Legal Framework Index
Which laws were broken? This page connects each incident to the specific international statutes it allegedly violates — Rome Statute articles, Geneva Convention provisions, and more. Built for lawyers preparing cases.
Understanding classification levels
- Confirmed
- Per se violation — the act itself constitutes the crime regardless of outcome (e.g., declaring no quarter)
- Probable
- Strong expert consensus from recognized legal authorities supports classification as a war crime or violation
- Potential
- Credible allegations with specific international law provisions identified, lacking final adjudication
- Enabling
- Action that removes oversight, capacity, or safeguards that would prevent or detect violations
Civilian casualty figures are sourced from independent monitoring organizations (Airwars, HRW, Amnesty, Hengaw) and represent documented/confirmed casualties, not estimates. ICC relevance indicates cases where ICC territorial or personal jurisdiction may apply through the Rome Statute.
Classification Summary
Fourth Geneva Convention
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 18 | Civilian hospitals may in no circumstances be the object of attack, but shall at all times be respected and protected | extreme Attacks on Iranian Healthcare Facilities: WHO Verifies 18 Strikes on Hospitals and Medical Infrastructure (probable) |
Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 12 | Medical units shall be respected and protected at all times and shall not be the object of attack | extreme Attacks on Iranian Healthcare Facilities: WHO Verifies 18 Strikes on Hospitals and Medical Infrastructure (probable) |
| Article 51 | Protection of the civilian population; prohibition on indiscriminate attacks | extreme Minab School Strike: US Tomahawk Cruise Missile Kills 175-180 Schoolgirls (probable) |
| Article 52 | Prohibition on attacks against civilian objects; civilian objects shall not be the object of attack or reprisals | extreme Trump Threats to Obliterate Iran's Civilian Power Infrastructure (probable) |
| Article 52 | General protection of civilian objects; schools are prima facie civilian objects | extreme Minab School Strike: US Tomahawk Cruise Missile Kills 175-180 Schoolgirls (probable) |
| Article 53 | Prohibition of acts of hostility directed against historic monuments, works of art, or places of worship which constitute the cultural or spiritual heritage of peoples | extreme Destruction of Iranian UNESCO World Heritage Sites in US-Israeli Airstrikes (probable) |
| Article 54 | Prohibition on attacking objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population | extreme Trump Threats to Obliterate Iran's Civilian Power Infrastructure (probable) |
| Article 56 | Protection of works and installations containing dangerous forces (dams, dykes, nuclear electrical generating stations) | extreme Trump Threats to Obliterate Iran's Civilian Power Infrastructure (probable) |
| Articles 51, 57 | Protection of civilian population and precautionary measures in attack | severe Dismantlement of Pentagon Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Program (enabling) |
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 1 | The ICC has the power to exercise its jurisdiction over persons for the most serious crimes of international concern — genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression | severe ICC Immunity Demands: Ultimatum to Amend Rome Statute and Exempt Americans from War Crimes Prosecution (enabling) |
| Article 7 | Crimes against humanity — sexual slavery, rape, enforced prostitution, trafficking, persecution, torture as part of a widespread or systematic attack | critical Epstein Files: DOJ Withholds Evidence, UN Experts Warn of Crimes Against Humanity (enabling) |
| Article 7 | Crimes against humanity — murder as part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population | extreme Operation Southern Spear: Lethal Drone Strikes on Caribbean and Pacific Drug Boats (probable) |
| Article 7(1)(e) | Crimes against humanity — imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty in violation of fundamental rules of international law | extreme Torture and Enforced Disappearances at 'Alligator Alcatraz' and Krome Detention Centers (probable) |
| Article 7(1)(f) | Crimes against humanity — torture | extreme Torture and Enforced Disappearances at 'Alligator Alcatraz' and Krome Detention Centers (probable) |
| Article 7(1)(i) | Crimes against humanity — enforced disappearance of persons | extreme Torture and Enforced Disappearances at 'Alligator Alcatraz' and Krome Detention Centers (probable) |
| Article 7(1)(i) | Crimes against humanity — enforced disappearance of persons when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack against any civilian population | extreme Forced Disappearances of Salvadoran Deportees in El Salvador's Prison System (probable) |
| Article 7(1)(k) | Crime against humanity — other inhumane acts intentionally causing great suffering or serious injury to body or to mental or physical health | critical Afghanistan Frozen Assets and Aid Termination: 22.9 Million Face Humanitarian Catastrophe (probable) |
| Article 70 | Offences against the administration of justice, including obstructing or interfering with officials of the Court | severe ICC Immunity Demands: Ultimatum to Amend Rome Statute and Exempt Americans from War Crimes Prosecution (enabling) |
| Article 8 | War crimes — intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population | severe Repeated US Vetoes of UN Security Council Gaza Ceasefire Resolutions (enabling) |
| Article 8 | War crimes — intentionally directing attacks against civilian objects and against the civilian population | extreme US Airstrike Kills 68 African Migrants in Yemen Detention Center (probable) |
| Article 8 bis | Crime of aggression — the use of armed force by a State against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of another State | extreme Iran War: Crime of Aggression — War Launched Without Congressional Authorization (probable) |
| Article 8(2)(a)(i) | Wilful killing of persons protected under the Geneva Conventions | extreme Sinking of IRIS Dena: USS Charlotte Torpedoes Iranian Frigate Off Sri Lanka (potential) |
| Article 8(2)(b)(i) | War crime — intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population as such | extreme 2026 Lebanon War — US Weapons Complicity in Mass Civilian Casualties and White Phosphorus Attacks (probable) |
| Article 8(2)(b)(ii) | War crime of intentionally directing attacks against civilian objects | extreme US Strikes on Ras Issa Fuel Port Kill 84+ Civilians in Yemen (probable) |
| Article 8(2)(b)(iv) | War crime of launching an attack in the knowledge that it will cause incidental loss of life or injury to civilians which would be clearly excessive in relation to the concrete military advantage anticipated | extreme US Strikes on Ras Issa Fuel Port Kill 84+ Civilians in Yemen (probable) |
| Article 8(2)(b)(iv) | War crime of launching an attack in the knowledge that it will cause civilian casualties clearly excessive in relation to military advantage | extreme Operation Rough Rider: US Killed More Civilians in 52 Days Than in Previous 23 Years in Yemen (probable) |
| Article 8(2)(b)(iv) | War crime — intentionally launching an attack in the knowledge that such attack will cause incidental loss of life or injury to civilians which would be clearly excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated | extreme 2026 Lebanon War — US Weapons Complicity in Mass Civilian Casualties and White Phosphorus Attacks (probable) |
| Article 8(2)(b)(iv) | Intentionally launching an attack in the knowledge that it will cause incidental loss of life or injury to civilians which would be clearly excessive in relation to the concrete and direct overall military advantage anticipated | extreme Minab School Strike: US Tomahawk Cruise Missile Kills 175-180 Schoolgirls (probable) |
| Article 8(2)(b)(ix) | War crime: Intentionally directing attacks against hospitals and places where the sick and wounded are collected, provided they are not military objectives | extreme Attacks on Iranian Healthcare Facilities: WHO Verifies 18 Strikes on Hospitals and Medical Infrastructure (probable) |
| Article 8(2)(b)(ix) | War crime of intentionally directing attacks against hospitals and places where the sick and wounded are collected | extreme Operation Rough Rider: US Killed More Civilians in 52 Days Than in Previous 23 Years in Yemen (probable) |
| Article 8(2)(b)(ix) | War crime — intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated to religion, education, art, science or charitable purposes, historic monuments | extreme Destruction of Iranian UNESCO World Heritage Sites in US-Israeli Airstrikes (probable) |
| Article 8(2)(b)(ix) | Intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated to education, provided they are not military objectives | extreme Minab School Strike: US Tomahawk Cruise Missile Kills 175-180 Schoolgirls (probable) |
| Article 8(2)(b)(xii) | Declaring that no quarter will be given | extreme Defense Secretary Hegseth Declares 'No Quarter, No Mercy' for Iran (confirmed) |
| Article 8(2)(b)(xx) | War crime of employing weapons which are of a nature to cause superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering | severe Pentagon Signs $210M+ Deal to Purchase Cluster Munitions From Israel (enabling)severe Hegseth Reverses US Landmine Ban, Rescinds $5B+ Humanitarian Demining Program (enabling) |
| Article 8(2)(b)(xx) | War crime: employing weapons, projectiles, material and methods of warfare which cause superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering | extreme US-Supplied White Phosphorus Used Over Lebanese Civilian Areas (probable) |
| Article 8(2)(b)(xxiv) | War crime: Intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated to medical purposes | extreme Attacks on Iranian Healthcare Facilities: WHO Verifies 18 Strikes on Hospitals and Medical Infrastructure (probable) |
| Article 8(2)(e)(iv) | War crime — intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated to religion, education, art, science or charitable purposes, historic monuments, provided they are not military objectives | extreme Destruction of Iranian UNESCO World Heritage Sites in US-Israeli Airstrikes (probable) |
| Article 8bis | Crime of aggression — use of armed force by one state against the sovereignty of another | severe First-Ever US Airstrikes in Nigeria: Christmas Day Tomahawk Strikes on Sokoto (potential) |
| Article 8bis | Crime of aggression — the use of armed force by a State against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of another State | extreme Operation Absolute Resolve: Unilateral US Military Intervention in Venezuela (probable) |
UN Security Council Resolution 2286
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Condemns attacks against medical facilities and personnel in conflict situations and demands all parties comply with obligations under international humanitarian law | extreme Attacks on Iranian Healthcare Facilities: WHO Verifies 18 Strikes on Hospitals and Medical Infrastructure (probable) |
Customary International Humanitarian Law
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Rule 28: Medical units exclusively assigned to medical purposes must be respected and protected in all circumstances | extreme Attacks on Iranian Healthcare Facilities: WHO Verifies 18 Strikes on Hospitals and Medical Infrastructure (probable) |
| — | ICRC Rule 46: Ordering that no quarter be given is prohibited | extreme Defense Secretary Hegseth Declares 'No Quarter, No Mercy' for Iran (confirmed) |
