Dr Benjamin Thorne
@benjaminthorne.bsky.social
Lecturer in Criminal Law
@unirdg-law.bsky.social
Via PhD
@SussexUni
; Interests: socio-legal studies, transitional justice, critical theory. Book http://tinyurl.com/v77a942b
@unirdg-law.bsky.social
Via PhD
@SussexUni
; Interests: socio-legal studies, transitional justice, critical theory. Book http://tinyurl.com/v77a942b
Pinned
Artificial Sanctions: Potential Implications of US Sanctions on the ICC’s use of AI and Digital Evidence
[Benjamin Thorne is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Criminal Law at the University of Reading] Almost 3 weeks into Donald Trump’s second term as US President and one could have been forgiven fo…
tinyurl.com
I have a new short piece out with Opinio Juris on US sanctions and the ICC which explores possible implications for the court's use of AI, digital evidence and wider investigation processes - tinyurl.com/mryjbdbe
Promises, Processes, and Pitfalls of International Criminal Justice Today - www.humanrightshere.com/post/promise...
Human Rights Here | Promises, Processes, and Pitfalls of International Criminal Justice Today
Human Rights Here - - Credit: Adina-Loredana Nistor. L to R: Kate Gibson, Olivera Simić, Benjamin Thorne, Pubudu Sach
www.humanrightshere.com
February 17, 2026 at 12:44 PM
Promises, Processes, and Pitfalls of International Criminal Justice Today - www.humanrightshere.com/post/promise...
Reposted by Dr Benjamin Thorne
"UN approves 40-member scientific panel on the impact of artificial intelligence over US objections" apnews.com/article/un-u...
UN approves 40-member scientific panel on the impact of artificial intelligence over US objections
The U.N. General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to approve a 40-member global scientific panel on the impacts and risks of artificial intelligence, with the United States strongly objecting.
apnews.com
February 13, 2026 at 1:02 PM
"UN approves 40-member scientific panel on the impact of artificial intelligence over US objections" apnews.com/article/un-u...
Reposted by Dr Benjamin Thorne
Francesca Albanese and various judges and prosecutors of the International Criminal Court "now sit on the U.S. Treasury Department’s Specially Designated Nationals list, alongside suspected al Qaeda terrorists, Mexican drug traffickers and North Korean arms dealers".
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
In Trump’s war on global justice, court staff and U.N. face terrorist‑grade sanctions
Trump’s sanctions on U.N. expert Francesca Albanese and the International Criminal Court froze assets and disrupted war crimes investigations. The clash is part of the broader campaign by his administ...
www.reuters.com
February 7, 2026 at 9:13 AM
Francesca Albanese and various judges and prosecutors of the International Criminal Court "now sit on the U.S. Treasury Department’s Specially Designated Nationals list, alongside suspected al Qaeda terrorists, Mexican drug traffickers and North Korean arms dealers".
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Reposted by Dr Benjamin Thorne
Around Europe, governments and institutions are seeking to reduce their use of digital services from U.S. Big Tech companies and turning to domestic or free alternatives.
France dumps Zoom and Teams as Europe seeks digital autonomy from the US
European governments are moving away from U.S. tech giants, opting for domestic or open-source alternatives.
apnews.com
February 4, 2026 at 11:38 AM
Around Europe, governments and institutions are seeking to reduce their use of digital services from U.S. Big Tech companies and turning to domestic or free alternatives.
Reposted by Dr Benjamin Thorne
⚖️How should international law handle accountability for harmful cyber & AI operations?
The ESIL-supported event "𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆" will convene scholars and practitioners in Perugia to tackle the question in October 2026.
Discover more at lnkd.in/dNEAKVyT
The ESIL-supported event "𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆" will convene scholars and practitioners in Perugia to tackle the question in October 2026.
Discover more at lnkd.in/dNEAKVyT
February 3, 2026 at 1:44 PM
⚖️How should international law handle accountability for harmful cyber & AI operations?
The ESIL-supported event "𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆" will convene scholars and practitioners in Perugia to tackle the question in October 2026.
Discover more at lnkd.in/dNEAKVyT
The ESIL-supported event "𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆" will convene scholars and practitioners in Perugia to tackle the question in October 2026.
Discover more at lnkd.in/dNEAKVyT
Reposted by Dr Benjamin Thorne
Award for late Afrobeat pioneer and political radical is the 'anti-establishment being recognised by the establishment'.
