Professors and Lecturers

Raphaël van Steenberghe, F.N.R.S. Research Associate and Professor at UCLouvain

Raphaël van Steenberghe graduated in law and philosophy from the University of Louvain (UCLouvain) in 2001 and 2002. He also holds an LL.M. in international law from Cambridge University (UK). He obtained a doctorate in law at UCLouvain. His Ph.D. thesis dealt with self-defence under public international law. He carried out postdoctoral research on several topics, including the obligation to extradite or prosecute international crimes, at New York University (USA), the Geneva Academy of Humanitarian Law (Switzerland) and Columbia University (USA). Since 2014, he is a FNRS Research Associate and Professor at UCLouvain. He founded the International Law of Armed Conflict Team (ILOAC-T) in 2016. His areas of expertise include public international law, the law on the use of force (jus ad bellum), international humanitarian law, human rights in armed conflict, international criminal law and international environmental law in armed conflict. He is the author of numerous articles and books, including La légitime défense en droit international public (Larcier, 2012) and Le droit international humanitaire comme régime spécial de droit international? (edited volume, Bruylant, 2013).

Recent publications (since 2020): With J. de Hemptinne, ‘ICC Prosecutor’s application for arrest warrant against Israeli leaders: The war crime of starvation and its contextual element’, EJIL Talk!, 4 June 2024; With C. Via Balole, ‘Enhanced labour protection for prisoners of war’, International Review of the Red Cross (2024) 1-20; ‘The armed conflict in Gaza, and its complexity under international law: Jus ad bellum, jus in bello and international justice’, Leiden Journal of International Law (forthcoming, 2024); 'Le conflit armé entre le Hamas et Israël au regard du droit international', Journal des Tribunaux (2024), 161-175; ‘La justice transitionnelle en République démocratique du Congo : perspectives judiciaires en matière de poursuite des crimes internationaux’, in F. Bouhon et al. (eds), La lutte contre l’impunité des auteurs de violences faites aux femmes et aux enfants dans les conflits armés (Liège, Presses universitaires de Liège, forthcoming 2024); ‘Réparation au profit des victimes de violences sexuelles liées aux conflits armés. Cadre général en droit international et cas particulier des poursuites en RDC’, in B. Taxil et al. (eds), Droit international et violences sexuelles dans les conflits armés (LGDJ, 2024) 277-299; ‘A plea for a right of Israel to self-defence in order to limit the Israeli military operations. When jus ad bellum comes to the aid of jus in bello’, EJIL Talk!, 16 November 2023; ‘International environmental law as a means for enhancing the protection of the environment in warfare: A critical assessment of scholarly theoretical frameworks’, International Review of the Red Cross (2023) 1568–1599; ‘Military Assistance to Ukraine: Enquiring the Need for Any Legal Justification under International Law’, Journal of Conflict & Security Law Review (2023) 231–251; With Jérôme de Hemptinne, ‘The protection of the environment during warfare: An International Environmental Law Perspective. Foreword’, Journal of International Criminal Justice (2023) 1119-1122; ‘Interplay between International Environmental Law and International Humanitarian Law. Towards a Comprehensive Framework for Better Protecting the Environment in Armed Conflict’, Journal of International Criminal Justice (2023) 1123–1154; ‘La guerre en Ukraine sous l’angle du droit international. Mise en contexte et présentation du numéro spécial’, Journal des tribunaux (2022) 709-711; with Jérôme de Hemptinne, ‘L'assistance militaire à l'Ukraine: sa légalité en droit international et la participation de ses auteurs au conflit contre la Russie’, Journal des tribunaux (2022) 727-736; with Pauline Lesaffre, ‘La poursuite des crimes internationaux commis en Ukraine: une mobilisation internationale inédite’, Journal des tribunaux (2022) 751-761; ‘The Impacts of Human Rights Law on the Regulation of Armed Conflicts: A Coherency-Based Approach to Dealing with Both the “Interpretation” and “Application” Processes’, International Review of the Red Cross (2022) 1345-1396; ‘Who Are Protected by the Fundamental Guarantees under International Humanitarian Law? Part I: Breaking with the Status Requirement in light of the ICC Case Law’, International Criminal Law Review (2022) 347-400; ‘Who Are Protected by the Fundamental Guarantees under International Humanitarian Law? Part II: Breaking with the Control Requirement in light of the ICC Case Law’, International Criminal Law Review (2022) 583-640; ‘L’arrêt de la Cour européenne des droits de l’homme dans l’affaire Géorgie contre Russie (II) : les limites de la Cour comme organe de contrôle du droit international humanitaire’, Annuaire français de droit international (2021) 263-303.