| — | ICRC Rule 109: Search for, collect and evacuate the wounded, sick and shipwrecked | extreme Sinking of IRIS Dena: USS Charlotte Torpedoes Iranian Frigate Off Sri Lanka (potential) |
| — | Principles of distinction and proportionality -- obligation to distinguish between combatants and civilians and to ensure attacks are proportionate | severe Dismantlement of Pentagon Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Program (enabling) |
| ICRC Rule 1 | Principle of distinction: parties must distinguish between civilians and combatants | extreme Trump Threats to Obliterate Iran's Civilian Power Infrastructure (probable) |
| ICRC Rule 7 | Principle of distinction: parties must distinguish between civilian objects and military objectives | extreme Trump Threats to Obliterate Iran's Civilian Power Infrastructure (probable) |
Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 7 | Exporting states shall assess the potential that arms could be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law or human rights law | severe America First Arms Transfer Strategy: Human Rights Safeguards Removed From Weapons Exports (enabling) |
International Humanitarian Law
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | State responsibility to ensure that arms transfers do not facilitate violations of IHL — duty of due diligence | severe America First Arms Transfer Strategy: Human Rights Safeguards Removed From Weapons Exports (enabling) |
| — | Prohibition on indiscriminate weapons — cluster munitions scatter submunitions over wide areas, posing inherent risks to civilians | severe Pentagon Signs $210M+ Deal to Purchase Cluster Munitions From Israel (enabling) |
| — | Principle of distinction — the wide-area effect of cluster munitions makes distinction between military and civilian objects extremely difficult | severe Pentagon Signs $210M+ Deal to Purchase Cluster Munitions From Israel (enabling) |
| — | Principle of distinction — obligation to distinguish between combatants and civilians and between military objectives and civilian objects | severe First-Ever US Airstrikes in Nigeria: Christmas Day Tomahawk Strikes on Sokoto (potential) |
| — | Principle of precaution — obligation to take all feasible precautions to avoid or minimize civilian casualties | severe First-Ever US Airstrikes in Nigeria: Christmas Day Tomahawk Strikes on Sokoto (potential) |
| — | Principle of proportionality — attacks must not cause civilian harm excessive to the military advantage gained | severe Operation Hawkeye Strike: Massive US Bombing Campaign in Syria (potential)extreme US Strikes on Ras Issa Fuel Port Kill 84+ Civilians in Yemen (probable) |
| — | Principle of distinction — parties must distinguish between combatants and civilians, and between military objectives and civilian objects | severe Operation Hawkeye Strike: Massive US Bombing Campaign in Syria (potential) |
| — | Obligation to take feasible precautions to minimize civilian harm during military operations | severe Operation Hawkeye Strike: Massive US Bombing Campaign in Syria (potential) |
| — | Prohibition on indiscriminate weapons — antipersonnel landmines cannot distinguish between combatants and civilians | severe Hegseth Reverses US Landmine Ban, Rescinds $5B+ Humanitarian Demining Program (enabling) |
| — | Principle of distinction — parties must distinguish between combatants and civilians at all times | severe Hegseth Reverses US Landmine Ban, Rescinds $5B+ Humanitarian Demining Program (enabling) |
| — | Prohibition on collective punishment — the civilian population may not be punished for acts they did not commit | critical Afghanistan Frozen Assets and Aid Termination: 22.9 Million Face Humanitarian Catastrophe (probable) |
| — | Principle of distinction — parties to a conflict must distinguish between civilian objects and military objectives | extreme US Strikes on Ras Issa Fuel Port Kill 84+ Civilians in Yemen (probable) |
| — | Principle of distinction — obligation to distinguish at all times between combatants and civilians, and between military objectives and civilian objects | extreme Operation Rough Rider: US Killed More Civilians in 52 Days Than in Previous 23 Years in Yemen (probable) |
| — | Principle of proportionality — attacks must not cause civilian harm excessive to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated | extreme Operation Rough Rider: US Killed More Civilians in 52 Days Than in Previous 23 Years in Yemen (probable) |
| — | Principle of precaution — obligation to take all feasible precautions to avoid and minimize civilian casualties | extreme Operation Rough Rider: US Killed More Civilians in 52 Days Than in Previous 23 Years in Yemen (probable) |
| — | Obligation to allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilian populations in need | severe Houthi FTO Redesignation Chills Humanitarian Operations for 19.5 Million Yemenis (enabling) |
| — | Prohibition on collective punishment — the civilian population may not be punished for the actions of armed groups operating in their territory | severe Houthi FTO Redesignation Chills Humanitarian Operations for 19.5 Million Yemenis (enabling) |
Arms Trade Treaty
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 6 | Prohibition on transfers where the state has knowledge that the arms would be used in the commission of genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes | severe America First Arms Transfer Strategy: Human Rights Safeguards Removed From Weapons Exports (enabling) |
| Article 6 | A State Party shall not authorize any transfer of conventional arms if it has knowledge at the time of authorization that the arms would be used in the commission of genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes | severe Emergency Arms Sales to Gulf States: $23 Billion Bypassing Congressional Review (enabling) |
| Article 6 | State Party shall not authorize any transfer of conventional arms if it has knowledge that the arms would be used in the commission of attacks directed against civilian objects or civilians | extreme 2026 Lebanon War — US Weapons Complicity in Mass Civilian Casualties and White Phosphorus Attacks (probable) |
| Article 6 | States shall not authorize transfer of arms if they have knowledge the arms would be used in attacks directed against civilians or civilian objects | extreme US-Supplied White Phosphorus Used Over Lebanese Civilian Areas (probable) |
| Article 6(3) | Prohibition on transfers where knowledge exists they will be used in genocide or Geneva Convention violations | extreme US Arms Transfers to Israel During ICJ Genocide Proceedings (probable) |
| Article 7 | States must assess whether arms could be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law or human rights law | severe Emergency Arms Sales to Gulf States: $23 Billion Bypassing Congressional Review (enabling) |
Geneva Conventions
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Protection of persons hors de combat; obligation to accept surrender | extreme Defense Secretary Hegseth Declares 'No Quarter, No Mercy' for Iran (confirmed) |
| — | Prohibition on killing shipwrecked persons who have ceased to be combatants or who refrain from hostile acts | extreme Operation Southern Spear: Lethal Drone Strikes on Caribbean and Pacific Drug Boats (probable) |
| Additional Protocol I, Article 35 | Prohibition on methods or means of warfare which cause superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering | extreme US-Supplied White Phosphorus Used Over Lebanese Civilian Areas (probable) |
| Additional Protocol I, Article 51 | Prohibition on indiscriminate attacks that are not directed at a specific military objective | extreme US-Supplied White Phosphorus Used Over Lebanese Civilian Areas (probable) |
| Additional Protocol I, Article 54 | Prohibition on attacking, destroying, or rendering useless objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population | severe Intensified Cuba Sanctions Regime: Blackouts, Hospital Shutdowns, and Collective Punishment (potential) |
| Article 18, Protocol I | Protection of medical units and transports — hospitals and medical facilities shall be respected and protected at all times | extreme Operation Rough Rider: US Killed More Civilians in 52 Days Than in Previous 23 Years in Yemen (probable) |
| Article 51, Protocol I | Protection of civilians from indiscriminate attacks and the effects of hostilities | severe First-Ever US Airstrikes in Nigeria: Christmas Day Tomahawk Strikes on Sokoto (potential) |
| Article 51, Protocol I | Protection of civilians against the effects of hostilities; prohibition on indiscriminate attacks | severe Operation Hawkeye Strike: Massive US Bombing Campaign in Syria (potential) |
| Article 54, Protocol I | Prohibition on attacking objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, including foodstuffs, crops, livestock, drinking water installations, and irrigation works | extreme US Strikes on Ras Issa Fuel Port Kill 84+ Civilians in Yemen (probable) |
| Article 54, Protocol I | Prohibition on attacking objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population | extreme Operation Rough Rider: US Killed More Civilians in 52 Days Than in Previous 23 Years in Yemen (probable) |
| Common Article 1 | High Contracting Parties undertake to respect and to ensure respect for the Conventions in all circumstances — includes ensuring arms recipients comply with IHL | severe America First Arms Transfer Strategy: Human Rights Safeguards Removed From Weapons Exports (enabling) |
| Common Article 1 | High Contracting Parties undertake to respect and to ensure respect for the present Convention — continued arms transfers while violations are documented constitutes failure to ensure respect | extreme 2026 Lebanon War — US Weapons Complicity in Mass Civilian Casualties and White Phosphorus Attacks (probable) |
| Common Article 1 | High Contracting Parties undertake to respect and to ensure respect for the present Convention in all circumstances | severe Repeated US Vetoes of UN Security Council Gaza Ceasefire Resolutions (enabling) |
| Common Article 1 | Obligation to ensure respect for the conventions in all circumstances | extreme US Arms Transfers to Israel During ICJ Genocide Proceedings (probable) |
| Common Article 3 | Persons taking no active part in hostilities shall be treated humanely — includes prohibition on violence to life, cruel treatment, and neglect | critical Afghanistan Frozen Assets and Aid Termination: 22.9 Million Face Humanitarian Catastrophe (probable) |
| Common Article 3 | Persons taking no active part in hostilities shall be treated humanely; humane treatment includes access to medical care and food | severe Houthi FTO Redesignation Chills Humanitarian Operations for 19.5 Million Yemenis (enabling) |
| Common Article 3 | Prohibition on violence to life and person, including murder, of persons taking no active part in hostilities | extreme US Airstrike Kills 68 African Migrants in Yemen Detention Center (probable) |
| Common Article 3 | Prohibition on violence to life and person of those taking no active part in hostilities | severe Massive Escalation of US Airstrikes in Somalia with Zero Civilian Accountability (potential) |
International Law Commission Articles on State Responsibility
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 16 | A state which aids or assists another state in the commission of an internationally wrongful act is internationally responsible if it does so with knowledge of the circumstances | severe America First Arms Transfer Strategy: Human Rights Safeguards Removed From Weapons Exports (enabling) |
