News
Book Launch: Secession in International Law with a Special Reference to the Post-Soviet Space
In her new book Secession in International Law with a Special Reference to the Post-Soviet Space (Brill), our Postdoctoral Researcher, Dr. Júlia Miklasová, explores the increasing relevance of international law to cases of unilateral secession, particularly when connected to breaches of peremptory norms (jus cogens). It introduces the concept of the “illegal secessionist entity”. It demonstrates the pervasive effects of the original illegality on the entity's subsequent relations and how they interact with the legal regimes of occupation law and human rights law. The book also emphasizes the critical role of post-Soviet secessionist practice (Transnistria, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Nagorno-Karabakh, Crimea, the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, and the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia Regions) within this legal context.
In her book launch, Dr Miklasová will present key findings of her research as well as the extent to which her conclusions are relevant to the ongoing and prospective developments in the post-Soviet space. The leading experts in the field will offer their remarks and comments on the book’s conclusions.
Date: 3 February 2025, 18:00
Location: Academy for European Human Rights Protection in Cologne or online
Panel:
Dr. Júlia Miklasová, Academy for European Human Rights Protection
Professor Anne Lagerwall, Université Libre de Bruxelles
Professor Lauri Mälksoo, University of Tartu
Moderation: Professor Angelika Nußberger, Academy for European Human Rights Protection
Please, register by emailing jmiklaso
uni-koeln.de by 31 January 2025.
Prof. Nußberger in conversation with WDR
Prof. Nußberger was in conversation with WDR on Human Rights Day, December 10, 2024.
The topic of the interview was her newly published children's book “Free and Equal - Human Rights.”
She talks about why, as a professor, she decided to write a young people's book and explains which real-life cases inspired her to do so.
Romano-Guardini Prize: Award for Prof. Angelika Nußberger
Prof. Angelika Nußberger was awarded the Romano-Guardini Prize 2024 on December 10, 2024.
The award was presented to her at a ceremony in Munich. The laudatory speech was given by the former President of the Federal Constitutional Court, Prof. Dr. Andreas Voßkuhle. Further speeches were given by Joachim Herrmann, Minister of the Interior of the Free State of Bavaria, and Cardinal Reinhard Marx.
The Romano Guardini Prize has been awarded since 1970 and honors outstanding services to the interpretation of time and the world in various areas of life.
Prof. Nußberger received the prize for her commitment to certain topics, in particular the protection of human rights, the preservation of the rule of law, the special features of international law in Central and Eastern Europe and the debate on Russia's political system.
We would like to congratulate Prof. Angelika Nußberger on receiving this special prize from the Academy.
New IACL Blog series with Prof. Nußberger: Spotlight on the Venice Commission
Introduction to new IACL Blog series: Spotlight on the Venice Commission
Helle Krunke & Angelika Nußberger
President of the IACL & Chair of the IACL Commission on the Cooperation with the Venice Commission
The International Association of Constitutional Law (IACL) and the Venice Commission have a long-standing cooperation. They have a lot in common, especially the strong focus on democracy, rule of law, and human rights, within and beyond Europe. The IACL has observer status in the Venice Commission, and the Venice Commission has observer status in the Executive Commission of the IACL. While the Venice Commission focuses more on practical work, issuing opinions on constitutional amendments and new laws, the IACL brings together constitutionalists from all continents and contributes to a better understanding of the similarities and differences of legal systems worldwide; thus, their work is complementary and mutually inspiring.
That is why the IACL and the Venice Commission have already organized several conferences together. The next joint conference with the topic “Lessons Learned and Learning Lessons. The Venice Commission’s Experience in Elaborating Transnationally Valid Constitutional Standards” will be held in Venice on 12 March 2025.
In light of the valued cooperation between the IACL and the Venice Commission, the IACL Commission on the Cooperation between the IACL and the Venice Commission, will introduce a new IACL Blog series to discuss important opinions of the Venice Commission.
Prof. Nußberger was in Warsaw with the Venice Commission
On October 14 and 15, a delegation from the Venice Commission, of which Prof. Nußberger was a member, visited Warsaw, Poland, to prepare an opinion on the laws on the Constitutional Tribunal and draft constitutional amendments relating to the Constitutional Tribunal.
The delegation of the Venice Commission met with the Minister of Justice, Adam Bodnar, a former visiting professor of the Academy for European Human Rights Protection, members of Parliament (ruling coalition and opposition parties), the Constitutional Tribunal, the President's Office, the Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights, a former President of the Constitutional Tribunal and civil society organizations.