Weekly Update 11 March 2022

Weekly Update 11 March 2022

Dear Friends,

Last week, we reported on an initiative to establish a special tribunal on the crime of aggression in relation to Ukraine. The creation of such a tribunal would enable the international Rule of Law to be upheld by filling the gap which currently exists in the machinery for ensuring that the crime of aggression on the territory of Ukraine does not go unpunished.

The establishment of a special criminal tribunal continues to attract support from a wide range of legal experts, retired senior judges, and former world leaders. This week, The Elders, an independent group of global leaders working together for peace, justice, and human rights, joined the call for such a tribunal to be set up. The shock of Russia's unprovoked aggression against its European neighbour has revealed an overwhelming global consensus that in the 21st century there has to be accountability for such flagrant violations of international criminal law.

This week also brought news that Russia would cease its participation in the Council of Europe (CoE), the grouping of 47 member states who are parties to the European Convention on Human Rights. The CoE had already suspended Russia in the wake of the latest invasion. Chillingly, Dmitry Medvedev, former President and current Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia, stated that this move would leave Russia free to reintroduce the death penalty.

The 47 member states of the CoE and the 27 members of the EU have worked for decades to develop a range of mechanisms that protect the Rule of Law and human rights. Some of these are familiar and well established, such as proceedings before the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the EU. Other mechanisms are much more recent, notably the EU budget conditionality mechanism, which incorporates Rule of Law scrutiny into the supervision of the use of EU funds.

This week, we are delighted to announce the launch of a new four-session short course on the European Rule of Law Toolbox, which the Bingham Centre will run in May 2022. Participants in this online course will attend lectures and workshops on the range of judicial, political, administrative and economic tools for Rule of Law promotion and enforcement that have been established by the CoE and EU. Please scroll down to the end of this message for further information and registration details. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis, with discounts and scholarships available.

In this Update we also bring you news of our work on the importance of the Rule of Law for regulating new technologies introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, a journal issue on law-making in illiberal states, and the latest news from our public and youth engagement programme as well as the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre, which the Bingham Centre leads.

You can read the whole Update here .