Convention on Cluster Munitions (2008)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Prohibits the use, production, transfer, and stockpiling of cluster munitions. 111 states parties. Neither the US nor Israel has signed | severe Pentagon Signs $210M+ Deal to Purchase Cluster Munitions From Israel (enabling) |
Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Protocol II (Amended) | Restrictions on the use of mines, booby-traps, and other devices — requires self-destruction and self-deactivation mechanisms | severe Hegseth Reverses US Landmine Ban, Rescinds $5B+ Humanitarian Demining Program (enabling) |
| Protocol V | Obligations on explosive remnants of war — states must take precautions to minimize the risk to civilians from unexploded ordnance | severe Pentagon Signs $210M+ Deal to Purchase Cluster Munitions From Israel (enabling) |
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article VI | Each party undertakes to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament | critical New START Treaty Expires: First Time Since 1970s With No Nuclear Arms Control (enabling) |
| Article VI | Obligation to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race and to nuclear disarmament | severe Trump Orders Pentagon to Resume Nuclear Weapons Testing, Breaking 33-Year Moratorium (enabling) |
UN Charter
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Undermining the international rules-based order and multilateral institutions | severe Executive Order Sanctioning International Criminal Court Officials (enabling) |
| Article 1(2) | Principle of self-determination of peoples | major Military and Economic Threats Against Greenland and Panama Canal Sovereignty (potential) |
| Article 2(1) | Sovereign equality of all member states | major Colombia Deportation Standoff: Economic Coercion via Tariff Threats (potential) |
| Article 2(4) | Prohibition on the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state | severe First-Ever US Airstrikes in Nigeria: Christmas Day Tomahawk Strikes on Sokoto (potential)extreme Minab School Strike: US Tomahawk Cruise Missile Kills 175-180 Schoolgirls (probable) |
| Article 2(4) | Prohibition on the use of force against the territorial integrity of any state, absent Security Council authorization or self-defense | severe Operation Hawkeye Strike: Massive US Bombing Campaign in Syria (potential) |
| Article 2(4) | All Members shall refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state — economic coercion through sanctions may constitute a threat | severe ICC Immunity Demands: Ultimatum to Amend Rome Statute and Exempt Americans from War Crimes Prosecution (enabling) |
| Article 2(4) | Prohibition on the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state | extreme Trump Threats to Obliterate Iran's Civilian Power Infrastructure (probable)major Colombia Deportation Standoff: Economic Coercion via Tariff Threats (potential)major Military and Economic Threats Against Greenland and Panama Canal Sovereignty (potential)severe Naval Blockade of Venezuelan Oil Exports (potential) |
| Article 2(4) | All Members shall refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state | extreme Iran War: Crime of Aggression — War Launched Without Congressional Authorization (probable)extreme Operation Absolute Resolve: Unilateral US Military Intervention in Venezuela (probable) |
| Article 24 | Security Council members have primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security | severe Repeated US Vetoes of UN Security Council Gaza Ceasefire Resolutions (enabling) |
| Article 26 | The Security Council shall formulate plans for the establishment of a system for the regulation of armaments | critical New START Treaty Expires: First Time Since 1970s With No Nuclear Arms Control (enabling) |
| Article 39 | Only the Security Council may determine the existence of a threat to peace and decide on enforcement measures | extreme Operation Absolute Resolve: Unilateral US Military Intervention in Venezuela (probable) |
| Article 39-41 | Unilateral coercive measures that cause humanitarian harm may violate the UN Charter when imposed outside of Security Council authorization | severe Intensified Cuba Sanctions Regime: Blackouts, Hospital Shutdowns, and Collective Punishment (potential) |
| Article 51 | Right of self-defense — limited to armed attack and subject to necessity and proportionality | severe First-Ever US Airstrikes in Nigeria: Christmas Day Tomahawk Strikes on Sokoto (potential) |
| Article 51 | Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs — the strikes were not in response to an armed attack on the United States | extreme Iran War: Crime of Aggression — War Launched Without Congressional Authorization (probable) |
| Article 51 | Self-defense applies only in response to an armed attack; Venezuela had not attacked the United States | extreme Operation Absolute Resolve: Unilateral US Military Intervention in Venezuela (probable) |
| Articles 100, 105 | Independence of UN personnel and privileges and immunities necessary for the exercise of their functions | severe Sanctions Against UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine (enabling) |
| Articles 55-56 | Obligation to promote higher standards of living, solutions to health problems, and universal respect for human rights through international cooperation | extreme Systematic Dismantlement of USAID and Global Humanitarian Consequences (enabling) |
International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion (1996)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | The threat or use of nuclear weapons is generally contrary to the rules of international humanitarian law; states are obligated to conclude negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament | critical New START Treaty Expires: First Time Since 1970s With No Nuclear Arms Control (enabling) |
| — | States are obligated to pursue and conclude negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament; nuclear testing furthers the arms race in direct contradiction | severe Trump Orders Pentagon to Resume Nuclear Weapons Testing, Breaking 33-Year Moratorium (enabling) |
Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Prohibits the development, testing, production, stockpiling, transfer, use, and threat of use of nuclear weapons | critical New START Treaty Expires: First Time Since 1970s With No Nuclear Arms Control (enabling) |
Ottawa Treaty (Mine Ban Treaty)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Prohibits the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of antipersonnel mines. 164 states parties. The US has never signed but had been progressively aligning its policy with the treaty's goals | severe Hegseth Reverses US Landmine Ban, Rescinds $5B+ Humanitarian Demining Program (enabling) |
Convention Against Torture
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 1 | Definition and absolute prohibition of torture — severe pain or suffering intentionally inflicted by or at the instigation of a public official | extreme Torture and Enforced Disappearances at 'Alligator Alcatraz' and Krome Detention Centers (probable) |
| Article 12 | Obligation to ensure prompt and impartial investigation of acts of torture — removal of internal watchdogs degrades this investigative capacity | severe Mass Firing of Inspectors General Across Federal Government (enabling) |
| Article 16 | Prohibition on cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment | extreme Torture and Enforced Disappearances at 'Alligator Alcatraz' and Krome Detention Centers (probable)extreme Secret Deportation of 260+ Venezuelans to CECOT Mega-Prison (probable)major Executive Orders Targeting Transgender Rights and Gender Identity Recognition (potential) |
| Article 16 | Prohibition on cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment -- indefinite detention without judicial review | critical Systematic Elimination of Bond Hearings and Indefinite Immigration Detention (potential) |
| Article 16 | Cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment — expansion of capital punishment against the global trend toward abolition | major Federal Death Penalty Expansion and Discriminatory Application (potential) |
| Article 16 | Prohibition on cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment -- prolonged separation of children from parents | severe Family Separations and Prolonged Child Detention Under Immigration Enforcement (potential) |
| Article 3 | No State Party shall expel, return or extradite a person to another State where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture | severe Secretive $7.5 Million Deal Deports 29 People to Equatorial Guinea's Authoritarian Regime (potential) |
| Article 3 | Absolute prohibition on transfer to countries where there is substantial risk of torture (non-refoulement) | extreme Secret Deportation of 260+ Venezuelans to CECOT Mega-Prison (probable) |
| Article 3 | Non-refoulement — no State shall deport a person to a State where there are substantial grounds for believing they would be subjected to torture | extreme Forced Disappearances of Salvadoran Deportees in El Salvador's Prison System (probable) |
| Article 3 | Non-refoulement -- prohibition on return to countries where individuals face risk of torture | severe Mass Termination of Temporary Protected Status Across 11 Countries (potential)severe Termination of CHNV Humanitarian Parole for 532,000 People (potential) |
| Article 3 | Non-refoulement -- deportation of Guevara to country where he faced threats for journalism | severe Systematic Attacks on Press Freedom: Journalist Arrests, Detention, and Deportation (potential) |
| Article 3 | Non-refoulement -- flights to countries with documented torture risks | severe Record Expansion of ICE Deportation Flights to 79 Countries (potential) |
| Article 3 | Absolute prohibition on transferring persons to states where there are substantial grounds for believing they would be subjected to torture | critical Secret Cameroon Deportation Agreement and Torture of Deportees (potential) |
| Article 3 | Non-refoulement -- absolute prohibition on return to a country where a person faces torture risk | critical Deportations to Haiti Despite Gang Control and Humanitarian Collapse (probable) |
| Article 3 | Non-refoulement, which requires meaningful assessment of torture risk -- impossible without fair hearings | severe Deportation Traps at Immigration Court Hearings and Systematic Denial of Due Process (potential) |
| Article 3 | No state shall expel a person to another state where there are substantial grounds for believing they would be in danger of being subjected to torture | severe Deportation of US Military Veterans (potential)severe Reimposition of 'Remain in Mexico' Migrant Protection Protocols (potential)severe Suspension of Asylum at the Southern Border (potential) |
| Article 3 | Non-refoulement — prohibition on return to countries where individuals face risk of torture | severe Termination of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelan Nationals (potential) |
| Article 3 | Non-refoulement — absolute prohibition on return to countries where there is risk of torture | critical Invocation of the Alien Enemies Act to Accelerate Venezuelan Deportations (potential) |
| Article 3 | Non-refoulement — absolute prohibition on transfer to a country where there are substantial grounds for believing the person would be in danger of being subjected to torture | critical Kilmar Abrego Garcia Deported to El Salvador Despite Withholding Order (probable) |