Fela Kuti becomes first African to get Grammys Lifetime Achievement Award
Award for late Afrobeat pioneer and political radical is the 'anti-establishment being recognised by the establishment'.
www.aljazeera.com
February 1, 2026 at 4:30 AM
Award for late Afrobeat pioneer and political radical is the 'anti-establishment being recognised by the establishment'.
Reposted by Dr Benjamin Thorne
The morning residual mechanism pre-yoga read:
www.ejiltalk.org/beyond-resid...
www.ejiltalk.org/beyond-resid...
Beyond Residual Functions: The IRMCT, the ‘Stateless Eight’, and the Human Rights Obligations of Security Council Subsidiaries
On 10 December 2025, the Security Council once again debated the future of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT). As in previous sessions, delegations diverged sharply in...
www.ejiltalk.org
January 28, 2026 at 7:29 AM
The morning residual mechanism pre-yoga read:
www.ejiltalk.org/beyond-resid...
www.ejiltalk.org/beyond-resid...
Reposted by Dr Benjamin Thorne
From @justiceinfo.bsky.social: “The trial of Congolese Roger Lumbala before a Paris court ended last year with a heavy conviction. It raises issues relating to procedure and principles of law observed in universal jurisdiction trials” www.justiceinfo.net/en/154432-un...
Universal Jurisdiction as Justice: the Lumbala trial in question
The trial of Lumbala before a Paris court ended last year with a heavy conviction. It raises issues relating to universal jurisdiction trials in an even more acute manner, given that the defendant ref...
www.justiceinfo.net
January 24, 2026 at 1:39 PM
From @justiceinfo.bsky.social: “The trial of Congolese Roger Lumbala before a Paris court ended last year with a heavy conviction. It raises issues relating to procedure and principles of law observed in universal jurisdiction trials” www.justiceinfo.net/en/154432-un...
Reposted by Dr Benjamin Thorne
Following an assessment by a panel of medical experts, judges found that Duterte “is able effectively to exercise his procedural rights and is therefore fit to take part in the pre-trial proceedings.”
ICC judges find former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte fit to stand trial
Judges at the International Criminal Court have ruled that former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is fit to stand trial.
apnews.com
January 26, 2026 at 10:53 AM
Following an assessment by a panel of medical experts, judges found that Duterte “is able effectively to exercise his procedural rights and is therefore fit to take part in the pre-trial proceedings.”
Reposted by Dr Benjamin Thorne
OUT NOW 🎙️
How do survivors see the International Criminal Court?
At the ASP last year, we sat down with three survivors of torture: Oleksandr Maksymenko from Ukraine, Elizabeth Atieno from Kenya, and Venezuelan Luis Carlos Díaz
www.asymmetricalhaircuts.com/episodes/jus...
How do survivors see the International Criminal Court?
At the ASP last year, we sat down with three survivors of torture: Oleksandr Maksymenko from Ukraine, Elizabeth Atieno from Kenya, and Venezuelan Luis Carlos Díaz
www.asymmetricalhaircuts.com/episodes/jus...
Justice Update – Survivors @ The ICC
We sat down with torture survivors from Kenya, Venezuela and Ukraine to ask them what their experience engaging with the International Criminal Court and seeking justice is. Check out all the backg…
www.asymmetricalhaircuts.com
January 22, 2026 at 12:09 PM
OUT NOW 🎙️
How do survivors see the International Criminal Court?
At the ASP last year, we sat down with three survivors of torture: Oleksandr Maksymenko from Ukraine, Elizabeth Atieno from Kenya, and Venezuelan Luis Carlos Díaz
www.asymmetricalhaircuts.com/episodes/jus...
How do survivors see the International Criminal Court?
At the ASP last year, we sat down with three survivors of torture: Oleksandr Maksymenko from Ukraine, Elizabeth Atieno from Kenya, and Venezuelan Luis Carlos Díaz
www.asymmetricalhaircuts.com/episodes/jus...
Reposted by Dr Benjamin Thorne
This quote by Ha'aretz journalist Nir Hasson is my opinion one of the most profound things written about the way many Israelis experienced Gaza since October 2023
January 15, 2026 at 12:59 PM
This quote by Ha'aretz journalist Nir Hasson is my opinion one of the most profound things written about the way many Israelis experienced Gaza since October 2023
Reposted by Dr Benjamin Thorne
A great opportunity for students from Palestine to undertake fully-funded masters programs at QUB: www.qub.ac.uk/Research/GRI...
Copty Scholarships – Call for Applications | Research | Queen's University Belfast
The Mitchell Institute is pleased to invite applications for the Copty Scholarship Programme
www.qub.ac.uk
January 14, 2026 at 10:42 AM
A great opportunity for students from Palestine to undertake fully-funded masters programs at QUB: www.qub.ac.uk/Research/GRI...
