent crimes against Indigenous …

A Private Bargaining And Efficient Breach Approach To The Problem Of Us-China Trade: Bringing A Non-Violation Case In The Wto, Daniel C.K. Chow, Ian M. Sheldon

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

When Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump to become president of the United States in 2020, many observers hoped that Biden would reset the troubled US-China trade relationship. The Trump administration had abandoned the rules-based approach to international trade of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and adopted a power-based approach instead. Using a power-based approach, the United States imposed or threatened sanctions if China did not dismantle its state-led economy and terminate the use of industrial subsidies to support its domestic industries. The United States also crippled the dispute settlement system of the WTO so that nations could not challenge US …

Globalize Me: Regulating Distributed Ledger Technology, Roee Sarel, Hadar Y. Jabotinsky, Israel Klein

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT)—the technology underlying cryptocurrencies—has been identified by many as a game-changer for data storage. Although DLT can solve acute problems of trust and coor- dination whenever entities (e.g., firms, traders, or even countries) rely on a shared database, it has mostly failed to reach mass adoption out- side the context of cryptocurrencies.

A prime reason for this failure is the extreme state of regulation, which was largely absent for many years but is now pouring down via uncoordinated regulatory initiatives by different countries. Both of these extremes—under-regulation and over-regulation—are consistent with traditional concepts from law and economics. …

Fishing And Fisheries Under International Water Law: A Dialogue Between Professor Gabriel Eckstein And Professor Paul Stanton Kibel, Gabriel Eckstein, Paul Stanton Kibel

Faculty Scholarship

On April 10 and 11, 2023, the Center on Urban Environmental Law (CUEL) at Golden Gate University School of Law hosted a two-day webinar on International Law Aspects of Fisheries and Hydropower in Europe. To open the webinar, Professor Gabriel Eckstein (of Texas A&M University School of Law) and Professor Paul Stanton Kibel (of Golden Gate University School of Law) participated in a keynote dialogue titled Fishing and Fisheries under International Water Law. What follows is a transcription of this dialogue between Professor Eckstein and Professor Kibel.

Immigration Law's Missing Presumption, Fatma Marouf

Faculty Scholarship

The presumption of innocence is a foundational concept in criminal law but is completely missing from quasi-criminal immigration proceedings. This Article explores the relevance of a presumption of innocence to removal proceedings, arguing that immigration law has been designed and interpreted in ways that disrupt formulating any such presumption to facilitate deportation. The Article examines the meaning of “innocence” in the immigration context, revealing how historically racialized perceptions of guilt eroded the notion of innocence early on and connecting the missing presumption to persistent associations between people of color and guilt. By analyzing how a presumption of innocence is impeded …

The Two-Way Protective Regime Of Intangible Cultural Heritage In Armed Conflict : Application Of Modern Laws In Amalgamation With Earlier Vedic Traditions., Shivesh Saini

Indonesia Law Review

The destruction of property has been dealt with in different conventions across International Humanitarian Law. These regulations, however, demand more clarity in light of constantly evolving warfare methods. One such aspect is the protection of digital intangible assets in several forms of armed conflict. The existing protection conferred to intangible assets is questionable and has been very little addressed in light of international law in contrast with tangible assets. Therefore, the paper seeks to demonstrate the enforceability of existing principles over intangible assets. In addition, there is explicit dependability of protection of these intangible cultural assets on cyber security. The …

Behind The Scenes Of Controversial International Commercial Arbitration: Case Study Of Heirs To The Sultanate Of Sulu V. Malaysia, Tze Chin Ong, James Ding Tse Wen

Indonesian Journal of International Law

Recently, an ad hoc arbitration final award of US$14.92 billion (approximately RM62.59 billion) in favour of the heirs of the 19^th-century sultanate, the late Sultan of Sulu, Sultan Jamalul Kiram II against Malaysia (the “Award”) that was handed down by a sole arbitrator had created much discussion in the international public and private law arena. Following the issuance of the n Award, Malaysia challenged the Award in the Paris Court of Appeal and successfully stayed the Award’s enforcement in France on July 12. During the same time, on July 11, two Luxembourg-registered subsidiaries of the Malaysian …