| Articles 1, 16 | Prohibition on torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment -- shackling pregnant women and denying medical care during miscarriage | critical Deportation and Medical Neglect of Pregnant Women in ICE Custody (probable) |
| Articles 1, 16 | Prolonged solitary confinement exceeding 15 days constitutes torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment per the UN Special Rapporteur | critical Surge in Solitary Confinement in Immigration Detention (probable) |
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 10 | All persons deprived of liberty shall be treated with humanity and respect for inherent dignity | extreme Torture and Enforced Disappearances at 'Alligator Alcatraz' and Krome Detention Centers (probable) |
| Article 10 | All persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person | extreme Guantanamo Bay Immigrant Detention: Solitary Confinement and Torture Conditions (probable) |
| Article 10 | All persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and respect for inherent dignity | critical Record ICE Detention Deaths and Medical Care Payment Halt (enabling) |
| Article 13 | An alien lawfully in the territory of a State Party may be expelled only in pursuance of a decision reached in accordance with law and shall be allowed to submit reasons against expulsion | severe Secretive $7.5 Million Deal Deports 29 People to Equatorial Guinea's Authoritarian Regime (potential) |
| Article 13 | An alien lawfully in the territory of a State Party may be expelled only in pursuance of a decision reached in accordance with law | critical Midnight Deportation of 76 Guatemalan Children: Labor Day Weekend Mass Removal Attempt (potential) |
| Article 13 | Aliens lawfully in territory may only be expelled pursuant to a decision reached in accordance with law | severe Third-Country Deportations to Rwanda, Ghana, and South Sudan (potential) |
| Article 13 | Procedural protections for aliens facing expulsion | critical Invocation of the Alien Enemies Act to Accelerate Venezuelan Deportations (potential) |
| Article 13 | Procedural protections for aliens facing expulsion — may only be expelled pursuant to decision reached in accordance with law | critical Kilmar Abrego Garcia Deported to El Salvador Despite Withholding Order (probable) |
| Article 14 | Right to due process | extreme Operation Southern Spear: Lethal Drone Strikes on Caribbean and Pacific Drug Boats (probable) |
| Article 14 | Right to a fair hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal | severe Systematic Attacks on Judicial Independence and Defiance of Court Orders (enabling) |
| Article 14 | Right to due process and fair hearing | extreme Secret Deportation of 260+ Venezuelans to CECOT Mega-Prison (probable) |
| Article 14 | Right to a fair trial, including the right to legal representation of one's choosing — executive punishment of lawyers for their clients' identities undermines the right to counsel | severe Executive Orders Targeting Law Firms Representing Trump's Opponents (enabling) |
| Article 14 | Right to fair trial and due process | extreme Secret $6 Million Contract to Outsource Detention to El Salvador's CECOT (probable) |
| Article 14 | Right to a fair trial by an independent and impartial tribunal — politicization of prosecution function undermines judicial independence | severe Weaponization of the Department of Justice: Retaliatory Investigations and Prosecutions (enabling) |
| Article 14 | All persons shall be equal before the courts and tribunals — pardons based on political loyalty or donor status undermine equal justice | major Systematic Pardons of Political Allies and Financial Criminals — $1.3 Billion in Victim Restitution Erased (enabling) |
| Article 14 | Right to a fair hearing by an independent tribunal | critical Invocation of the Alien Enemies Act to Accelerate Venezuelan Deportations (potential) |
| Article 17 | No one shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with their privacy; everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference | severe DOGE Unauthorized Access to Treasury, OPM, and Social Security Databases (enabling) |
| Article 17 | Right to privacy — reproductive decisions are protected under the right to privacy | major Restrictions on Reproductive Rights and Comstock Act Revival (enabling) |
| Article 18 | Freedom of thought, conscience, and religion | severe Expanded Travel Ban Targeting Up to 39 Countries, Predominantly Muslim and African Nations (potential) |
| Article 18 | Freedom of thought — demanding universities adopt specific definitions, change curricula, and place departments under 'receivership' constitutes government dictation of thought | major Coercion of Universities: Funding Freezes, Research Cuts, and Demands for Political Compliance (enabling) |
| Article 18 | Freedom of thought, conscience, and religion — enforcement operations at houses of worship interfere with free exercise of religion | severe Rescission of ICE Sensitive Locations Policy — Churches, Schools, and Hospitals Open to Raids (potential) |
| Article 19 | Freedom of expression, including the right to seek, receive, and impart information — government threats against broadcasters for critical coverage directly chill media freedom | major FCC Broadcast License Threats and Government Coercion of Media (enabling) |
| Article 19 | Freedom of expression — NSPM-7's classification of political viewpoints as 'domestic terrorism' | severe Federal Protest Crackdowns: ICE Killing of Renee Good, Insurrection Act Threats, and Criminalization of Dissent (potential) |
| Article 19 | Freedom of expression, including academic freedom — conditioning funding on political compliance chills academic inquiry and expression | major Coercion of Universities: Funding Freezes, Research Cuts, and Demands for Political Compliance (enabling) |
| Article 19 | Freedom of expression — targeting firms for their advocacy constitutes punishment for protected speech | severe Executive Orders Targeting Law Firms Representing Trump's Opponents (enabling) |
| Article 19 | Right to freedom of expression, including the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds | severe Mass Student Visa Revocations Targeting Pro-Palestine Protesters (potential) |
| Article 19 | Right to freedom of expression — whistleblower protections derive from this right | severe Schedule F Reclassification: Mass Removal of Civil Service Protections (enabling) |
| Article 19 | Freedom of expression — revoking clearances to punish speech and dissent chills future expression by national security professionals | severe Weaponization of Security Clearances for Political Retaliation (enabling) |
| Article 19 | Freedom of expression — whistleblower protections derive from and are essential to the right of free expression; their removal chills speech | severe Dismantlement of Whistleblower Protections and Government Oversight Infrastructure (enabling) |
| Article 19(3) | Restrictions on expression must be provided by law and necessary — executive threats and ad hoc license revocation threats do not satisfy the legality requirement | major FCC Broadcast License Threats and Government Coercion of Media (enabling) |
| Article 2 | Non-discrimination — rights shall be guaranteed without distinction of any kind such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin | severe Expanded Travel Ban Targeting Up to 39 Countries, Predominantly Muslim and African Nations (potential) |
| Article 2 | Non-discrimination — passport requirements disproportionately affect younger, lower-income, and non-white Americans | severe Executive Order on Elections: Voter Suppression and Presidential Seizure of Election Administration (enabling) |
| Article 2 | Non-discrimination — applying different penalty regimes based on national origin | major Federal Death Penalty Expansion and Discriminatory Application (potential) |
| Article 2(3) | Right to an effective remedy | severe Systematic Attacks on Judicial Independence and Defiance of Court Orders (enabling) |
| Article 2(3) | Obligation to ensure effective remedies for rights violations — elimination of oversight bodies undermines the domestic accountability mechanisms required by this provision | severe Mass Firing of Inspectors General Across Federal Government (enabling) |
| Article 21 | Right of peaceful assembly — militarized response to protests and expanded criminalization of protest activities | severe Federal Protest Crackdowns: ICE Killing of Renee Good, Insurrection Act Threats, and Criminalization of Dissent (potential) |
| Article 21 | Right of peaceful assembly | severe Mass Student Visa Revocations Targeting Pro-Palestine Protesters (potential) |
| Article 22 | Freedom of association — coercing firms to abandon clients or adopt government-favored positions | severe Executive Orders Targeting Law Firms Representing Trump's Opponents (enabling) |
| Article 22 | Freedom of association, including the right to form and join trade unions | major Suppression of Organized Labor: Union Busting, NLRB Destruction, and Collective Bargaining Revocation (enabling) |
| Article 24 | Every child shall have the right to such measures of protection as are required by his status as a minor | critical Midnight Deportation of 76 Guatemalan Children: Labor Day Weekend Mass Removal Attempt (potential) |
| Article 24(3) | Every child has the right to acquire a nationality | major Executive Order Attempting to Restrict Fourteenth Amendment Birthright Citizenship (potential) |
| Article 25 | Right to vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections by universal and equal suffrage — documentary requirements disproportionately disenfranchise eligible voters | severe Executive Order on Elections: Voter Suppression and Presidential Seizure of Election Administration (enabling) |
| Article 25 | Right to take part in public affairs and to have access, on general terms of equality, to public service | severe Schedule F Reclassification: Mass Removal of Civil Service Protections (enabling) |
| Article 25 | Right to take part in public affairs — punishing elected officials and their constituents for lawful policy choices undermines democratic self-governance | major Punishing Sanctuary Jurisdictions: Federal Funding Cutoffs and Lawsuits Against 29 States (enabling) |
| Article 25 | Right to take part in public affairs — stripping professional credentials from former officials for political activity | severe Weaponization of Security Clearances for Political Retaliation (enabling) |
| Article 25 | Right to take part in the conduct of public affairs and to genuine periodic elections — pardoning those who violently disrupted the peaceful transfer of power undermines the democratic governance this provision protects | severe Blanket Clemency for January 6 Defendants, Including Violent Offenders (enabling) |
| Article 26 | Equality before the law — all persons are entitled without any discrimination to the equal protection of the law | severe Expanded Travel Ban Targeting Up to 39 Countries, Predominantly Muslim and African Nations (potential) |
| Article 26 | Equal protection of the law — selectively applied voting restrictions | severe Executive Order on Elections: Voter Suppression and Presidential Seizure of Election Administration (enabling) |
| Article 26 | Prohibition on discrimination; equal protection of the law | severe Mass Student Visa Revocations Targeting Pro-Palestine Protesters (potential) |
| Article 26 | Equal protection of the law — mandating the death penalty based on immigration status rather than the nature of the crime violates equal treatment | major Federal Death Penalty Expansion and Discriminatory Application (potential) |
