Professor Milena Sterio was quoted in a JusticeInfo article entitled “How Khan’s Investigation Mess Creates Factions.” She commented on the ongoing investigation into alleged misconduct of ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan.
Professor Sterio was one of four main drafters of the recently issued statement by the American Branch of the International Law Association ICC Committee, which had criticized procedural irregularities regarding the ongoing investigation into Khan’s alleged misconduct.
Professor Milena Sterio presented at the International Bar Association War Crimes Committee conference in The Hague, Netherlands, on April 20. Professor Sterio’s panel focused on the theme of “Justice Running on Empty,” and Professor Sterio spoke about funding and other challenges regarding international criminal justice today.
Professor Milena Sterio was quoted in an article by PolitFact on April 2, on the topic of “It is a war crime to bomb civilian infrastructure, as Donald Trump has threatened?”
Professor Sterio explained that bombing a civilian target intentionally is “a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law,” which “would give rise to a war crime.” Professor Sterio also opined on the status of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions. She stated that the Protocol has “the status of customary law, which is binding on all states,” and that “[i]t doesn’t not matter that the U.S. is not a member of the protocol.”
Professor Milena Sterio conducted an online expert training for a cohort of Ukrainian prosecutors on prosecuting environmental crimes, as ecocide or as war crimes. The training was organized by the International Bar Association, and it took place on March 27th. Professor Sterio focused on the definition of the war crime of destruction against the environment under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, as well as on the development of the crime of ecocide under national law as well as international criminal law. Professor Sterio has already conducted similar trainings in person with different cohorts of Ukrainian prosecutors.
Professor Milena Sterio moderated a debate on the legality of Operation Epic Fury (Iran) on March 26. The debate was organized by the Federalist Society at Ohio Northern University Law School, and it featured Professor Dan Maurer (Ohio Northern) and Professor Robert Turner (University of Virginia Law School).
Professor Sterio participated in another episode of the “Talking Foreign Policy” radio show, a quarterly show broadcast on Ideastream (Cleveland-area NPR affiliate radio station) on the topic of “Assessing Trump’s Board of Peace in the wake of US-Iran war.” The episode was broadcast live on March 24, and it is available for on-demand listening here.
In addition to Professor Sterio, other experts on this show included Professor Michael Scharf as host (CWRU School of Law), Harold Hongju Koh (Yale Law School), Leila Sadat (Washington University School of Law), and Jessica Peake (UCLA School of Law). The experts discussed President Trump’s creation of the Board of Peace, the Board’s mandate, and its legitimacy in light of the existing United Nations-based international legal order.
Professor Milena Sterio participated as an expert and moderator in a United Nations event on March 10, titled “Women’s Equal Right to Participate in the Judiciary and Women’s Access to Justice: More Women, More Access.” This event was organized as a side event to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women conference at UN headquarters in New York City.
The event focused on the need for equal and inclusive participation of women in the international judiciary, including at the International Court of Justice. The panelists included Ambassador Jennifer Feller, Director General for Human Rights and Democracy, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Catherine Amirfar, Partner & Co-Chair, International Dispute Resolution and Public International Law Groups, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP; Ms. Akila Radhakrishnan, Legal Advisor, End Gender Apartheid Campaign; Professor Jelena Pia-Comella, Independent Expert, Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) ; Amanda Chong, Counsellor (Legal), Permanent Mission of Singapore to the United Nations; Ms. Amie Lewis, Senior Program Officer and Lead, Women in Leadership in Law (WILIL) Initiative, International Association of Women Judges; Claudia M. Flores, Chair of the UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls; and Lucía Solano, Legal Adviser to the Permanent Mission of Colombia.
The event was organized by the Gender Parity at the ICJ project, co-sponsored by the American Branch of the International Law Association, the Women in International Law Interest Group at the American Society of International Law, as well the Permanent Missions of Canada, Mexico, Sweden, and Singapore.
Professor Milena Sterio provided an expert review for Kriminologie, a peer reviewed online journal in the field of criminology based in Germany. Professor Sterio’s expert review focused on an article about the role of war crimes prosecutions in the transitional justice process of Kosovo.
Professor Milena Sterio was interviewed live on the Air Talk radio program (Los Angeles NPR Station) on March 2, on the legality of the U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran under international law. The program, including Prof. Sterio’s interview, is available here.
Professor Milena Sterio spoke at the British International Law Studies Association webinar on February 24, on the topic of “Trump, US Foreign Policy, and International Law.” Professor Sterio’s remarks focused on use of force issues under international law in light of President Trump’s intervention in Venezuela, and the Administration’s threats against Iran and Greenland.
CSU Law Faculty 