07 Nov 2022
Professor Jack Beard served on a panel of experts discussing Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the crime of aggression at the Annual International Law Weekend of the American Branch of the International Law Association (ABILA) in New York City. The conference, held annually, features the world's leading international lawyers and diplomats. The theme for the 2022 International Law Weekend was The Next 100 Years of International Law, celebrating ABILA's centennial anniversary and reflecting on the past and future of international law.
Professor Beard spoke during the panel on "Prosecuting the Crime of Aggression: Russia and Beyond in light of Russia's violation of the U.N. Charter." The panel discussed possibilities for prosecuting Russian military and civilian leaders for the crime of aggression. Along with specific models for doing so, the panel considered the limited jurisdictional regime that currently exists for the International Criminal Court, the geopolitical risks of the international system failing to pursue responsibility for the crime of aggression, and the enforcement of Article 2(4) of the U.N. Charter. The ABILA Committee on the Use of Force, which Professor Beard chairs, sponsored the panel.