 

Jérôme de Hemptinne, Professor at the University of Utrecht and Lecturer at UCLouvain

Jérôme de Hemptinne graduated in law from the University of Louvain (UCLouvain) and obtained two LL.M. degrees in international law, one from Cambridge University and the other from New York University (NYU). He obtained a doctorate in law at the Geneva Academy of Humanitarian Law and Human Rights. His Ph.D. thesis dealt with the mutations of armed conflicts under international humanitarian law. He worked at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) as Senior Legal Adviser, at the United Nations Legal Division in New York and at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for 9 years. He is currently a Professor at the University of Utrecht and a guest Lecturer and Researcher at the University of Louvain (UCLouvain), where he teaches and makes research in international humanitarian law. His research covers several topics, including the protection of the environment during warfare, the protection of animals in times of armed conflict, the transformation of armed conflicts and the principles of individual criminal responsibility. He is the author of numerous articles and books, including Droit international humanitaire, co-written with Jean d’Aspremont (Pedone, 2012), Les conflits armés en mutation (Pedone, 2019), Modes of Liability in International Criminal Law (co-edited with R. Roth, E. Van Sliedregt, M.J. Ventura and L. Yanev, CUP, 2019) and Animals in the International Law of Armed Conflict (co-edited with A. Peters and R. Kolb, CUP, 2022).

Recent publications (since 2020): ‘Réflexions autour de la nature juridique des conflits armés en Afrique’, in Colloque de Rennes (Paris, Pedone, to be published in 2024); With R. van Steenberghe, ‘ICC Prosecutor’s application for arrest warrant against Israeli leaders: The war crime of starvation and its contextual element’, EJIL Talk!, 4 June 2024; ‘Increasing the safeguarding of Protected Areas Threatened by Warfare Through the Application of International Environmental Instruments’, International Review of the Red Cross (2023) 1392-1411; ‘The Regulation of Hazardous Substances and Activities during Warfare’, Journal of International Criminal Justice (2023) 1253-1285; ‘Concluding Observations on the Impact of International Environmental Law over International Criminal Law’, Journal of International Criminal Justice (2023) 1-12; ‘Classifying the Conflict in Gaza under International Humanitarian Law, a Complicated Matter’, EJIL Talk!, 13 November 2023; with Anne Peters and Robert Kolb, Animals in the International Law of Armed Conflict (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2022), 409 pp.; ‘Ecocide, an Ambiguous Crime’, EJIL Talk!, 29 August 2022; with Anne Peters, ‘A Plea for ‘Animalizing’ the International Law of Armed Conflict’, Articles of War, 11 October 2022; with Raphael van Steenberghe, ‘L'assistance militaire à l'Ukraine: sa légalité en droit international et la participation de ses auteurs au conflit contre la Russie’, Journal des tribunaux (2022) 727-737; with Anne Peters, ‘Animals in war: At a vanishing point of international law’, International Review of the Red Cross (2022) 1-30; ‘Quelques réflexions sur les conflits de qualification et de régime juridique en droit international humanitaire’, in O. de Frouville and S. Touzé (eds), 70 ans après l’adoption des Conventions de Genève : Le droit international humanitaire confronté à de nouveaux défis ? Réflexions sur les interactions normatives (Pedone, 2022) 37-53; with Anne Peters and Robert Kolb, ‘Towards an Effective Legal Protection of Animals in Wartime’, in A. Peters, R. Kolb, J. de Hemptinne (eds), Animals in the International Law of Armed Conflict (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2022) 385-405; with Anne Peters, ‘Animals in Wartime, A Research Agenda?’, in A. Peters, R. Kolb and J. de Hemptinne (eds), Animals in the International Law of Armed Conflict (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2022) 3-28; ‘Animals as Combatants and Prisoners of War?’, in A. Peters, R. Kolb and J. de Hemptinne (eds), Animals in the International Law of Armed Conflict (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2022) 171-184; ‘Animals as Part of the Natural Environment’, in A. Peters, R. Kolb and J. de Hemptinne (eds), Animals in the International Law of Armed Conflict (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2022) 109-129; ‘Animals as Means of Medical Transport, Search and Rescue’, in A. Peters, R. Kolb and J. de Hemptinne (eds), Animals in the International Law of Armed Conflict (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2022) 184-200; ‘Quelques réflexions au sujet de la définition du crime d’écocide et de ses rapports avec la Cour pénale internationale’, Journal des tribunaux (2021) 800-804; with Antonio Coco and Brian Lander, ‘International Law Against Starvation in Armed Conflict, Epilogue to a Multi-Faceted Study’, Journal of International Criminal Justice (2020) 913-923; ‘Challenges regarding the Protection of Animals during Warfare’, in A. Peters (ed.), Studies in Global Animal Law (Springer, 2020) 173-183.

