Minnesota Journal of International Law

The Minnesota Journal of International Law is a student-led publication at the University of Minnesota Law School. We aspire to be a leader in the multidisciplinary study of international and comparative law. The Journal annually publishes two print volumes and one online edition.

Current Issue

Current Issue

MJIL Blog

The Ethiopia-Somaliland Naval Base Deal is a Violation of International Law

        The Ethiopia-Somaliland Naval Base Deal Is a Violation of International Law Aman Obsiye   On January 1, 2024, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Republic of Somaliland – an unrecognized secessionist region within the Federal Republic of Somalia.  The…

U.N. Cybercrime Treaty a Potential Threat to Free Speech

Wendy Erickson The United Nations is in the process of negotiating a landmark global cybercrime treaty, which if adopted, will be the first binding U.N. instrument on cybercrime. The treaty has the backing of Russia, China and a number of other countries. Negotiations over the scope and content of the…

From Aeolus to Ares: Wins of War Stir in the Eastern Aegean

Jacob Vander Weit Accounts of hostility and contention between Greece and Turkey over the Aegean Sea have been recorded since the dawn of western literature.[1] Recent tensions between these two powers are once again rising, with both countries threatening the possibility of war.[2] Among many, one controversy of the most…

UK-Rwanda ‘Asylum Partnership’: Legislation introduced to skirt rulings by the UK Supreme Court and ECHR

Mikaela Braddy Smith In the United Kingdom (UK), a debate has sparked over a new bill that was introduced in Parliament on Thursday, December 7th – the “Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill.[1] It aims to legally assert Rwanda as a safe country for asylum seekers, allowing the UK…

U.S. Soldier Sallies Across Demilitarized Zone, North Korea Declares "New Cold War"

Madeleine Kim, University of Minnesota Law School   On July 27, 2023, the United States (“U.S.”),[1] United Nations,[2] the Republic of Korea (“ROK” or “South Korea”),[3] and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (“DPRK” or “North Korea”) marked the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement[4] which…

Residency Requirements Don't Lie: Why Shakira is Facing up to Eight Years in Prison for Tax Evasion

  Lexi Shields, University of Minnesota Law School   Shakira, the Colombian pop star known for iconic Latin hits such as “Whenever, Wherever” and “Hips Don’t Lie,” finds herself in the public eye for more than just her music career—for several years, she has been in a legal battle involving…