Newsletter October 2019

עברית

Dear Friends,

Welcome to our October 2019 newsletter. We are getting ready for one of the highlights of our IHL year - the 13th national competition on international humanitarian law for students in Israel. The competition, organized by the local delegation of the ICRC with the assistance of ALMA, will take place between 28 - 31 October 2019. We have included an invitation to the competition final in this newsletter, and if you are in the area, we invite you to join us.

In this issue of the newsletter you will also find information about recent publications and upcoming IHL events.

As always, you are welcome to keep in touch via our Facebook page and twitter. In order to subscribe to our mailing list please click here

Best regards

Ido Rosenzweig

ALMA Chairman

Symposium on Organizing Rebellion

1) Ezequiel Heffes, Non-State Armed Groups’ Organizational Structures–Some Thoughts and Inquiries (Opinio Juris)

2) Laurie Blank, Translating the Organization Requirement into the Operational Context (InternationalLaw.org)

3) Marco Sassòli, Sex and Crime (InternationalLaw.org)

Calls for Papers and Opportunities

AFRICAN YEARBOOK OF INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW - Africa and the 70th Anniversary of the 1949 Geneva Conventions: Submissions on the historical, critical, normative, legal, and practical meaning and impact of the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 are welcome. Contributions from an African perspective are particularly welcome. Articles (8000 – 10000 words) should be submitted by 1 March 2020 to the Assistant Managing Editor Lauren Nel at ljnel1988@gmail.com. The journal also publishes current development articles (3000 – 4000 words).

For general inquiries contact the Chief Editor Prof. Mia Swart at miaswart26@yahoo.com.

IHL Articles and Media

1) Michael Schmitt, The Netherlands Releases a Tour de Force on International Law in Cyberspace: Analysis (Just Security)

2) Claus Kreß, A Collective Failure to Prevent Turkey’s Operation ‘Peace Spring’ and NATO’s Silence on International Law (EJIL: Talk!)

3) Michael Schmitt, France Speaks Out on IHL and Cyber Operations: Part I, France Speaks Out on IHL and Cyber Operations: Part II, (EJIL: Talk!)

4) Przemysław Roguski, An Overview of International Humanitarian Law in France’s New Cyber Document (Just Security)

5) Sharon Weill, French foreign fighters: The engagement of administrative and criminal justice in France (Cambridge University Press)

6) Charlie Dunlap J.D., Why an apolitical military is so important in an era of an “All-Volunteer” force (LawFire)

7) Ilya Sobol and Margherita Stevoli, Saudi Oil Attacks Raise Questions About Nature of Yemen Conflict and Legitimate Military Targets (Just Security)

8) Mary Ellen O'Connell, Drone Attacks on Saudi Aramco Oil Installations (EJIL: Talk!)

9) Adil Ahmad Haque, The UN Report and Indiscriminate Attacks in Yemen (Just Security)

10) Richard L. Kilpatrick, Jr., Marine Insurance Prohibitions in Contemporary Economic Warfare (U.S Naval War College Digital Commons)

11) Michael Schmitt, Kieran Tinkler and Durward Johnson, The UN Yemen Report and Siege Warfare (Just Security)

12) Craig Martin, Questions on Legality of Israeli Strikes in Iraq and Lebanon (Just Security)

13) Yishai Beer, Hospital Targeting: A Remedy is Required, Not Counter-Effective Wishful Thinking (EJIL: Talk!)

Local Upcoming IHL Events

1) 13th National Competition on IHL, Tzuba, Israel, 28-31 October 2019.

2) The 14th Annual Minerva/ICRC Conference on IHL – Military Justice and Armed Conflict: an international conference evaluating recent developments in the law and practice related to military justice and, in particular, the degree to which such developments interact with international norms applicable to armed conflicts. The Minerva Centre for Human Rights, Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the International Committee of the Red Cross, Jerusalem, Israel, 11-12 November 2019.

3) ICCSL 2019 : International Conference on Conflict and Security Law: the Conference aims to bring together leading academic scientists, researchers and research scholars to exchange and share their experiences and research results on all aspects of Conflict and Security Law. It also provides a premier interdisciplinary platform for researchers, practitioners and educators to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, and concerns as well as practical challenges encountered and solutions adopted in the fields of Conflict and Security Law The International Research Conference, Jerusalem, Israel, 28-29 November 2019.

Upcoming IHL Events - Worldwide

1) IHL Course for Humanitarian Practitioners and Policy-Makers: the course follows a methodology involving exercises, simulations and discussions based on the actual challenges that humanitarian workers and policy-makers face today. Led by legal practitioners with knowledge of the field, all sessions will focus primarily on concrete examples rather than on pure theory. International Committee of the Red Cross, Geneva, Switzerland, 21-24 October 2019.

2) Conflict in ten years' time - the future of International Humanitarian Law: the Irish Red Cross will be joined by a panel of esteemed speakers from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Defence Forces, and MSF Ireland, who will share their experiences and thoughts on the application of Geneva Conventions and more generally International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in modern 21st century. Irish Red Cross, Dublin, Ireland, 24 October 2019.