 

Pierrot Chambu, Professor at the Université officielle de Bukavu (UOB) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Associate Member at UCLouvain

Pierrot Chambu graduated in law from the Official University of Bukavu (UOB) in DRC in 2009 and holds two Master degrees, one in international law from the University of Louvain (UCLouvain) and the other in human rights from Saint-Louis-Brussels. He obtained a Ph.D in law at UCLouvain. His Ph.D. thesis dealt with detention in non-international armed conflict. He is currently a Professor at Université officielle de Bukavu (UOB) and acts as the Dean of the law Faculty at that University. He is also an Associate Member at UCLouvain. His research currently focuses on the prosecution of international crimes in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), reparation to victims of sexual violence in armed conflict and the protection of natural parks in eastern Congo during warfare. He also acts as a lawyer in a Congolese law firm. He is the author of several articles and a book entitled La detention dans les conflits armés non internationaux (Anthemis, 2021).

Recent publications (since 2020): La détention dans les conflits armés non internationaux. Base légale, motif et garanties procédurales (Limal, Anthemis, 2022) 267 pp.

 

Pauline Lesaffre, F.N.R.S. Postdoctoral Researcher and Lecturer at UCLouvain

Pauline Lesaffre graduated in law from the University of Louvain (UCLouvain) in 2015 and holds an LL.M. degree in human rights and humanitarian law from the University Panthéon-Assas (Paris II). She obtained her Ph.D. in law from UCLouvain. Her Ph.D. thesis dealt with transborder armed conflicts under international humanitarian law. During her Ph.D. studies, Dr Lesaffre also worked in Geneva as a Visiting researcher at the Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights (CH). After her Ph.D. studies, she was granted a BAEF postdoctoral fellowship for a one-year postdoctoral research stay at Yale University and the US Naval War College (US). Although she stayed in Belgium for personal reasons, Dr Lesaffre also obtained a Humboldt postdoctoral research fellowship to undertake another one-year postdoctoral stay at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law in Heidelberg (DE). She is currently a FNRS Postdoctoral Researcher and Lecturer at UCLouvain. Her main research project examines the role of analogies in the development of International Humanitarian Law. She is the author of several articles in well-known journals, several chapters in edited volumes and one book entitled Le choix subjectif de mort dans le droit européen des droits de l’homme (Pedone, 2017). Dr Lesaffre is in the process of publishing her second book entitled Le droit international humanitaire à l’épreuve des conflits armés transfrontières.

