Recent U.S. Attacks on Alleged Drug Boats & the U.N. Charter: Law Enforcement or Warfare

By ilrdigit | February 1, 2026 |

Written by J’da Tyler *This blog post does not account for the recent escalation between the United States and Venezuela following Operation Absolute Resolve. Introduction Beginning in September 2025, the United States has carried out 20 airstrikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean, killing 80 people. The Trump administration…

Playing fair? How Sportswashing Exposes the Limits of Corporate Human Rights Accountability

By ilrdigit | January 28, 2026 |

Written by Madelyn Bryan  Introduction Sports have long been at the heart of pop culture, captivating audiences from every background and transcending language and cultural barriers. Beneath the passion for victory, displays of teamwork, and heartwarming moments of triumph, however, lies a darker reality: countries are exploiting sports to shield their violations of human rights. “Sportswashing”…

Catch & Revoke: How Trump’s AI is Silencing Student Activism

By ilrdigit | January 27, 2026 |

Written by Morgan McCann Introduction Following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and Israel’s devastating military reply—which has killed around 69,513 Palestinians and injured over 170,000—U.S. university campuses saw widespread pro-Palestinian protests calling for ceasefire and divestment. In response, the Trump administration has conflated pro-Palestine activism with support for Hamas, antisemitism, and anti-American extremism.…

Paper Tiger of the Seas: The South China Sea and the Enforcement Gap in UNCLOS

By ilrdigit | January 21, 2026 |

Written by Jonathan Alberts Introduction The South China Sea remains one of the most strategically significant and hotly contested maritime regions in the world, with nearly one‑third of global trade passing through its waters. China’s assertion of sovereignty over almost ninety percent of the area through its self‑declared “Nine‑Dash Line” (“NDL”) directly conflicts with the…

Who Counts as an Employer? Understanding ILO Convention No. 190 and Employer Liability

By ilrdigit | January 19, 2026 |

Written by Cecile Paquette Introduction The International Labor Organization (ILO) adopted Convention No. 190 (Convention 190) and its accompanying recommendation (No. 206) in 2019. Convention 190 sets forth the first international labor standard that provides a framework to prevent, remedy, and eliminate violence and harassment in the workplace, including gender-based violence and harassment. As of…

Crypto’s Currency in Crime

By ilrdigit | January 14, 2026 |

Written by André Fouque Introduction The rise in popularity of cryptocurrency has been met with enthusiasm not just from ordinary citizens, but also from international criminals and terrorist organizations. Transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) launder hundreds of billions of dollars through cryptocurrency every year to finance terrorism, child exploitation, and narcotics. Despite this, the international community,…

An International Law Perspective on the U.S.’s Recent Strikes in International Waters

By ilrdigit | January 13, 2026 |

Written by Lily Fernandez November 19, 2025 *While the situation between the United States and Venezuela has since escalated, this blog post analyzes the United States’ military strikes on international vessels as of November 19, 2025, as a separate violation of international law and thus does not touch on the capture and arrest of Venezuelan…

Just Justice? Rulings from Colombia’s Special Jurisdiction for Peace

By ilrdigit | January 7, 2026 |

Written by Alexander Diaz Introduction In a Colombian courtroom  on September 18th, 2025, twelve former military officers were convicted for their involvement in the deaths of civilians during the Colombian civil conflict. Their sentences ranged from five to eight years, but did not include a single day in prison, or a fine of any kind.…

Closing the Gap: The Case for a Binding Cyber Treaty Against State-Sponsored Cyberattacks

By ilrdigit | October 28, 2025 |

Written by Sarah Wydra Introduction On August 13, 2025, the Norwegian Police Security Service disclosed pro-Russian hackers were likely behind a breach of the Bremanger dam’s control system in April 2025. The breach is attributed to a weak password and insufficient access controls. As a result, 500 liters of water per second were released for…

A New Frontier: Defining “Peaceful Purposes” for the Exploration and Use of Outer Space

By ilrdigit | October 28, 2025 |

Written by Anthony Phan Introduction On October 10, 1967, the United Nations (“U.N.”) entered into force the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (“Outer Space Treaty”).The Outer Space Treaty, known as the “Magna Carta of Space,” was the…