| Article 26 | Equal protection of the law — selective prosecution based on political opposition rather than evidence of criminal conduct | severe Weaponization of the Department of Justice: Retaliatory Investigations and Prosecutions (enabling) |
| Article 26 | Equal protection of the law without discrimination on any ground including race, colour, or national origin | severe Systematic Racial Profiling in Immigration Enforcement and Wrongful Detention of US Citizens (potential) |
| Article 26 | Equal protection of the law — applying clearance revocations based on political viewpoint rather than security criteria | severe Weaponization of Security Clearances for Political Retaliation (enabling) |
| Article 6 | Right to life; no arbitrary deprivation of life | extreme US Strikes on Ras Issa Fuel Port Kill 84+ Civilians in Yemen (probable)extreme Operation Southern Spear: Lethal Drone Strikes on Caribbean and Pacific Drug Boats (probable)extreme US Airstrike Kills 68 African Migrants in Yemen Detention Center (probable)severe Massive Escalation of US Airstrikes in Somalia with Zero Civilian Accountability (potential) |
| Article 6 | Right to life — no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of life | extreme Operation Rough Rider: US Killed More Civilians in 52 Days Than in Previous 23 Years in Yemen (probable) |
| Article 6 | Right to life — the deliberate targeting of residential areas and displacement of civilian populations violates the right to life | extreme 2026 Lebanon War — US Weapons Complicity in Mass Civilian Casualties and White Phosphorus Attacks (probable) |
| Article 6 | Right to life — arbitrary deprivation of life by law enforcement, including the killing of Renee Nicole Good | severe Federal Protest Crackdowns: ICE Killing of Renee Good, Insurrection Act Threats, and Criminalization of Dissent (potential) |
| Article 6 | Right to life — obligation to protect | severe Repeated US Vetoes of UN Security Council Gaza Ceasefire Resolutions (enabling) |
| Article 6 | Right to life — the death penalty, where not yet abolished, shall only be imposed for 'the most serious crimes' and shall not be applied in a discriminatory manner | major Federal Death Penalty Expansion and Discriminatory Application (potential) |
| Article 6 | Inherent right to life; obligation of the state to protect this right | critical Record ICE Detention Deaths and Medical Care Payment Halt (enabling) |
| Article 7 | No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment | severe Secretive $7.5 Million Deal Deports 29 People to Equatorial Guinea's Authoritarian Regime (potential)extreme Secret $6 Million Contract to Outsource Detention to El Salvador's CECOT (probable)extreme Guantanamo Bay Immigrant Detention: Solitary Confinement and Torture Conditions (probable) |
| Article 7 | No one shall be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment | extreme Torture and Enforced Disappearances at 'Alligator Alcatraz' and Krome Detention Centers (probable) |
| Article 7 | Prohibition on torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment | extreme Secret Deportation of 260+ Venezuelans to CECOT Mega-Prison (probable) |
| Article 7 | No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment | extreme Forced Disappearances of Salvadoran Deportees in El Salvador's Prison System (probable) |
| Article 7 | Prohibition on cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment — denial of abortion in cases of medical emergency, rape, or incest | major Restrictions on Reproductive Rights and Comstock Act Revival (enabling) |
| Article 7 | Prohibition on cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment -- denial of medical care and placement at risk of violence in detention | major Executive Orders Targeting Transgender Rights and Gender Identity Recognition (potential) |
| Article 9 | Everyone has the right to liberty and security of person. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention | severe Secretive $7.5 Million Deal Deports 29 People to Equatorial Guinea's Authoritarian Regime (potential) |
| Article 9 | Right to liberty and security of person; prohibition on arbitrary detention | extreme Torture and Enforced Disappearances at 'Alligator Alcatraz' and Krome Detention Centers (probable)extreme Secret Deportation of 260+ Venezuelans to CECOT Mega-Prison (probable)critical Invocation of the Alien Enemies Act to Accelerate Venezuelan Deportations (potential)critical Kilmar Abrego Garcia Deported to El Salvador Despite Withholding Order (probable) |
| Article 9 | Right to liberty — mass arrests at protests and immigration detention of protest participants | severe Federal Protest Crackdowns: ICE Killing of Renee Good, Insurrection Act Threats, and Criminalization of Dissent (potential) |
| Article 9 | Right to liberty — no arbitrary detention; right to challenge lawfulness of detention | extreme Forced Disappearances of Salvadoran Deportees in El Salvador's Prison System (probable) |
| Article 9 | Right to liberty and security of person; no arbitrary detention | extreme Secret $6 Million Contract to Outsource Detention to El Salvador's CECOT (probable) |
| Article 9 | Right to liberty and security of person — retaliatory arrest and prosecution of political opponents | severe Weaponization of the Department of Justice: Retaliatory Investigations and Prosecutions (enabling) |
| Article 9 | Right to liberty and security of person — wrongful detention of citizens based on racial appearance | severe Systematic Racial Profiling in Immigration Enforcement and Wrongful Detention of US Citizens (potential) |
| Articles 2, 26 | Non-discrimination and equal protection of the law | major Executive Orders Targeting Transgender Rights and Gender Identity Recognition (potential) |
| Articles 9, 13 | Right to liberty, procedural protections for aliens facing expulsion | severe Termination of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelan Nationals (potential) |
1951 Refugee Convention
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Obligation to investigate and punish trafficking and sexual exploitation of women | critical Epstein Files: DOJ Withholds Evidence, UN Experts Warn of Crimes Against Humanity (enabling) |
UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (Palermo Protocol)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Prevention, suppression, and punishment of trafficking in persons, especially women and children | critical Epstein Files: DOJ Withholds Evidence, UN Experts Warn of Crimes Against Humanity (enabling) |
Convention on the Rights of the Child
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Protection from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse | critical Epstein Files: DOJ Withholds Evidence, UN Experts Warn of Crimes Against Humanity (enabling) |
| Article 22 | States shall take appropriate measures to ensure that a child who is seeking refugee status receives appropriate protection and humanitarian assistance | critical Midnight Deportation of 76 Guatemalan Children: Labor Day Weekend Mass Removal Attempt (potential) |
| Article 24 | Right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness — states must combat disease and malnutrition | critical Afghanistan Frozen Assets and Aid Termination: 22.9 Million Face Humanitarian Catastrophe (probable) |
| Article 24 | Right of the child to health and to facilities for treatment of illness and malnutrition | severe Houthi FTO Redesignation Chills Humanitarian Operations for 19.5 Million Yemenis (enabling) |
| Article 24 | Right to the highest attainable standard of health, including pre-natal and post-natal health care for mothers | critical Deportation and Medical Neglect of Pregnant Women in ICE Custody (probable) |
| Article 24 | Right to the highest attainable standard of health and access to healthcare | extreme Systematic Dismantlement of USAID and Global Humanitarian Consequences (enabling) |
| Article 28 | Right to education — children in immigrant families afraid to attend school | severe Rescission of ICE Sensitive Locations Policy — Churches, Schools, and Hospitals Open to Raids (potential) |
| Article 3 | In all actions concerning children, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration | critical Midnight Deportation of 76 Guatemalan Children: Labor Day Weekend Mass Removal Attempt (potential) |
| Article 37 | No child shall be deprived of his or her liberty unlawfully or arbitrarily | critical Midnight Deportation of 76 Guatemalan Children: Labor Day Weekend Mass Removal Attempt (potential) |
| Article 6 | Right to life, survival, and development | extreme Systematic Dismantlement of USAID and Global Humanitarian Consequences (enabling) |
| Article 7 | Right to acquire a nationality from birth | major Executive Order Attempting to Restrict Fourteenth Amendment Birthright Citizenship (potential) |
| Articles 3, 22 | Best interests of the child; protection of child refugees | severe Reimposition of 'Remain in Mexico' Migrant Protection Protocols (potential) |
| Articles 3, 9, 37 | Best interests of the child; right not to be separated from parents against their will; protection from arbitrary detention | severe Family Separations and Prolonged Child Detention Under Immigration Enforcement (potential) |
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Prohibits all nuclear explosions in all environments, for military or civilian purposes. The US signed but never ratified; resuming testing would violate the treaty's object and purpose | severe Trump Orders Pentagon to Resume Nuclear Weapons Testing, Breaking 33-Year Moratorium (enabling) |
Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Obligation not to defeat the object and purpose of treaties | severe Sanctions Against UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine (enabling) |
| Article 18 | Signatory states are obligated not to defeat the object and purpose of a treaty they have signed, even if not ratified | severe Trump Orders Pentagon to Resume Nuclear Weapons Testing, Breaking 33-Year Moratorium (enabling) |
| Article 52 | A treaty is void if its conclusion has been procured by the threat or use of force — coercing amendment of the Rome Statute through sanctions threats implicates this principle | severe ICC Immunity Demands: Ultimatum to Amend Rome Statute and Exempt Americans from War Crimes Prosecution (enabling) |
Customary International Law
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | The 33-year global moratorium on nuclear testing (maintained by all states except North Korea) has arguably crystallized into a norm of customary international law | severe Trump Orders Pentagon to Resume Nuclear Weapons Testing, Breaking 33-Year Moratorium (enabling) |
| — | The principle of judicial independence requires that courts and their officials be free from external pressure and coercion in the exercise of their judicial functions | severe ICC Immunity Demands: Ultimatum to Amend Rome Statute and Exempt Americans from War Crimes Prosecution (enabling) |
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 11 | The right of everyone to an adequate standard of living, including adequate food — states must not take retrogressive measures that deprive populations of this right | critical Afghanistan Frozen Assets and Aid Termination: 22.9 Million Face Humanitarian Catastrophe (probable) |
UN General Assembly Resolution on Unilateral Coercive Measures
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Condemns measures that prevent the full realization of economic and social development, particularly of developing countries, and that affect their populations, in particular women and children | critical Afghanistan Frozen Assets and Aid Termination: 22.9 Million Face Humanitarian Catastrophe (probable) |