Recent publications (since 2020): ‘L’alimentation comme arme de guerre de la Russie en Ukraine : Réflexion sur la protection de la sécurité alimentaire par le droit des conflits armés’, Revue Québecquoise (2023) 117-153; with Alexia de Vaucleroy, ‘Le droit international’, in J.M. Hausman and J. Vanderschuren, Manuel d’introduction au droit: Tour d’horizon en quinze leçons (Brussels, Politeia, 2023, 2nd ed.) 679-715; ‘Participation in a Non-International Armed Conflict: A Failed Analogy with Co-belligerency', Boston University International Law Journal (2023) 259-300; ‘Ukraine Symposium – A Path Forward for Food Security in Armed Conflict’, Articles of War, 22 March 2023; with Raphaël van Steenberghe, “La poursuite des crimes internationaux commis en Ukraine : une mobilisation internationale inédite”, Journal des tribunaux (2022) 751-761; ‘Double Classification of Non-Consented State Interventions: Magic Protection or Pandora’s Box?’, International Law Studies (2022) 408-452; ‘Classification of Non-Consensual State Interventions against an OAG’, Articles of war, 11 August 2022; ‘Military Support and IHL: A Critical View of the Fragmented Approach’, in Who is Who on the Battlefield? The Actors Engaged in Contemporary Armed Conflicts, Proceedings of the Bruges Colloquium (2022) 94-103; with Alexia de Vaucleroy, ‘Le droit international’, in J.M. Hausman and J. Vanderschuren, Manuel d’introduction au droit: Tour d’horizon en quinze leçons (Brussels, Politeia, 2021, 1st ed.) 587-621; ‘Le droit des conflits armés : vers un régime de plus en plus protecteur ?’, in L’étranger, la veuve et l’orphelin. le droit protège-t-il les plus faibles ? Liber amicorum professeur Jacques Fierens (2020) 419-426.

 

Ezéchiel Amani Cirimwami, Professor at the University of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Guest Lecturer at the Royal Military Academy of Belgium and Associate Member at UCLouvain

Ezéchiel Amani Cirimwami is a Professor of International Law at the University of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Guest Professor of International Law at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Guest Lecturer of Human Rights and Military Operations at the Royal Military Academy of Belgium and an Associate Member at UCLouvain. He holds a PhD in law from the UCLouvain and the Free University of Brussels (VUB). His PhD thesis focused on closing the treaty law’s gaps in the obligation to extradite or prosecute those alleged to commit international crimes. He graduated in law from the Official University of Bukavu and obtained an LLM in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights from the Catholic University of Bukavu. He also attended postgraduate specialization courses organized by the Hague Academy of International Law (Public International Law session and directed studies, 2016) and the International Law Commission (ILC)’s International Law Seminar (54th ed., Geneva, 2018). Ezéchiel worked as Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute Luxembourg for Procedural Law and served as an Associate Editor of the Max Planck Encyclopedia of International Procedural Law. He previously acted as a Public Prosecutor and Judge at the High Court in the DRC and as a legal assistant to counsel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the case of Armed activities on the territory of the Congo (Democratic Republic of Congo v. Uganda) (reparations). He participated, as a DRC plenipotentiary delegate, in the Ljubljana Diplomatic Conference leading to the adoption of the Ljubljana – The Hague Convention on International Cooperation in the Investigation and Prosecution of the Crime of Genocide, Crimes against Humanity, War Crimes and other International Crimes. He also served at the Diplomatic Conference as a member of the legal Drafting Committee. He is currently acting as counsel of the DRC before the ICJ (Obligations of States in respect of climate change (Request for Advisory Opinion)) and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (Request for an Advisory Opinion submitted by the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law). He has published in several international peer-reviewed journals and blogs. The ILC has cited his work, and has been recognized by the ICRC as one of the best works on IHL in Africa. Currently, Ezéchiel is working on the publication of his book entitled L’obligation d’extrader ou de poursuivre les auteurs des crimes internationaux: combler les lacunes du droit conventionnel. His research interests include public international law, international criminal law, international human rights law, international humanitarian aw, and international dispute settlement.