Reposted by Dr Benjamin Thorne
What are the afterlives of atrocity tribunals?
What do contested legacies mean for afterlives of defendants, judgements, witnesses, and archives?
See this fascinating and exciting #CallforPapers from Mark Drumbl, Maria Elander, and @rachelkillean.bsky.social !
wlu.app.box.com/s/ubi9i56841...
What do contested legacies mean for afterlives of defendants, judgements, witnesses, and archives?
See this fascinating and exciting #CallforPapers from Mark Drumbl, Maria Elander, and @rachelkillean.bsky.social !
wlu.app.box.com/s/ubi9i56841...
Call for papers AfterlifeConference.pdf | Powered by Box
wlu.app.box.com
January 13, 2026 at 1:58 PM
What are the afterlives of atrocity tribunals?
What do contested legacies mean for afterlives of defendants, judgements, witnesses, and archives?
See this fascinating and exciting #CallforPapers from Mark Drumbl, Maria Elander, and @rachelkillean.bsky.social !
wlu.app.box.com/s/ubi9i56841...
What do contested legacies mean for afterlives of defendants, judgements, witnesses, and archives?
See this fascinating and exciting #CallforPapers from Mark Drumbl, Maria Elander, and @rachelkillean.bsky.social !
wlu.app.box.com/s/ubi9i56841...
Reposted by Dr Benjamin Thorne
There's much commentary on Venezuela Maduro and international law. We focus on potential accountability routes, after examining illegality of US actions + immunity issues. www.asymmetricalhaircuts.com/episodes/epi... Thanks @bcfinucane.bsky.social and Ignacio for making time.
Episode 149 – Might versus Right in Venezuela ? with Brian Finucane and Ignacio Jovtis
Maduro kidnapped by the US – what are the implications for accountability for human rights violations in Venezuela and for peace and security in Latin America. With Brian Finucane and Ignacio…
www.asymmetricalhaircuts.com
January 7, 2026 at 8:55 AM
There's much commentary on Venezuela Maduro and international law. We focus on potential accountability routes, after examining illegality of US actions + immunity issues. www.asymmetricalhaircuts.com/episodes/epi... Thanks @bcfinucane.bsky.social and Ignacio for making time.
Reposted by Dr Benjamin Thorne
You can (and should) be able oppose dictatorship and drug trafficking while also opposing:
- violations of intl law
- human rights violations
- kidnapping
- the theft of natural resources
- illegal war
- violent regime change
What 🇺🇸 is doing in #Venezuela is all of the above.
- violations of intl law
- human rights violations
- kidnapping
- the theft of natural resources
- illegal war
- violent regime change
What 🇺🇸 is doing in #Venezuela is all of the above.
January 3, 2026 at 12:17 PM
You can (and should) be able oppose dictatorship and drug trafficking while also opposing:
- violations of intl law
- human rights violations
- kidnapping
- the theft of natural resources
- illegal war
- violent regime change
What 🇺🇸 is doing in #Venezuela is all of the above.
- violations of intl law
- human rights violations
- kidnapping
- the theft of natural resources
- illegal war
- violent regime change
What 🇺🇸 is doing in #Venezuela is all of the above.
Reposted by Dr Benjamin Thorne
This might be a good moment for Europeans to quickly start thinking about how much we care about international law banning offensive warfare when
it doesn't happen in our immediate neighbourhood, and the affected country is not a democracy.
it doesn't happen in our immediate neighbourhood, and the affected country is not a democracy.
Reading headlines about the US massing forces to Venezuela and ”what is Trump’s aim with the troops ?” reminds me of a certain other country that massed troops at a neighbour’s border 4 years ago and headlines were wondering what Putin’s aim could possibly be
November 15, 2025 at 2:35 PM
This might be a good moment for Europeans to quickly start thinking about how much we care about international law banning offensive warfare when
it doesn't happen in our immediate neighbourhood, and the affected country is not a democracy.
it doesn't happen in our immediate neighbourhood, and the affected country is not a democracy.
This! 👇
Reading ASP statements and I'm not exactly filled w/hope regarding state's abilities to defend the ICC from US sanctions.