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 11 | Right to adequate food — states must not take measures that impede access to food for civilian populations | severe Houthi FTO Redesignation Chills Humanitarian Operations for 19.5 Million Yemenis (enabling) |
| Article 11 | Right to an adequate standard of living, including adequate food | extreme Strait of Hormuz Crisis: Global Energy and Food Security Catastrophe (enabling) |
| Article 11 | Right of everyone to an adequate standard of living, including adequate food | severe Intensified Cuba Sanctions Regime: Blackouts, Hospital Shutdowns, and Collective Punishment (potential) |
| Article 11 | Right to an adequate standard of living — destruction of disaster response capacity endangers lives and livelihoods during natural disasters | severe FEMA Dismantlement — Budget Cuts, Mass Layoffs, and Destruction of Disaster Response Capacity (enabling) |
| Article 11 | Right to an adequate standard of living — cutting infrastructure, health, and social service funding punishes entire populations | major Punishing Sanctuary Jurisdictions: Federal Funding Cutoffs and Lawsuits Against 29 States (enabling) |
| Article 12 | Right to the highest attainable standard of health — NIH and CDC budget cuts reduce research and services for disability-related conditions | major Systematic Rollback of Disability Rights Protections (enabling) |
| Article 12 | Right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health | severe Intensified Cuba Sanctions Regime: Blackouts, Hospital Shutdowns, and Collective Punishment (potential)extreme Systematic Dismantlement of USAID and Global Humanitarian Consequences (enabling) |
| Article 12 | Right to the highest attainable standard of health — rescission of the endangerment finding removes the legal basis for regulating pollutants that cause respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, and premature death | severe Systematic Destruction of Environmental Protections — Paris Agreement, UNFCCC, and Endangerment Finding (enabling) |
| Article 12 | Right to the highest attainable standard of health — gutting emergency response threatens post-disaster health outcomes | severe FEMA Dismantlement — Budget Cuts, Mass Layoffs, and Destruction of Disaster Response Capacity (enabling) |
| Article 12 | Right to the highest attainable standard of health — chilling effect on healthcare access | severe Rescission of ICE Sensitive Locations Policy — Churches, Schools, and Hospitals Open to Raids (potential) |
| Article 12 | Right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health — restricting access to reproductive healthcare, including contraception and abortion services, impedes this right | major Restrictions on Reproductive Rights and Comstock Act Revival (enabling) |
| Article 12 | Right to the highest attainable standard of health — includes the obligation to take steps for the prevention, treatment and control of epidemic diseases | major US Withdrawal from the World Health Organization — Dismantling Global Pandemic Preparedness (enabling) |
| Article 13 | Right to education and the obligation that higher education shall be equally accessible — withdrawal of funding to coerce political compliance undermines equal access | major Coercion of Universities: Funding Freezes, Research Cuts, and Demands for Political Compliance (enabling) |
| Article 13 | Right to education — enforcement at schools deters attendance by children in immigrant families | severe Rescission of ICE Sensitive Locations Policy — Churches, Schools, and Hospitals Open to Raids (potential) |
| Article 13 | Right of everyone to education | extreme Systematic Dismantlement of USAID and Global Humanitarian Consequences (enabling) |
| Article 15 | Right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress — 24% NIH funding cut and termination of research grants impedes scientific advancement | major Coercion of Universities: Funding Freezes, Research Cuts, and Demands for Political Compliance (enabling) |
| Article 2 | Progressive realization of rights — withholding health, education, and social service funding causes retrogression in rights fulfillment | major Punishing Sanctuary Jurisdictions: Federal Funding Cutoffs and Lawsuits Against 29 States (enabling) |
| Article 2(1) | Obligation to take steps to the maximum of available resources toward progressive realization of rights, including through international assistance and cooperation | extreme Systematic Dismantlement of USAID and Global Humanitarian Consequences (enabling) |
| Article 8 | Right to form and join trade unions and the right to strike | major Suppression of Organized Labor: Union Busting, NLRB Destruction, and Collective Bargaining Revocation (enabling) |
UN Security Council Resolution 2216
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Humanitarian access to Yemen must be maintained | severe Houthi FTO Redesignation Chills Humanitarian Operations for 19.5 Million Yemenis (enabling) |
Geneva Conventions Common Article 1
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | High Contracting Parties undertake to respect and to ensure respect for the present Convention in all circumstances — interpreted as requiring states not to facilitate violations by third parties | severe Emergency Arms Sales to Gulf States: $23 Billion Bypassing Congressional Review (enabling) |
Arms Export Control Act
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Section 36 | Major arms sales require a 30-day congressional notification period during which Congress may block the sale through a joint resolution of disapproval | severe Emergency Arms Sales to Gulf States: $23 Billion Bypassing Congressional Review (enabling) |
Genocide Convention
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article I | Obligation to prevent and punish genocide | extreme US Arms Transfers to Israel During ICJ Genocide Proceedings (probable) |
| Article III(e) | Complicity in genocide is punishable — supplying arms to a party known to be committing genocide may constitute complicity | severe Emergency Arms Sales to Gulf States: $23 Billion Bypassing Congressional Review (enabling) |
| Article III(e) | Complicity in genocide | extreme US Arms Transfers to Israel During ICJ Genocide Proceedings (probable) |
Hague Convention IV
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 23(d) | It is especially forbidden to declare that no quarter will be given | extreme Defense Secretary Hegseth Declares 'No Quarter, No Mercy' for Iran (confirmed) |
Lieber Code (General Order No. 100, 1863)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 61 | Troops that give no quarter have no right to kill enemies already disabled on the ground | extreme Defense Secretary Hegseth Declares 'No Quarter, No Mercy' for Iran (confirmed) |
1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 4 | Parties undertake to respect cultural property by refraining from any use of the property and its immediate surroundings for purposes which are likely to expose it to destruction or damage, and by refraining from any act of hostility directed against such property | extreme Destruction of Iranian UNESCO World Heritage Sites in US-Israeli Airstrikes (probable) |
UNESCO World Heritage Convention
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 6 | Each State Party undertakes not to take any deliberate measures which might damage the cultural heritage situated on the territory of other States Parties | extreme Destruction of Iranian UNESCO World Heritage Sites in US-Israeli Airstrikes (probable) |
Geneva Convention II (Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 18 | After each engagement, parties to the conflict shall take all possible measures to search for and collect the shipwrecked, wounded and sick | extreme Sinking of IRIS Dena: USS Charlotte Torpedoes Iranian Frigate Off Sri Lanka (potential) |
Geneva Convention II
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 12 | Members of the armed forces at sea who are wounded, sick or shipwrecked shall be respected and protected in all circumstances | extreme Sinking of IRIS Dena: USS Charlotte Torpedoes Iranian Frigate Off Sri Lanka (potential) |
UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Freedom of navigation and innocent passage | severe Naval Blockade of Venezuelan Oil Exports (potential) |
| Article 98 | Duty to render assistance to persons in danger at sea | extreme Sinking of IRIS Dena: USS Charlotte Torpedoes Iranian Frigate Off Sri Lanka (potential) |
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Obligation to render assistance to those in distress at sea | extreme Sinking of IRIS Dena: USS Charlotte Torpedoes Iranian Frigate Off Sri Lanka (potential) |
Geneva Conventions Protocol I
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 54 | Protection of objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population — including foodstuffs | extreme Strait of Hormuz Crisis: Global Energy and Food Security Catastrophe (enabling) |
UN Convention on the Law of the Sea
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 38 | Right of transit passage through straits used for international navigation | extreme Strait of Hormuz Crisis: Global Energy and Food Security Catastrophe (enabling) |
Protocol III to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 2 | Prohibition on use of incendiary weapons against civilian populations — airburst white phosphorus over residential areas is unlawfully indiscriminate | extreme 2026 Lebanon War — US Weapons Complicity in Mass Civilian Casualties and White Phosphorus Attacks (probable) |
| Article 2 | Prohibition on making civilians the object of attack by incendiary weapons, and on using air-delivered incendiary weapons against military targets within concentrations of civilians | extreme US-Supplied White Phosphorus Used Over Lebanese Civilian Areas (probable) |
Geneva Convention IV (Protection of Civilian Persons)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Articles 53, 147 | Prohibition on destruction of civilian property not justified by military necessity; extensive destruction as a grave breach | extreme Trump Threats to Obliterate Iran's Civilian Power Infrastructure (probable) |
Rome Statute
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Independence and integrity of the ICC as an international judicial body; while the US is not a party, sanctions interfere with treaty obligations of ICC member states | severe Executive Order Sanctioning International Criminal Court Officials (enabling) |
| Article 25(3)(c) | Aiding, abetting, or otherwise assisting in commission of a crime within ICC jurisdiction | extreme US Arms Transfers to Israel During ICJ Genocide Proceedings (probable) |
| Article 8(2)(b)(ii) | War crime: intentionally directing attacks against civilian objects | extreme Trump Threats to Obliterate Iran's Civilian Power Infrastructure (probable) |
| Article 8(2)(b)(iv) | War crime: intentionally launching attacks knowing they will cause incidental loss of civilian life clearly excessive in relation to military advantage | extreme Trump Threats to Obliterate Iran's Civilian Power Infrastructure (probable) |
| Article 8(2)(b)(iv) | War crime to launch an attack in the knowledge that it will cause incidental loss of civilian life clearly excessive in relation to the military advantage anticipated | severe Dismantlement of Pentagon Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Program (enabling) |