Recent publications (since 2020): ‘Individual Complaint: African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACtHPR)’, in H. Ruiz Fabri (ed.), Max Planck Encyclopedia of International Procedural Law (Oxford, Oxford University Press, forthcoming, 2023); ‘Trial: International Criminal Courts and Tribunals’, in H. Ruiz (ed.), Max Planck Encyclopedia of International Procedural Law (Oxford, Oxford University Press, forthcoming, 2023); ‘Symposium on Ljubljana – The Hague Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance: Critical Reflections – The aut dedere aut judicare Obligation’, Opinio Juris, 31 July 2023; with Bruno Biazatti, ‘The Ljubljana – The Hague Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance: Was the Gap Closed?’, EJIL: Talk!, 12 June 2023; with Bruno Biazatti, ‘A Convenção sobre Assistência Jurídica Mútua para Crimes Internacionais: Comentários sobre a Conferência Diplomática de Ljubljana’, International Law’s Agenda, 15 May 2023; with Benjamin Traôré, ‘Environmental Obligations of Business Entities in Armed Conflicts’, International Review of the Red Cross (forthcoming, 2023); ‘La justiciabilité des droits économiques, sociaux et culturels dans la jurisprudence congolaise’, in P. Muhindo Madadju and M Cifende (eds), Normativité et pratiques juridictionnelles : la mise en œuvre des droits de l'homme en R.D. Congo. Liber amicorum Bâtonnier Thomas Lwango Kanshavu (Paris, L'Harmattan, Tome I, 2022) 315-336; ‘The Special Criminal Court in the Central African Republic: Procedural Aspects’, in H. Ruiz Fabri (ed.), Max Planck Encyclopedia of International Procedural Law (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2022); with Pacifique Muhindo, ‘Prosecuting Rape as a War Crime in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Challenges and Lessons learned from Military Tribunals’, The Military Law and the Law of War Review (2021) 44-70; ‘À propos de quelques développements récents en droit international pénal. Notes cursives sur le projet de convention sur la prévention et la répression des crimes contre l'humanité’, in J.P. Segihobe and I. Mingashang (eds), Le droit pénal entre douleur et enchantement dans le contexte contemporain. Liber amicorum doyen Raphaël Nyabirungu (Brussels, Bruylant, 2021) 803-866; ‘Fashioning Rights in the African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights: Understanding the Proceduralization of Substantive Rights’, African Human Rights Yearbook (2020) 1-15; ‘States of Justice Symposium: What If We Took the “Unwilling or Unable” Seriously?’, Symposium on Oumar Ba’s new book States of Justice: The Politics of International Criminal Court, Opinio Juris, 19 August 2020; with Tetevi Davi, ‘Another One Bites the Dust: Côte d’Ivoire to End Individual and NGO Access to the African Court’, EJIL: Talk!, 19 May 2020.

 

Jacques B. Mbokani, Professor at University of Goma (UNIGOM) and Associate Member at UCLouvain

Jacques B. Mbokani graduated in law from the Université libre des pays des Grands lacs (ULPGL) of Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 2001. He also holds a Master degree in Human Rights from the Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) in 2005. He obtained a doctorate in law at UCLouvain in 2015. His Ph.D. thesis dealt with amnesties for crimes under the Rome Statute in States under transitional justice. Since 2016, Dr. Mbokani is professor of law at the University of Goma. He is a former Council for the DRC at the International Court of Justice in the Case concerning Armed Activities on the Territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC v. Uganda), 2nd phase on reparations. His areas of expertise include human rights, public international law, international humanitarian law and international criminal law. He is the author of numerous articles and books, including La jurisprudence congolaise relative aux crimes de droit international (edited by the Open Society Foundations, 2016).

Recent publications (since 2020): ‘Les réparations pour viol en tant que crime de droit international dans la jurisprudence des tribunaux congolais’, in B. Taxil et al. (eds), Droit des violences sexuelles en droit international et congolais (Liège, Presse universitaire de Liège, Paris, LGDJ, forthcoming 2024); ‘Pre-Trial Detention’, in H. Ruiz Fabri (ed.), Max Planck Encyclopedia of International Procedural Law (Oxford University Press, 2023); ‘La Cour constitutionnelle congolaise face au statut pénal d’un ancien Premier ministre devenu sénateur’, Revue de science criminelle et de droit pénal comparé (2023) 53-80; ‘Achieving justice for Child Survivors of Conflict–related Sexual Violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Light of the Kavumu Case : A Reply to Perissi and Naimer’, Journal of International Criminal Justice (2022) 737-766; ‘La responsabilité pénale du supérieur hiérarchique : entre originalité et ambiguïtés’, in J.-P. Segihobe and I. Mingashang (eds), Le droit pénal entre douleur et enchantement dans le contexte contemporain : Liber amicorum Doyen Raphael Nyabirungu mwene Songa (Brussels, Bruylant, 2021); ‘La rétroactivité des lois pénales de mise en œuvre du Statut de Rome : un bon vieux vin dans des outres neuves ?’, Revue de science criminelle et de droit pénal comparé (2020) 589-618.