The US has laid out a plan to go to war with the ICC (& IntLaw broadly) and the responses, with a few outliers & the 'behind the scenes' caveat, the responses don't reflect that
The US has laid out a plan to go to war with the ICC (& IntLaw broadly) and the responses, with a few outliers & the 'behind the scenes' caveat, the responses don't reflect that
December 30, 2025 at 12:12 PM
This! 👇
Reposted by Dr Benjamin Thorne
While I was never a fan of Project Harmony for a variety of reasons, namely its encroachment with Microsoft, as well as broader concerns about AI (not all digital evidence obviously), this is a good recap by @benjaminthorne.bsky.social of the impact of sanctions on evidence gathering / preservation
Artificial Sanctions: Potential Implications of US Sanctions on the ICC’s use of AI and Digital Evidence
[Benjamin Thorne is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Criminal Law at the University of Reading] Almost 3 weeks into Donald Trump’s second term as US President and one could have been forgiven fo…
opiniojuris.org
December 19, 2025 at 9:56 AM
While I was never a fan of Project Harmony for a variety of reasons, namely its encroachment with Microsoft, as well as broader concerns about AI (not all digital evidence obviously), this is a good recap by @benjaminthorne.bsky.social of the impact of sanctions on evidence gathering / preservation
Reposted by Dr Benjamin Thorne
#Rwanda’s UN Ambassador re-stresses its bid to host the #ICTR #archives (currently housed @ the Mechanism in #Arusha 🇹🇿 & on the #UN Court Records Database)
Ngoga says the records contain "the authoritative historical account of the #Genocide against the Tutsi”
www.newtimes.co.rw/article/3191...
Ngoga says the records contain "the authoritative historical account of the #Genocide against the Tutsi”
www.newtimes.co.rw/article/3191...
Rwanda steps up bid for ICTR archives
Rwanda has renewed its long-standing demand to take custody of the archives of the now defunct International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and its...
www.newtimes.co.rw
December 13, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Reposted by Dr Benjamin Thorne
⚡️The Moscow City "Court" convicted the ICC Prosecutor & 8 sitting/former judges of "unlawful prosecution" of Russian citizens (because one of them got so upset). ICC officials were sentenced in absentia (keep it that way!) to jail terms of 3.5-15 years. Karim Khan received 15.
December 12, 2025 at 2:12 PM
⚡️The Moscow City "Court" convicted the ICC Prosecutor & 8 sitting/former judges of "unlawful prosecution" of Russian citizens (because one of them got so upset). ICC officials were sentenced in absentia (keep it that way!) to jail terms of 3.5-15 years. Karim Khan received 15.
Reposted by Dr Benjamin Thorne
#InternationalCriminalCourt - "It feels as if the institutional ‘erasure’ of the third ICC Prosecutor* has begun, even before the current improvised, imperfect, and non-transparent investigation process has run its course."
- Sergey Vasiliev (professor of international law)
* Karim Khan
- Sergey Vasiliev (professor of international law)
* Karim Khan
December 9, 2025 at 4:58 PM
#InternationalCriminalCourt - "It feels as if the institutional ‘erasure’ of the third ICC Prosecutor* has begun, even before the current improvised, imperfect, and non-transparent investigation process has run its course."
- Sergey Vasiliev (professor of international law)
* Karim Khan
- Sergey Vasiliev (professor of international law)
* Karim Khan
Reposted by Dr Benjamin Thorne
#InternationalCriminalCourt - While everything indicates that Prosecutor Karim Khan has already left the stage, the Assembly of States Parties to the #ICC, refused to address the elephant in the room.
This year, there were several of them.
www.justiceinfo.net/en/153443-af...
#ASP24
This year, there were several of them.
www.justiceinfo.net/en/153443-af...
#ASP24
After the ICC Assembly, the elephants remain in the room
While everything indicates that Prosecutor Karim Khan has already left the stage, the Assembly of States Parties to the International Criminal Court, which has just concluded, refused to address the e...
www.justiceinfo.net
December 9, 2025 at 11:15 AM
#InternationalCriminalCourt - While everything indicates that Prosecutor Karim Khan has already left the stage, the Assembly of States Parties to the #ICC, refused to address the elephant in the room.
This year, there were several of them.
www.justiceinfo.net/en/153443-af...
#ASP24
This year, there were several of them.
www.justiceinfo.net/en/153443-af...
#ASP24
I really enjoyed participating in this event yesterday and the really engaging discussions.
Thank you very much to the organizers for the invitations hosting!
Thank you very much to the organizers for the invitations hosting!
December 5, 2025 at 6:30 AM
I really enjoyed participating in this event yesterday and the really engaging discussions.
Thank you very much to the organizers for the invitations hosting!
Thank you very much to the organizers for the invitations hosting!