| Article 8bis | Crime of aggression: use of armed force by a state not in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations | extreme Trump Threats to Obliterate Iran's Civilian Power Infrastructure (probable) |
| Article 8bis | Crime of aggression -- use of armed force against the sovereignty, territorial integrity, or political independence of another state | major Military and Economic Threats Against Greenland and Panama Canal Sovereignty (potential) |
UN General Assembly Resolution 3314
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | A war of aggression is a crime against international peace — the Nuremberg Tribunal called it 'the supreme international crime' | extreme Iran War: Crime of Aggression — War Launched Without Congressional Authorization (probable) |
US Constitution
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article I, Section 8 | Congress shall have Power to declare War — the strikes were launched without congressional authorization or declaration | extreme Iran War: Crime of Aggression — War Launched Without Congressional Authorization (probable) |
War Powers Resolution
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Requires congressional authorization for sustained military operations — the administration has not obtained authorization | extreme Iran War: Crime of Aggression — War Launched Without Congressional Authorization (probable) |
| — | Congressional authorization required for sustained military operations | severe Naval Blockade of Venezuelan Oil Exports (potential) |
Geneva Convention IV
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Obligation to take constant care to spare civilians and civilian objects in military operations | severe Dismantlement of Pentagon Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Program (enabling) |
| Articles 18, 24, 50 | Protection of civilians, especially children; prohibition on attacking civilian objects | extreme Minab School Strike: US Tomahawk Cruise Missile Kills 175-180 Schoolgirls (probable) |
Charter of the Organization of American States
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 19 | No State or group of States has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly, for any reason whatever, in the internal or external affairs of any other State | extreme Operation Absolute Resolve: Unilateral US Military Intervention in Venezuela (probable) |
US War Powers Resolution
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| 50 U.S.C. 1541-1548 | Congressional authorization required for introduction of US Armed Forces into hostilities | extreme Operation Absolute Resolve: Unilateral US Military Intervention in Venezuela (probable) |
Pentagon Law of War Manual
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Protection of shipwrecked persons | extreme Operation Southern Spear: Lethal Drone Strikes on Caribbean and Pacific Drug Boats (probable) |
UN Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Prohibition on extrajudicial killings | extreme Operation Southern Spear: Lethal Drone Strikes on Caribbean and Pacific Drug Boats (probable) |
| — | States must conduct thorough, prompt, and impartial investigations into all suspected extralegal executions | severe Massive Escalation of US Airstrikes in Somalia with Zero Civilian Accountability (potential) |
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Prohibition on secret detention and enforced disappearance | critical Secret Cameroon Deportation Agreement and Torture of Deportees (potential) |
| — | Prohibition on secret detention without notice to families or lawyers | critical Kilmar Abrego Garcia Deported to El Salvador Despite Withholding Order (probable) |
| Article 2 | Prohibition on enforced disappearance: deprivation of liberty with concealment of fate or whereabouts | extreme Torture and Enforced Disappearances at 'Alligator Alcatraz' and Krome Detention Centers (probable) |
| Article 2 | Prohibition on enforced disappearance, defined as deprivation of liberty with concealment of fate or whereabouts | extreme Secret Deportation of 260+ Venezuelans to CECOT Mega-Prison (probable) |
| Article 2 | Enforced disappearance is the arrest, detention, or abduction of persons by agents of the State, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty or the fate or whereabouts of the person | extreme Forced Disappearances of Salvadoran Deportees in El Salvador's Prison System (probable) |
UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Rules 1, 43-46 | Basic standards for treatment of prisoners including prohibition on indefinite solitary confinement | extreme Secret Deportation of 260+ Venezuelans to CECOT Mega-Prison (probable) |
| Rules 43-46 | Prohibition on prolonged solitary confinement (exceeding 15 consecutive days) and on indefinite solitary confinement; both constitute torture | extreme Torture and Enforced Disappearances at 'Alligator Alcatraz' and Krome Detention Centers (probable) |
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Inter-American Convention on Human Rights
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 13 | Freedom of thought and expression — prohibition on indirect methods of restricting communication, including abuse of government controls | major FCC Broadcast License Threats and Government Coercion of Media (enabling) |
| Article 13 | Freedom of thought and expression | severe Systematic Attacks on Press Freedom: Journalist Arrests, Detention, and Deportation (potential) |
| Article 17 | Right to family | severe Family Separations and Prolonged Child Detention Under Immigration Enforcement (potential) |
ICCPR
UDHR
UN Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Principle 11: right to prompt judicial review of detention | critical Systematic Elimination of Bond Hearings and Indefinite Immigration Detention (potential) |
UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Law enforcement officials shall not use firearms except in cases of imminent threat of death or serious injury — proportionality of force | severe Federal Protest Crackdowns: ICE Killing of Renee Good, Insurrection Act Threats, and Criminalization of Dissent (potential) |
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 1 | Prohibition of racial discrimination including distinction based on national or ethnic origin | severe Expanded Travel Ban Targeting Up to 39 Countries, Predominantly Muslim and African Nations (potential) |
| Article 2 | States shall not engage in any act of racial discrimination and shall ensure all public authorities and institutions act in conformity with this obligation | severe Systematic Racial Profiling in Immigration Enforcement and Wrongful Detention of US Citizens (potential) |
| Article 5 | Right to equal treatment before law enforcement — prohibition on racial profiling in the administration of justice | severe Systematic Racial Profiling in Immigration Enforcement and Wrongful Detention of US Citizens (potential) |
| Article 5 | Non-discrimination in the enjoyment of the right to nationality | severe Mass Termination of Temporary Protected Status Across 11 Countries (potential) |
| Article 5 | Prohibition on racial discrimination in the right to leave and return to one's country and to nationality -- relevant to racially discriminatory allocation of refugee slots | severe Indefinite Suspension of US Refugee Admissions Program and Record-Low Resettlement Cap (potential) |
| Article 5(c) | Right to participate in elections — to vote and to stand for election — on the basis of universal and equal suffrage | severe Executive Order on Elections: Voter Suppression and Presidential Seizure of Election Administration (enabling) |
Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 3 | Non-discrimination — states shall apply the Convention without discrimination as to race, religion, or country of origin | severe Expanded Travel Ban Targeting Up to 39 Countries, Predominantly Muslim and African Nations (potential) |
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 1 | The Contracting Parties confirm that genocide is a crime under international law which they undertake to prevent and to punish | severe Repeated US Vetoes of UN Security Council Gaza Ceasefire Resolutions (enabling) |
UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 33 | Non-refoulement: prohibition on expulsion or return to a country where life or freedom would be threatened | severe Third-Country Deportations to Rwanda, Ghana, and South Sudan (potential) |
UN Convention Against Torture
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 1 | Prohibition of torture, including severe suffering inflicted with the consent or acquiescence of a public official | extreme Secret $6 Million Contract to Outsource Detention to El Salvador's CECOT (probable) |
| Article 1 | Prohibition of torture, including severe physical or mental suffering intentionally inflicted by a public official | extreme Guantanamo Bay Immigrant Detention: Solitary Confinement and Torture Conditions (probable) |
| Article 16 | Obligation to prevent cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in territory under state jurisdiction | critical Record ICE Detention Deaths and Medical Care Payment Halt (enabling) |
| Article 3 | No state shall expel a person to another state where there are substantial grounds for believing they would be in danger of being subjected to torture | severe Third-Country Deportations to Rwanda, Ghana, and South Sudan (potential) |
| Article 3 | No state shall expel, return, or extradite a person to another state where there are substantial grounds for believing they would be in danger of being subjected to torture | extreme Secret $6 Million Contract to Outsource Detention to El Salvador's CECOT (probable) |
Protocol I Additional to the Geneva Conventions
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 51 | Prohibition on indiscriminate attacks that are not directed at a specific military objective | extreme US Airstrike Kills 68 African Migrants in Yemen Detention Center (probable) |
| Article 57 | Obligation to take all feasible precautions to avoid or minimize civilian casualties | extreme US Airstrike Kills 68 African Migrants in Yemen Detention Center (probable) |
| Article 57 | Obligation to take constant care to spare civilians and take all feasible precautions | severe Massive Escalation of US Airstrikes in Somalia with Zero Civilian Accountability (potential) |
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 14 | Liberty and security of the person — persons with disabilities shall not be deprived of liberty unlawfully or arbitrarily, and the existence of a disability shall not justify deprivation of liberty | major Systematic Rollback of Disability Rights Protections (enabling) |
| Article 19 | Living independently and being included in the community — the right to live in the community with choices equal to others | major Systematic Rollback of Disability Rights Protections (enabling) |
| Article 27 | Work and employment — right to work on an equal basis with others, including affirmative action measures | major Systematic Rollback of Disability Rights Protections (enabling) |
| Article 4 | General obligations to ensure and promote the full realization of all human rights for persons with disabilities | major Systematic Rollback of Disability Rights Protections (enabling) |
UN Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Guarantee of judicial independence from executive interference | severe Systematic Attacks on Judicial Independence and Defiance of Court Orders (enabling) |
| — | Independence of prosecution function from executive interference | severe Weaponization of the Department of Justice: Retaliatory Investigations and Prosecutions (enabling) |