 

Ph.D. Students and Researchers

Aristide Evouna, Ph.D. Student at UCLouvain

Aristide Evouna graduated from the Catholic University of Central Africa (UCAC) in Cameroun, where he acted as a teaching and research associate. He is a former Fellow of the United Nations Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Central Africa and has also carried out various consultancies for the Youth Department of the Science, Technology and Education Commission of the African Union. In addition, he holds an LL.M. degree in international law from UCLouvain. He is currently a Ph.D. student, and his thesis focuses on the commitments of organized armed groups under international law, with a focus on ‘special agreements’, provided for by Article 3 common to the Geneva Conventions.

Recent publications (since 2020): ‘Lessons from the practice of Article 3 special agreements: exploring their potential to formulate and enforce humanitarian obligations and setting their limits’, to be published in 2024.

 

Philippe Jacques, Ph.D. Student at UCLouvain

Philippe Jacques graduated from the university of Louvain (UCLouvain) in 2018 and holds an LL.M. in international law from the University of Leiden. His interest in the law of armed conflict developed during his participation in the Jean-Pictet International Humanitarian Law Competition and the Frist Kalshoven International Humanitarian Law Competition. He is currently a Ph.D. student and his Ph.D. thesis focusses on the principle of equality of belligerents in non-international armed conflict.

Recent publications (since 2020): ‘Une Convention pour la Cyber guerre’, interview, 2022.

 

Alexandra Bernard, Teaching and Ph.D. student

Alexandra Bernard graduated from the university of Louvain (UCLouvain) in 2020 and holds an LL.M. in international law from the University of Leiden. Her interest in the law of armed conflict developed during her participation to the Moot Court organised by the Belgian Red Cross. She also took part to the updating of the MOOC on international humanitarian law. She is now working as a teaching and research assistant in public international law at UCLouvain. She is also the new coordinator of the LL.M. in International Law (fully online). She is particularly interested in the international protection of the environment.

Recent publications (since 2020): with Dewi A. Delf, ‘Iraq, United States Protects the Ziggurat at Ur, a World Heritage Site’, in IHL in Action; with Dewi A. Delf, ‘Libya/Türkiye, Evacuation and Treatment of the Wounded’, in IHL in Action.

 

François-Xavier Decleyre, Maritime Lawyer, Navy Staff Officer, Visiting Lecturer at the Royal Military Academy and Ph.D. Student at UCLouvain

François-Xavier Decleyre earned a Master of Laws from the University of Louvain (UCLouvain) in 2008 and thereafter, a Master of Laws in European Law from the University of Brussels (Université libre de Bruxelles) in 2009 and a Master of Laws in Admiralty from Tulane University, USA, in 2012. Besides his profession in the maritime industry, François-Xavier is a reserve officer holding the rank of Commander in the Belgian Navy. In this capacity, he took part in several military operations (e.g. Atalanta, Emasoh/Agenor) and now serves as Synthesis Officer (i.e. Chef de Cabinet) and Legal Advisor to the Belgian Navy Commander. He is also a board member of the Belgian Maritime Law Association (Association belge de droit maritime/ Belgische Vereniging voor Zeerecht) and a visiting lecturer on Law of Armed Conflict at Sea, Law of the Sea and Maritime Law at the Royal Military Academy (Belgium) as well as at the Naval Academy (Belgian-Royal Netherlands Navies). François-Xavier is currently a Ph.D. student at UCLouvain and conducts his Ph.D. research in the field of international law applicable to naval mines and naval mine warfare.

Recent Publications With Louis le Hardÿ de Beaulieu, "Déminage en mer Noire : s’y mettre, avant même la victoire ?", Communications de l'Académie Royale de Marine de Belgique.

 

Erik Brouwer, Ph.D. Student at UCLouvain

Erik Brouwer graduated from the University of Milan in 2016 and obtained an LL.M. in public international law from UCLouvain in 2021. From 2017 to 2021, he worked in the arbitration practice of an international law firm. He is currently a Ph.D. student and teaching assistant at UCLouvain, and he also works as contributor/analyst for IAReporter. His Ph.D. research project focuses on the sources and holders of investment obligations in disputed territories, addressing legal issues that lie at the intersection between international investment law, general public international law, and international humanitarian law.

