Date: Tuesday 27 September 2011, 19:30
Venue: T.M.C. Asser Instituut
In cooperation with ICCT, the Inter-Faculty Research Platform International Humanitarian Law & International Criminal Law hosted the book launch of "International Humanitarian Law and Terrorism" by Andrea Bianchi and Yasmin Naqvi.
The book thoroughly analyses the legal questions raised by the phenomenon of terrorism, and past and recent efforts to fight it, from the perspective of international humanitarian law (IHL). The objective is to substantially contribute to a better understanding of the issues surrounding the content and applicability of IHL as it applies to terrorism as well as to analyse and contextualise the current debates on these controversial and critically important questions. While due heed is paid to doctrinal debates, particular emphasis is placed on the practice of social actors, particularly, although not exclusively, States. The analysis of their actual conduct as well as their expectations about the interpretation and application of the law is crucial to establishing an interpretive consensus on when and how IHL is relevant to regulate acts of terrorism.
The authors (Professor at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva) and Yasmin Naqvi (Legal Officer in Chambers at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia) presented a number of the core findings of the book. Subsequently, comments were delivered by Rogier Bartels (Amsterdam Center for International Law, University of Amsterdam), Larissa van den Herik (Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies, Leiden University) and Christophe Paulussen (ICCT & T.M.C. Asser Instituut). The session was moderated by Elies van Sliedrecht (VU University Amsterdam).
