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Lawfare: inside the pursuit to weaponise international law
Left: the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Right: the International Criminal Court in The Hague. © Vincent Isore/IP3 Press/ Dmitry Rukhlenko/Newscom/imageBROKER/MaxPPP//Indigo Publications 2023

Running story
Lawfare: inside the pursuit to weaponise international law

As diplomatic tensions surge worldwide, international law has returned to the forefront as a major point of conflict between the powers that be. States competing to take the lead in global affairs are each seeking to bend international legal practice to their will, be it by challenging the current rules or striving to keep them. That war of influence, for and by the law and commonly known as lawfare, is giving rise to hushed battles in the corridors of the international organisations that Intelligence Online investigates in depth.

Lawfare: inside the pursuit to weaponise international law
Left: the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Right: the International Criminal Court in The Hague. © Vincent Isore/IP3 Press/ Dmitry Rukhlenko/Newscom/imageBROKER/MaxPPP//Indigo Publications 2023

Spotlight | Israel
Lawfare: Mossad unleashes legal weapon at the ICC

The Israeli organisation Shurat HaDin-Israel Law Center opposes the International Criminal Court's requests for arrest warrants against its country's leaders. It claims links with the Mossad, which has made the court a priority target.

International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan.
LogoSubscribers only Government Intelligence 10.09.2024
International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan.

Europe, Israel, United States
Israel at the ICC: both sides flex legal muscles

The legal debate over whether the International Criminal Court should issue arrest warrants for Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant has seen an intense influence battle between the pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian camps, each backed by organisations sympathetic to their cause.

ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan (centre) requested arrest warrants for Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant on 20 May 2024.
LogoSubscribers only Government Intelligence 27.08.2024
ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan (centre) requested arrest warrants for Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant on 20 May 2024.

Europe, Iraq, United States
Inside the UN investigation of Islamic State crimes closing at Baghdad's request

Intelligence Online has obtained the latest bitter report from the team set up by the UN to investigate the Islamic State in Iraq. Several ongoing investigations, such as the organisation's sources of funding, are to be halted without conclusion.

Christian Ritscher, head of the UN fact-finding mission into crimes committed in Iraq by the Islamic State.
LogoSubscribers only Government Intelligence 25.03.2024
Christian Ritscher, head of the UN fact-finding mission into crimes committed in Iraq by the Islamic State.

Netherlands, United States
Tech sector to help international justice fight cyber-enabled crimes

The International Criminal Court is working with tech firms, particularly Microsoft, in a bid to establish how tech can best support international justice to address cyber-enabled crimes through the Rome Statute system.

Karim Khan, prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.
LogoSubscribers only Surveillance & Interception 18.03.2024
Karim Khan, prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

Iraq, United States
The 66 terabytes of documents on ISIS driving a wedge between UN and Baghdad

The Iraqi government and the United Nations investigations mission in the country, which will end this year, do not see eye to eye on who owns the thousands of pieces of evidence gathered on the Islamic State fighters.

Christian Ritscher, UNITAD head, in Baghdad on 14 November 2022.
LogoSubscribers only Government Intelligence 22.01.2024
Christian Ritscher, UNITAD head, in Baghdad on 14 November 2022.

France, Netherlands, United States
International lawfare: Intense lobbying for French ICC judge

France is conducting an unprecedented diplomatic campaign in support of its candidate being chosen as one of the new judges at the International Criminal Court in its upcoming elections.

The International Criminal Court in The Hague.
LogoSubscribers only Government Intelligence 05.12.2023
The International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Spotlight | Europe, Israel, United States
International lawfare: Gaza war highlights US double standards at ICC after push for Putin prosecution

Washington's position on the Israeli-Palestinian dossier at the ICC is at odds with its ongoing behind-the-scenes push for Russia's alleged war crimes in Ukraine to be prosecuted.