Selection of online articles linked to research topic: ICC tribunal in Blerim Devolli v. Kosovo declines jurisdiction under foreign investment law, seeing insufficient evidence of a foreign contribution of value and finding that the claimant does not qualify as a foreign national, IAReporter, 23 May 2023; UNCITRAL tribunal in DTEK Krymenergo v. Russia upholds jurisdiction over claim for expropriation of Crimean assets, rejects corruption allegations, and awards 200+ million USD to the Ukrainian investor, IAReporter, 9 November 2023; International Court of Justice issues provisional measures order against Syria, directing the state to ensure compliance with the Convention Against Torture and preserve evidence of potential violations, IAReporter, 17 November 2023.

 

Coline Minguet, Ph.D. Student at UCLouvain

Coline Minguet graduated magna cum laude from UCLouvain in 2018. She also holds a Master in Laws (LL.M) in International Legal Studies from the New York University (NYU) (2021), for which she was awarded two scholarships, from the Belgian American Educational Foundation (BAEF) and from NYU (Dean’s Graduate Award). Coline is a lawyer at the Brussels bar since September 2019, where she is assisting clients in international arbitrations. She is also a teaching assistant at UCLouvain in Public International Law. Coline is currently a PhD student at UCLouvain, where she conducts research about the international regime of reparation for the victims of sexual violence committed in armed conflicts.

Recent publications (since 2020): N. BRIES, C. DE MEEUS et C. MINGUET, « La Cour de cassation, juge et partie dans une action en responsabilité contre l’État », Administration Publique (Trimestriel) (APT), 2019, nr. 1, pp. 38-43.

Razy Aman Eddine

Razy Aman Eddine is a lawyer and legal researcher specialized in international law and international relations. He holds a Joint Master's degree in the International Law of Global Security Peace, and Development with Best Student Award (summa cum laude) from the University of Glasgow, with a full-ride scholarship from the European Commission 2021-23. His degree was completed jointly with a master de spécialisation en droit international public avec la plus grande distinction (summa cum laude) from Université libre de Bruxelles, as well as a Master's in International Security with two matrícula de honor (summa cum laude) from Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionals. His academic honours include ranking 1st place in Lebanon in the 2021 national lawyer qualification bar exams and receiving the 2020 Jamal Abdel Nasser Award for Academic Distinction. Before moving to Louvain-la-Neuve, Razy’s professional and teaching experiences spanned Brussels, Geneva, Hamburg, and Beirut, in addition to his studies in Glasgow, Barcelona, Brussels, Munich, and Beirut, and training courses in Hiroshima, Geneva, The Hague, and Krzyżowa. His current research at UCLouvain addresses the protection of biodiversity during armed conflict. Researcher ORCID ID: 0009-0008-1815-2543.

Recent publications (since 2023): Aman Eddine, Razy and Guliyeva, Sara. “III. Bridging the maritime domain awareness gap: The role of new technologies in promoting equitable surveillance capabilities to fulfil environmental obligations under the law of the sea.” In 2023 Yearbook on the Law of the Sea: Maritime Security, New Technology and Ethics - Evolving Challenges and Opportunities, edited by Vianello and Leucci, vol. 3, pp. 179-212. Trieste, Italy: Associazione di Consulenza in Diritto Internazionale del Mare (AscoMare), June 2024. Quantitative Contribution (numerical data collection) to “Gender and Disarmament: Developments and Trends.” In The United Nations Disarmament Yearbook 2023, edited by Barnes vol. 48 p. 46, New York, United States: The UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), June 2024. Aman Eddine, Razy. “Searching for Strategic Arms Control Obligations Amidst the Suspension of the New START Treaty.” In Expanding Perspectives on Nuclear Disarmament, edited by Wan and Chernavskikh, vol. 3, pp. 52-68. Uppsala, Sweden: Uppsala University, 2023. Aman Eddine, Razy et al. “Towards a Human-Centered Future: Sustainable Disarmament and Human Rights,” moderated by Régimbal, Banuelos-Mejia, and Kantack. In Graduate Study Programme Report: Compilation of Working Groups, vol. 61, pp. 125-168. Geneva, Switzerland: United Nations Office at Geneva, 2023.