3) Legal Dimensions of Contemporary and Future Use of Force: the course provides a comprehensive overview of the legal rules applicable to the use of force, and teaches the skills to work effectively with legal concepts and documents. Geneva Centre for Security Policy, Geneva, Switzerland, 28-30 October 2019.

4) 150 Years of the International Review of the Red Cross: the ICRC is hosting an exhibition inviting the audience to delve into the more than 110,000 pages that form the rich history of the journal with two questions in mind—can a publication change the course of history? Is the explosion of words you see here more powerful than the explosion of bombs in the wars humankind continues to wage? International Committee of the Red Cross, Geneva, Switzerland, 30 October 2019.

5) International Military Course on the Law of Armed Conflict: the general aim of the course is to provide military officers, including operators and military lawyers, as well as civilians, with the opportunity to learn how to apply the principles and rules of the Laws of Armed Conflict (LOAC). International Institute of Humanitarian Law, Sanremo, Italy, 4-15 November 2019.

6) Protection of the Environment in Relation to Armed Conflicts: An Informal Discussion with ILC Special Rapporteur Dr. Marja Lehto: In 2013, the International Law Commission decided to include the topic “Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts” in its program of work. Earlier this year, the Drafting Committee provisionally adopted 28 draft principles on first reading. In this informal discussion, Special Rapporteur Dr. Marja Lehto will discuss the impetus for this initiative, outline its current status, highlight some of the key stakes, and raise issues for reflection and consideration. Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA, United States 4 November 2019.

7) 2019 International Humanitarian Law Conference: Global Movement of Arms: the Saskatchewan IHL Conference will focus on the flow and trade of arms, including looking at the recent accession of Canada to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and what it means for domestic law. University of Saskatchewan and the Canadian Red Cross, Saskatoon, Canada, 4 November 2019.

8) Core Professional Training on Displaced Persons, Refugees, and Armed Conflict: Protection in Law and Practice: this course introduces humanitarian practitioners and policy professionals to the international legal frameworks and standards that protect refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and other forced migrants in situations of armed conflict, including international refugee law (IRL), the relevant provisions of international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law (IHRL), and soft-law instruments. PHAP, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 4-6 November 2019.

9) Thematic Workshop on Displaced Persons, Refugees, and Armed Conflict: the Workshop follows directly on the Core Training and looks in greater detail at specific contemporary topics, building upon the content of the core course. Over two days, the workshop combines presentations by experts and discussions with the participants. PHAP, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 7-8 November 2019.

10) Core Professional Training on Humanitarian Law and Policy: the training serves as an opportunity for experienced humanitarian practitioners, policymakers, and others operating in or dealing with conflict settings to deepen their understanding of international humanitarian law (IHL) and other legal frameworks applicable in times of war, and to explore related policy and operational challenges. Professionals in Humanitarian Assistance and Protection (PHAP), Amman/Dead Sea, Jordan, 10-12 November 2019.

11) International Humanitarian Law in Action: Putting People First: this conference explores the role that International Humanitarian Law (IHL) plays in dealing with contemporary challenges to the protection of civilians in the situation of armed conflict. The conference will bring together experts from the field of IHL including academics, practitioners and representatives from the Red Cross / Red Crescent Movement. Canadian Red Cross, Waterloo, Canada, 12 November 2019.

12) Thematic Workshop on Modes of Engagement with Military Actors: From Deconfliction to Protection Advocacy: this workshop provides an analysis of IHL norms related to targeting and the means and methods of warfare. It also examines specific contemporary issues such as the legal protection of medical facilities and personnel, the use of explosive weapons in urban areas, measures taken to minimize civilian casualties in targeting systems and procedures, and the documentation of alleged violations of the law on the conduct of hostilities. Professionals in Humanitarian Assistance and Protection (PHAP), Amman/Dead Sea, Jordan, 13-14 November 2019.

13) The role of human rights mechanisms in implementing international humanitarian law (Geneva Conventions): this conference brings together graduate and postgraduate researchers (selected on the basis of their proposals) with experienced academics and practitioners from the UN, the ICRC and elsewhere. University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland, 14-15 November 2019.

14) All-European International Humanitarian and Refugee Law Moot Court Competition: a moot court competition based on the Case Study carefully prepared by the organisers in cooperation with the ICRC and UNHCR, which addresses the most pertinent and topical questions relating to international humanitarian and refugee law, drawing on the current crisis situations. The University of Ljubljana, International Committee of the Red Cross, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and Slovenian Red Cross, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 20-24 November 2019.

15) 12th International Conference for Young Researchers on International Humanitarian Law: the Conference is a unique international platform for the discussion of contemporary issues and perspectives related to IHL development among young scholars. International Committee of the Red Cross and the Russian-Armenian University, Yerevan, Armenia, 21-23 November 2019.

16) Special Course on Protection in Humanitarian Settings: From Theory to Practice: this course aims to strengthen understanding of the underlying shared principles and frameworks of protection in humanitarian response, as well as how the different conceptions of protection are implemented in practice by organizations operating in this space. PHAP, Geneva, Switzerland, 25-29 November 2019.

For information about more IHL events from all over the world, please visit ourUpcoming IHL Events webpage