Inter-American Convention to Prevent and Punish Torture
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 3 | State responsibility for torture committed by public servants | extreme Secret Deportation of 260+ Venezuelans to CECOT Mega-Prison (probable) |
UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher-Education Teaching Personnel
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Academic freedom — the right of scholars to pursue research, teach, and publish without interference, and institutional autonomy in governance, admissions, and curriculum | major Coercion of Universities: Funding Freezes, Research Cuts, and Demands for Political Compliance (enabling) |
UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Lawyers shall not be identified with their clients or their clients' causes; governments shall ensure that lawyers are able to perform their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, or improper interference | severe Executive Orders Targeting Law Firms Representing Trump's Opponents (enabling) |
Arms Trade Treaty norms
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Obligation to assess risk of arms being used in violations of international humanitarian law | severe Dismantlement of Pentagon Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Program (enabling) |
UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Mandela Rules)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Rule 24 | Provision of health-care services is a State responsibility; prisoners should enjoy the same standards of health care available in the community | critical Record ICE Detention Deaths and Medical Care Payment Halt (enabling) |
| Rule 44 | Prolonged solitary confinement in excess of 15 consecutive days constitutes torture or cruel treatment | extreme Guantanamo Bay Immigrant Detention: Solitary Confinement and Torture Conditions (probable) |
| Rules 43-46 | Solitary confinement exceeding 15 consecutive days is prohibited; indefinite or prolonged solitary confinement constitutes torture | critical Surge in Solitary Confinement in Immigration Detention (probable) |
ILO Convention 87
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise — workers shall have the right to establish and join organisations of their own choosing | major Suppression of Organized Labor: Union Busting, NLRB Destruction, and Collective Bargaining Revocation (enabling) |
ILO Convention 98
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining — workers shall enjoy adequate protection against acts of anti-union discrimination | major Suppression of Organized Labor: Union Busting, NLRB Destruction, and Collective Bargaining Revocation (enabling) |
ILO Convention 151
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Labour Relations (Public Service) — protection of public employees against acts of anti-union discrimination | major Suppression of Organized Labor: Union Busting, NLRB Destruction, and Collective Bargaining Revocation (enabling) |
| — | Protection of public employees against acts of anti-union discrimination and interference by public authorities | severe Schedule F Reclassification: Mass Removal of Civil Service Protections (enabling) |
OAS Charter
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 19 | No state may use or encourage the use of coercive measures of an economic or political character in order to force the sovereign will of another State | major Colombia Deportation Standoff: Economic Coercion via Tariff Threats (potential) |
Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Abolition of the death penalty — the international trend and commitment toward abolition | major Federal Death Penalty Expansion and Discriminatory Application (potential) |
Paris Agreement
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 2 | Holding the increase in global average temperature to well below 2 degrees C — the US withdrawal undermines the collective effort | severe Systematic Destruction of Environmental Protections — Paris Agreement, UNFCCC, and Endangerment Finding (enabling) |
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 3 | Parties should protect the climate system for the benefit of present and future generations — the US withdrawal is unprecedented among major emitters | severe Systematic Destruction of Environmental Protections — Paris Agreement, UNFCCC, and Endangerment Finding (enabling) |
Stockholm Declaration on the Human Environment
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Principle 21 | States have the responsibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction do not cause damage to the environment of other States | severe Systematic Destruction of Environmental Protections — Paris Agreement, UNFCCC, and Endangerment Finding (enabling) |
Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | States have the primary role to reduce disaster risk and should invest in disaster risk reduction for resilience | severe FEMA Dismantlement — Budget Cuts, Mass Layoffs, and Destruction of Disaster Response Capacity (enabling) |
UN Convention Against Corruption
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Obligation to maintain effective, independent anti-corruption bodies | severe Mass Firing of Inspectors General Across Federal Government (enabling) |
| Article 30 | States shall ensure that the exercise of any discretionary legal powers relating to the prosecution of persons for corruption offenses is effective | major Systematic Pardons of Political Allies and Financial Criminals — $1.3 Billion in Victim Restitution Erased (enabling) |
| Article 33 | Protection of reporting persons — each State Party shall incorporate measures to protect against unjustified treatment of persons who report corruption | severe Dismantlement of Whistleblower Protections and Government Oversight Infrastructure (enabling) |
| Article 5 | Each State Party shall develop and implement effective, coordinated anti-corruption policies — systematic pardons of convicted corrupt officials undermine anti-corruption commitments | major Systematic Pardons of Political Allies and Financial Criminals — $1.3 Billion in Victim Restitution Erased (enabling) |
| Article 6 | Preventive anti-corruption bodies — states shall ensure independent oversight bodies can function without undue influence | severe Dismantlement of Whistleblower Protections and Government Oversight Infrastructure (enabling) |
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Article 12 | States shall ensure appropriate services in connection with pregnancy, confinement, and the post-natal period | critical Deportation and Medical Neglect of Pregnant Women in ICE Custody (probable) |
| Article 12 | States shall ensure access to health care services, including those related to family planning | major Restrictions on Reproductive Rights and Comstock Act Revival (enabling) |
International Health Regulations (2005)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Framework for international disease surveillance and response — US withdrawal undermines the system's capacity and reach | major US Withdrawal from the World Health Organization — Dismantling Global Pandemic Preparedness (enabling) |
WHO Constitution
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Preamble | The health of all peoples is fundamental to the attainment of peace and security and is dependent upon the fullest co-operation of individuals and States | major US Withdrawal from the World Health Organization — Dismantling Global Pandemic Preparedness (enabling) |
US Leahy Law
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| 22 U.S.C. 2378d | Prohibition on assistance to foreign security force units credibly implicated in gross human rights violations | extreme US Arms Transfers to Israel During ICJ Genocide Proceedings (probable) |
Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Prohibition on rendering persons effectively stateless through mass status revocation | severe Mass Termination of Temporary Protected Status Across 11 Countries (potential)severe Termination of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelan Nationals (potential)severe Termination of CHNV Humanitarian Parole for 532,000 People (potential) |
| — | Obligation to grant nationality to persons born in territory who would otherwise be stateless | major Executive Order Attempting to Restrict Fourteenth Amendment Birthright Citizenship (potential) |
| Article 8 | Prohibition on depriving a person of nationality if it renders them stateless -- a stateless person was deported to a country where they have no nationality | critical Secret Cameroon Deportation Agreement and Torture of Deportees (potential) |
International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| Articles 16, 25 | Right to liberty and security; equal treatment in employment conditions | severe ICE Workplace Raids and Mass Arrests at Job Sites (potential) |
Torrijos-Carter Treaties (1977)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Recognized Panama's sovereignty over the Canal Zone; any US military action would violate the treaty framework | major Military and Economic Threats Against Greenland and Panama Canal Sovereignty (potential) |
Customary international law
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Prohibition on obstruction of international justice and intimidation of judicial officials | severe Executive Order Sanctioning International Criminal Court Officials (enabling) |
| — | Blockades are acts of war requiring formal declaration and are subject to the laws of armed conflict | severe Naval Blockade of Venezuelan Oil Exports (potential) |
First Amendment (US Constitution)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | ACLU successfully argued sanctions prevent Americans from communicating with the ICC | severe Executive Order Sanctioning International Criminal Court Officials (enabling) |
1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Extends Refugee Convention obligations to all refugees regardless of date or origin of flight | severe Indefinite Suspension of US Refugee Admissions Program and Record-Low Resettlement Cap (potential) |
| — | Extends Refugee Convention obligations universally | severe Suspension of Asylum at the Southern Border (potential) |
Posse Comitatus Act
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| 18 USC 1385 | Prohibition on use of the military for civilian law enforcement | severe Military Deployments at US-Mexico Border in Violation of Posse Comitatus Act (potential) |
Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations (1946)
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Functional immunity of experts on mission for the United Nations | severe Sanctions Against UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine (enabling) |
UN General Assembly Resolution 60/251
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Establishing the Human Rights Council and its Special Procedures mandate holders | severe Sanctions Against UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine (enabling) |
Yogyakarta Principles
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Application of international human rights law to sexual orientation and gender identity | major Executive Orders Targeting Transgender Rights and Gender Identity Recognition (potential) |
Inter-American Democratic Charter
| Article | Provision | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| — | Commitment to democratic governance and the peaceful transfer of power | severe Blanket Clemency for January 6 Defendants, Including Violent Offenders (enabling) |
Data Exports
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