Mike Becker
@mikebecker.bsky.social
Assistant Professor (Trinity College Dublin, School of Law). Public International Law, International Courts and Tribunals, ICJ, ITLOS, International Human Rights Law, Fact-Finding and Inquiry, Law of the Sea
*Call for Papers: The Irish Yearbook of International Law* At a moment of profound anxiety for the international legal system, the Editors of the Irish Yearbook invite article submissions on any area of international law for publication in the next volume. More info here: www.tcd.ie/law/news--ev...
New #ICJ case: DRC accuses Rwanda of violating the Genocide Convention, CERD, CEDAW, and CAT. We've been down this road before; the ICJ dismissed another DRC v Rwanda case back in 2006 for lack of jurisdiction. 20 years later, have those problems been overcome? www.icj-cij.org/sites/defaul...
icj-cij.org
The #ICJ has fixed exceedingly long time-limits for the second round of written pleadings in South Africa v Israel (SA's reply is due 22 Nov 2027, ISR's rejoinder is due 22 May 2029). This likely means that no judgment on the merits should be expected until late 2030 at the absolute earliest.
I spoke with @aljazeera.com this week about the latest developments in #Gaza, which increasingly seem overshadowed by the Iran war and Israel's campaign in Lebanon. www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/...
Just what are Israel’s long-term plans for Gaza?
Despite an apparent ceasefire, Israel's leaders continue to hint at annexation and ethnic cleansing.
aljazeera.com
Many thanks to everyone who took part in last Friday's New Voices in International Law workshop at @tcddublin.bsky.social, generously supported by @tricondublin.bsky.social. A fitting capstone to my friend Christiane Ahlborn's tenure with us at TCD, my collaborator in all things international law.
Many thanks to everyone who took part in last Friday's New Voices in International Law workshop at @tcddublin.bsky.social, generously supported by @tricondublin.bsky.social. A fitting capstone to my friend Christiane Ahlborn's tenure with us at TCD, my collaborator in all things international law.
Brilliant essay here at @verfassungsblog.de by my terrific colleague @suryaroy.bsky.social at @tcddublin.bsky.social.
Suryapratim Roy@suryaroy.bsky.social · 3mo agoFor @verfassungsblog.de, I argue that the Irish fuel price blockade is not some grassroots protest, but a union of fossil capital and racial capital: verfassungsblog.de/the-fuel-pri...
Some comments from me on how international law has largely failed to restrain US foreign policy under Donald Trump, from tariffs and boat strikes to the Maduro operation in Venezuela and the ongoing war in Iran. www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/...
aljazeera.com
The ESIL Interest Group on International Courts and Tribunals invites abstract proposals for its pre-ESIL conference workshop in Malaga on 3 Sept 2026 on the theme of "Conflicts before Courts: Revisiting ‘Uneven Judicialization in Global Order’ Fifteen Years On". The deadline is 31 March 2026.
esil-sedi.eu
Very interesting to see an intervention aligned with the respondent state (which has not been typical in the so-called “mass intervention” cases so far).
Adil Haque@adhaque.bsky.social · 5mo agoParaguay's intervention in the Gaza genocide case offers a preview of Israel's legal arguments: - Attacks on military targets that also kill civilians cannot constitute genocide - Genocidal intent cannot coexist with other motives - UN and NGO reports cannot prove genocide 1/🧵
Applications currently being accepted for the Megan Fairlie Scholarships for the Summer School on the International Criminal Court. Takes place online 8-11 June 2026 @uniofgalway.bsky.social Deadline for application is 1 March 2026. see: universityofgalwayichr.clr.events/event/139679
Summer School on the International Criminal Court 2026
Welcome The 26th annual Summer School on the International Criminal Court which will be hosted online by the Irish Centre for Human Rights takes place from 8-11 June 2026. This is the premier summer s...
universityofgalwayichr.clr.events
As always, great to have the chance to talk with the @asymmetricalh.bsky.social team and @janethanderson.bsky.social.
Asymmetrical Haircuts@asymmetricalh.bsky.social · 6mo agoOut Now: Genocide and how to prove it. What are Gambia and Myanmar each saying at the ICJ about Myanmar's clearance operations of 2017? What's the evidence? How do patterns of behaviour show genocidal intent? www.asymmetricalhaircuts.com/episodes/jus...
Round 1 of #TheGambia v #Myanmar saw a sustained attack by Myanmar on the credibility of UN fact-finding reports. The situation underscores the potential value in the ICJ hearing directly from the fact-finders, an issue I discussed on @ejiltalk.bsky.social in 2019. www.ejiltalk.org/the-challeng...
Before the ICJ began its public hearings in Gambia v. Myanmar, I planned to write a technical piece about the role of party presentation in the Court's genocide cases. To my surprise, it turns out that the whole case may turn on it. My latest @justsecurity.org
Just Security@justsecurity.org · 7mo agoMyanmar appears to have changed its position in Gambia v. Myanmar, a historic genocide case before the International Court of Justice. Its apparent change in position may prove decisive, writes @adhaque.bsky.social www.justsecurity.org/128795/provi...
It was a real privilege to serve as the discussant for a great talk by Rick Lorenz of the Public International Law & Policy Group yesterday at @tcddublin.bsky.social: "Murder on the High Seas:? The Legal and Ethical Implications of US Attacks on Alleged Drug Traffickers".