Demonstrators gather in front of the International Criminal Court to show support for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
LogoSubscribers only Government Intelligence 04.12.2023
Demonstrators gather in front of the International Criminal Court to show support for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Netherlands, Russia
Congolese candidate hopes for Russian largesse in UN court elections

The International Criminal Court case against Russia has muddied the waters for Congolese judge Antoine Kesia-Mbe Mindua, who is seeking election to the UN International Court of Justice.

LogoSubscribers only Government Intelligence 01.11.2023

Netherlands, United States
Mintz offers its services in polarised ICC judicial elections

For the first time, the International Criminal Court's judicial elections have included background character checks of the candidates. The elections are proving to be particularly fraught, with cases already open against Russia and the potential for others related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The entrance of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
LogoSubscribers only Corporate Intelligence 23.10.2023
The entrance of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

Spotlight | Netherlands
Ukraine war casts shadow over International Court of Justice judges' election

The campaign ahead of electing five new judges to the United Nations International Court of Justice on 9 November is divided between American influence and Russia's desire to maintain its rank.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) of the United Nations in The Hague, Netherlands.
LogoSubscribers only Government Intelligence 02.10.2023
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) of the United Nations in The Hague, Netherlands.

Armenia, Azerbaijan
Baku hits back at former ICC prosecutor turned Karabagh consultant's genocide accusations

A tug-of-war between Armenia and Azerbaijan's legal advisers is running alongside the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

LogoSubscribers only Corporate Intelligence 19.09.2023

United Kingdom
Lawyer Cadman, behind Syrian torture trials, eyes lawfare opportunities

Human rights lawyer Toby Cadman is blazing a trail in lawfare cases, like his mentor Steven Kay, against Syria, Russia and even Bulgaria.

LogoSubscribers only Corporate Intelligence 28.07.2023

Spotlight | Ukraine, United Kingdom
MP Serhiy Taruta supports Jason McCue's pro-Ukraine lawfare ambitions

Ukrainian MP Serhiy Taruta has helped to open doors for British lawyer Jason McCue in Kyiv, where McCue is campaigning to be Ukraine's unofficial lawfare champion against Russia.

Ukrainian MP Serhiy Taruta.
LogoSubscribers only Corporate Intelligence 26.07.2023
Ukrainian MP Serhiy Taruta.

Ukraine, United Kingdom
Lawfare strategist Jason McCue goes into battle for Ukraine

From local to international courts and from war crimes to sanctions, lawyers are getting in on the 'lawfare' related to the war in Ukraine. The firm McCue Jury & Partners is coordinating a series of civil complaints and class actions by Ukrainian refugees.

Senior partner at McCue Jury & Partners law firm Jason McCue.
LogoSubscribers only Corporate Intelligence 12.07.2023
Senior partner at McCue Jury & Partners law firm Jason McCue.

Spotlight | Europe, Russia, United States
Tensions simmer between UN and ICC over report on Russia

On 5 July, the United Nations Security Council is to debate a report leaked on 22 June that crystallises several battles for influence between New York and The Hague. It is to be officially presented by Virginia Gamba, the special UN representative for children and armed conflict, who travelled to Russia in late May.

Virginia Gamba, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.
LogoSubscribers only Government Intelligence 26.06.2023
Virginia Gamba, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.

France
Paris seeks to grasp the fluid concept of lawfare

"Lawfare", defined as the instrumentalisation of the law by a state for strategic purposes, is currently the focus of France's SGDSN defence and national security secretariat, which is looking for ways to counter US and soon Chinese regulations imposed on French industry.

LogoSubscribers only Government Intelligence 23.09.2022

United Kingdom
MPs slam UK lawyers and investigators who serve oligarchs

Speaking in a House of Commons debate on what they qualify as "lawfare" waged by oligarchs in London, a group of British MPs have raised their concerns about anti-SLAPP procedures and the legal firms and a small set of private investigators involved in them.

LogoSubscribers only Corporate Intelligence 01.02.2022

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Left: the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Right: the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

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Lawfare: inside the pursuit to weaponise international law

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