Competent Forum And Applicable Law In Personal Data Protection With A Foreign Element, Muhammad Faqih Adhiwisaksana, Tiurma Mangihut Pitta Allagan

Indonesian Journal of International Law

This research analyses on personal data protection with a foreign element as a private international law issue, focusing on competent forum and applicable law. The author uses a juridical-normative research method with literature studies to explain the relevant private international law principles, as well as Indonesian laws and regulations surrounding competent forum and applicable law regarding competent forum and applicable law on personal data protection with a foreign element. The study found that various private international law principles may be used to determine the applicable law in personal data protection with a foreign element dispute, such as nationality, place where …

The Protection And Preservation Of Underwater Cultural Heritage: The Practice Of Indonesia, Dhiana Puspitawati, Rangga Vandy Wardana

Indonesian Journal of International Law

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) recognizes the protection and preservation of underwater cultural heritage found at sea by emphasizing preferential rights of the State of country of origin, the State of cultural origin, or the State of historical and archaeological origin. To preserve the rights of such States, the UNCLOS implicitly allows the removal of underwater cultural heritage upon prior approval from coastal States based on the State’s cooperation. On the other hand, the Convention for the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage 2001 (2001 UCH Convention) strictly prohibits any exploitation and commercialization of …

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

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review (CICLR) Blog

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

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review (CICLR) Blog

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.

Amicus Curiae, Stephanie Barclay, Nicole Garnett, Diane Desierto, Richard Garnett, John Meiser, Jorge Barrera-Rojas

Court Briefs

No. T9117732
Sandoval v. Universidad Nacional de Colombia

This Amicus Brief is presented to this Honorable Constitutional Court by the undersigned so that the considerations and arguments contained therein are helpful in the just resolution of the conflict submitted to your knowledge and that, for purposes of clarity, are structured as follows:
(These statements are followed by the Table of Contents)

From the Argument

Non-discrimination on religious grounds in education is expressly prohibited in international human rights treaties, whether regional or universal. Moreover, many of them are ratified by Colombia and therefore impose international obligations of direct and immediate effect, …

The Current State Of Art Restitution Laws, Emily Carbali

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review (CICLR) Blog

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, …

Governance Of Ocean-Based Carbon Dioxide Removal Research Under The United Nations Conventions On The Law Of The Sea, Wil Burns

Maine Law Review

There has been a spate of research in recent years indicating that achievement of the temperature objectives of the Paris Agreement can only be effectuated through both aggressive decarbonization of the global economy and large-scale deployment of so-called carbon dioxide removal (CDR) approaches. While much of the early focus of CDR research was on terrestrial options, such as afforestation, direct air capture, and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, more recently, many in the scientific and policy community have increasingly focused on potential ocean-based approaches, including ocean fertilization, ocean alkalinity enhancement, macroalgae harvesting, and ocean upwelling and downwelling. However, while …

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

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review (CICLR) Blog

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 …

The Weaponization Of Rape: Conflict-Related Rape And The International Criminal Court, Claire Velte

International Relations Honors Papers

Conflict-related rape—once thought to be an inevitable symptom of war—has been legally recognized as both a distinct weapon of war and a crime against humanity, yet it continues to be utilized with impunity. To understand why combatants rape, this paper examines the aspects of military culture that create environments in which raping is not only permissible, but encouraged; additionally, this paper considers cases of genocide in Bosnia and Rwanda in which rape was used systematically to achieve political goals, and how these conflicts contributed to new conceptions of rape in international criminal law. These new conceptions of conflict-related rape created …

A Fake Future: The Threat Of Foreign Disinformation On The U.S. And Its Allies, Brandon M. Rubsamen

Global Tides

This paper attempts to explain the threat that foreign disinformation poses for the United States Intelligence Community and its allies. The paper examines Russian disinformation from both a historical and contemporary context and how its effect on Western democracies may only be exacerbated in light of Chinese involvement and evolving technologies. Fortunately, the paper also studies practices and strategies that the United States Intelligence Community and its allied foreign counterparts may use to respond. It is hoped that this study will help shed further light on Russian and Chinese disinformation campaigns and explain how the Intelligence Community can efficiently react.