Jimmy Kamunga Ngalula

Jimmy Kamunga Ngalula graduated in Public Law from the Université de Mbujimayi in the DRC. In addition, he holds three LL.M. degrees in human rights, international law and children rights (UCLouvain, UNamur, Université Saint-Louis Brxuelles, ULB and ULiège). As a member of the ULB team, he took part in the 38th edition (2022) of the Charles Rousseau International Law Moot Court Competition. He also took part in the 3rd edition (2015) of the “Great Lakes Regional Advocacy Competition in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights”, as a member of the team from the Université de Mbujimayi (UM). He previously worked as an intern at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva and was a research associate at “Centre de Recherche et d’études sur l’État de droit en Afrique”. From March 2018 to February 2024, he worked as a teaching and research assistant at the Faculty of Law of the Université officielle de Mbujimayi, where he is currently a lecturer in Public International Law. Jimmy is currently a joint PhD student and his thesis focuses on “the occupation of territories by non-state armed groups in contemporary international law” under the supervision of Professor Raphaël van Steenberghe (UCLouvain) and Professor Julia Grignon (ULaval).

Recent publications (since 2022): Kamunga Ngalula, Jimmy, "La participation du Conseil de surveillance de Meta à la protection de la liberté d’expression en ligne en Afrique : vers une « privatisation » de la protection des droits fondamentaux dans l’espace numérique ?", African Human Rights Yearbook, vol. 7, pp. 208-233. Pretoria, South Africa : University of Pretoria, 2023. https://www.ahry.up.ac.za/ngalula-jk Kamunga Ngalula, Jimmy, "Le droit à la liberté de circulation des personnes à l’épreuve des mesures exceptionnelles de lutte contre la pandémie de la Covid-19 en RDC", Revue congolaise des sciences humaines et sociales, vol. 2, n° 1, pp. 19-45. Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo : University of Kinshasa, 2022. https://www.cresh-rdc.org/TIRET%20A%20PART%20vol%202/Article%201%20%20Le%20droit%20à%20la%20liberté%20de%20circulation%20des%20personnes.pdf

Christian Via Balole, Ph.D. Student at UCLouvain

Christian Via Balole is a doctoral student at UCLouvain and the Catholic University of Bukavu (DR Congo). FRESH Fellow of Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research, his doctoral research focuses on the legal issue of forced labour in the Congo from the colonial era to the present day. He graduated in law from the Catholic University of Bukavu (2019) where he is attached to the Regional Centre for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CERDHO) and obtained an advanced master’s in international human Rights Law from the UCLouvain (2022). His research interests include social law, colonial law, international human rights law, and international humanitarian law.

Recent publications (since 2023): V. Balole et R. Van Steenberghe, « Enhanced labour protection for prisoners of war», International Review of Red Cross, Cambridge University Press, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1017/S1816383124000237 V. Balole et C. Birindwa, « Le droit de grève : un corollaire du droit au travail protégé par l’obligation de standstill », Cahiers du CERDHO, avril 2024. V. Balole, « La protection des normes fondamentales du travail dans le droit de la zone de libre-échange continentale africaine. Contribution à l’émergence du régionalisme social dans le commerce régional africain », Annuaire africain des droits de l’homme, Vol. 7, 2023, https://www.ahry.up.ac.za/balole-cv V. Balole, « L’exception d’inconstitutionnalité de la peine de travaux forcés en droit congolais. Le droit international du travail comme source d’interprétation de la constitution », Cahiers du CERDHO, mai 2023, http://cerdho.ucbukavu.ac.cd/attachments/article/169/Cahiers%20du%20CERDHO%20Ao%C3%BBt%202023.pdf V. Balole et A. Byumanine, « L’impact de la Résolution du 28 juillet 2022 de l’Assemblée Générale des Nations Unies sur le droit à l’environnement propre, sain et durable en droit international », Revue internationale semestrielle environnementale, n°7, 2023, https://asprobioagmassociation.fr/2023/10/22/numero-7-revue-ries-novembre-2023/ V. Balole, « Les conditions sécuritaires et sanitaires des travailleurs miniers artisanaux congolais. Etude à l’aune du droit fondamental à un milieu de travail sûr et salubre », Revue québécoise de droit international, n°36.1, 2024 (à paraître).