#Rohingya case: Very interesting to learn that the sole expert to be called by #TheGambia next week at the #ICJ is Prof. Michael Newton from Vanderbilt Law School, with testimony on how the 2016-17 clearance operations cannot reasonably be called counterterrorism. law.vanderbilt.edu/bio/michael-...
Biography
law.vanderbilt.edu
Verfassungsblog@verfassungsblog.de · 7mo agoThe ICJ begins oral hearings in The Gambia v Myanmar on 12 January. MICHAEL A. BECKER looks ahead to what is at stake as the Court hears arguments on genocidal intent, fact-finding, and remedies in its first genocide case brought by a non-injured state. verfassungsblog.de/the-rohingya...
One reason why the opening of the #ICJ hearing in #TheGambia v #Myanmar this morning is remarkable: When The Gambia filed the case in 2019, there was no guarantee it would be willing to stay the course and see the case through (arguably a heightened risk for cases brought by non-injured states).
Mike Becker@mikebecker.bsky.social · 7mo agoWith the #ICJ hearing in #TheGambia v #Myanmar kicking off on Monday, I put together some thoughts over at @verfassungsblog.de on key issues to consider for those following this important #GenocideConvention case. A quick summary. verfassungsblog.de/the-rohingya...
The US Supreme Court just granted cert in Cisco v. Doe on (1) whether the Alien Tort Statute allows aiding and abetting claims & (2) whether the TVPA does. The case could strike a major blow to human rights law. For deep background on the law, read this article: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
The ICJ begins oral hearings in The Gambia v Myanmar on 12 January. MICHAEL A. BECKER looks ahead to what is at stake as the Court hears arguments on genocidal intent, fact-finding, and remedies in its first genocide case brought by a non-injured state. verfassungsblog.de/the-rohingya...
In a few months, we've progressed from snuff films of the US military killing civilians at sea to a snuff film of paramilitary secret police killing a mom in Minnesota—in both situations bogusly invoking "terrorism."
Brian Finucane@bcfinucane.bsky.social · 7mo agoOne of the obvious concerns about the administration's killing spree at sea was that if the US government would lawlessly kill people on the high seas just because the administration spuriously labeled them as "terrorists", it might do so elsewhere—including in the United States.
With the #ICJ hearing in #TheGambia v #Myanmar kicking off on Monday, I put together some thoughts over at @verfassungsblog.de on key issues to consider for those following this important #GenocideConvention case. A quick summary. verfassungsblog.de/the-rohingya...
The Rohingya Case Gets a Hearing
verfassungsblog.de
I joined Morning Ireland on @rteone.rte.ie today to talk #Greenland & #Venezuela, the return of gunboat diplomacy and a US focus on regional dominance that amounts to a continuing and dangerous repudiation of the post-1945 world order, with no end in sight. www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
US says military use 'always an option' for acquiring Greenland
Michael Becker, Assistant Professor of International Human Rights Law at Trinity College Dublin, assesses the latest situation in Venezuela after President Maduro's ousting and the ramifications for G...
rte.ie
Also notable: ICJ will hear from fact witnesses (closed session) an an expert witness. Will be very interesting to see what type of expert, especially if #TheGambia is calling a member of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on #Myanmar (since they rely so extensively on its reports).
Mike Becker@mikebecker.bsky.social · 8mo agoSix years after #TheGambia instituted #ICJ proceedings against #Myanmar under the #GenocideConvention, the Court will hold the oral hearing next month (www.icj-cij.org/sites/defaul...). Notably, it won't allow the 11 intervening states to participate, per recently-amended Art 86 of the Rules.
Six years after #TheGambia instituted #ICJ proceedings against #Myanmar under the #GenocideConvention, the Court will hold the oral hearing next month (www.icj-cij.org/sites/defaul...). Notably, it won't allow the 11 intervening states to participate, per recently-amended Art 86 of the Rules.
icj-cij.org
I am very pleased to see that the #ICJ has taken the decision to amend its rules to facilitate publishing party reports on the implementation of provisional measures. This is a common sense reform that I have been advocating for since 2020 (opiniojuris.org/2020/08/25/r...).
A few comments on the current situation regarding SA’s case against Israel, with colleagues @mikebecker.bsky.social & Juliette McIntyre. #GazaGenocide www.middleeasteye.net/explainers/i...
Israel’s genocide in Gaza: What happened to South Africa’s case at the ICJ?
A verdict may not come for at least another two years - why the delay?
middleeasteye.net
Spoke with @washingtonpost.com about the absence of legal justification for the U.S. government’s premeditated killing of people aboard boats in the Caribbean. “In essence, the President is asserting a license to kill outside the law.” www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
U.S. kills 3 in another strike on ‘narcoterrorists’ vessel, Trump says
The strike marks the third such attack on boats alleged to be carrying illicit drugs this month. Experts have questioned the legality of the strikes.
washingtonpost.com
Some initial observations on yesterday’s report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Palestine and Israel, led by former UN High Commission for Human Rights Navi Pillay. #Gaza
It was great to present (w/Cecily Rose) on dialogue between ICJ judges & counsel at the Sixth Scottish Conference on International Law at the University of Glasgow this week. Many thanks to @jamesgdevaney.bsky.social, @cjtams.bsky.social, @matinapapadaki.bsky.social for hosting a marvelous event.
