Arabella Lang Archives

Research Briefing

Preventing and prosecuting piracy at sea: legal issues

Tuesday, 28 February, 2012

The resurgence in piracy at sea, particularly hijackings off the coast of Somalia, has prompted a range of efforts to tackle it. These throw up a series of legal issues including the use of force by governments and private armed security guards, and transferring of suspects for trial or imprisonment. Library Standard Notes covering related issues include: Piracy at sea: overview and policy responses; Somalia: recent political, security and humanitarian developments; and Does Somali piracy have any ‘developmental effects’?.
Research Briefing

In brief: French presidential elections 2012

Tuesday, 28 February, 2012

France is holding Presidential elections in April and May 2012. The current favourite to win the elections is the Socialist Party’s candidate, Francois Hollande.
- Research Briefing
- Europe
Research Briefing

Convention against enforced disappearance

Wednesday, 21 December, 2011

In 2006 the UN in 2006 adopted the International Convention on the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance. It creates new obligations on states and establishes a new Committee to monitor implementation. So far only 30 states have ratified the Convention; the UK is not one of them
- Research Briefing
- International law
Research Briefing

Drone attacks and the killing of Anwar al-Awlaqi: legal issues

Tuesday, 20 December, 2011

Anwar al-Awlaqi, a dual US-Yemeni citizen described as the “leader of external operations for Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula”, was killed by a US drone attack in Yemen on 30 September 2011. Whether this was legal under international or US law is a matter of considerable debate.
Research Briefing

Croatia: the closing stages of EU accession

Friday, 09 December, 2011

Croatia has nearly finished the process of joining the EU: if all goes according to plan it will become the EU’s 28th Member State on 1 July 2013.
Research Briefing

Convention on Enforced Disappearance

Thursday, 10 November, 2011

The 2006 Convention on Enforced Disappearance, which came into force in 2010, requires states that have ratified it to create new criminal offences in their domestic law and to adjust their laws on (for example) detention. The UK has not signed or ratified the Convention despite some pressure to do so.
- Research Briefing
- International law
Research Briefing

Scotland, independence and the EU

Tuesday, 08 November, 2011

If Scotland became independent, would it automatically remain a member of the European Union (EU) – or would it have to go through the whole accession process for new Member States, either alone or alongside the rest of the UK?
Research Briefing

Switzerland’s relationship with the EU

Thursday, 20 October, 2011

Although Switzerland is not a member of the EU, it has chosen to cooperate with the EU in a number of areas of specific interest.
Research Briefing

Palestinian statehood

Thursday, 11 August, 2011

Disillusioned with the US-led peace process, Palestinian leaders are seeking a UN resolution in September 2011 in favour of Palestinian statehood. The political implications of such a resolution are likely to be bigger than its legal ones. But despite the momentum gained by the Palestinian proposal, it is possible that external and internal opposition could delay the initiative.
Research Briefing

Turkey’s 2011 elections and beyond

Thursday, 14 July, 2011

At Turkey’s general elections on 12 June 2011, the governing Justice and Development Party (AK Party) won nearly 50% of the overall vote. This was the first time that a ruling party in Turkey has increased its vote in a third term. In the medium term its biggest challenges will be drafting a new constitution, stabilising the economy, and negotiating changing regional relationships, but in the short term it needs to diffuse a crisis over MPs boycotting parliament.
Research Briefing

The International Criminal Court: new crimes and a new Prosecutor

Tuesday, 28 June, 2011

As the International Criminal Court (ICC) moves towards opening its fourth trial, its jurisdiction is being widened and its most public face, the ICC Prosecutor, is about to be replaced at the end of his term.
Research Briefing

In brief: the latest crises in Bosnia

Thursday, 02 June, 2011

The fragile unity of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina is looking ever more precarious.
- Research Briefing
- Europe
Research Briefing

Bosnia’s political structures

Thursday, 02 June, 2011

Bosnia’s complex political structures were set up by the Dayton Peace Agreement that ended the war of 1992-95. This note provides a brief description.,
- Research Briefing
- Europe
Research Briefing

Killing Osama bin Laden: has justice been done?

Monday, 16 May, 2011

The US government has asserted that by killing Osama bin Laden on 1 May 2011, justice has been done. Its view is that the killing was clearly lawful. But the nature, timing and location of the killing have raised various questions under international law. The killing also has possible implications for future policies towards al-Qaeda as well as Libya and other countries.
Research Briefing

International Court of Justice Opinion on Kosovo’s declaration of independence

Wednesday, 04 May, 2011

In July 2010 the International Court of Justice (ICJ) found that Kosovo's declaration of independence on 17 February 2008 did not breach international law. The legal scope of the Opinion is extremely narrow, but its political implications could be very wide.

Total results (page 6 of 9)