Event information

12 October 2022, 18:00-20:00
Register start 28 September 2022
Register end 11 October 2022

Book Launch: ‘Serious violations of Human Rights, On the Emergence of a New Special Regime’

Event

Cover page of the book Cover page of the book

This event marks the launch of our LLM alumna Ilia Siatitsa’s book ‘Serious violations of human rights, On the emergence of a new special regime’ published by Oxford University Press.

This book proposes a systematic and structured analysis of the international practice around serious violations of human rights. It analyses the use of the expression 'serious violations of human rights', and similar ones, such as 'gross' or 'grave', in international practice. It highlights some of the recurring responses and consequences to such violations and suggests that a new special regime - eponymous to the above-mentioned expression - was formed.

The book clarifies the meaning and role of serious violations of human rights in international practice, in relation to other legal notions, such as jus cogens norms, erga omnes obligations, and international crimes. It analyses the international community's responses to serious violations of human rights and integrates a comprehensive understanding of gravity based on the equality and indivisibility of human rights.

This monograph constitutes the first long overdue comprehensive analysis of serious violations of human rights in recent practice allowing far more constructive and coherent elaboration in the future.

Based on her book’s findings, the author will discuss with leading international law and policy experts key issues related to serious violations of human rights in practice and their insights from their own experiences.

Moderation

  • Gloria Gaggioli, Director, Geneva Academy and Associate Professor, University of Geneva Law Faculty

Panelists

  • Ilia Siatitsa, Programme Director and Senior Legal Officer, Privacy International
  • Andrew Clapham, Professor of International Law, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies and member of the Geneva Academy Faculty
  • Paola Gaeta, Professor of International Law, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies and member of the Geneva Academy Faculty
  • Ian Seiderman, Legal and Policy Director, International Commission of Jurists
  • Eric Tistounet, Chief of the Human Rights Council Branch, United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and member of the Geneva Academy Faculty

Aperitif

The event will be followed by an aperitif.

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

disops News

Impact of digital disinformation unpacked in new research brief series

9 April 2025

Our new series of Research Briefs examine the impact of digital disinformation and potential solutions for its regulation

Read more

Equality and Non Discrimination Book Cover News

Legal Understandings of Equality and Non-Discrimination Examined in New Publication

21 August 2025

Our new publication, Equality and Non-Discrimination, brings together cutting-edge scholarship on one of the most fundamental principles of international human rights law.

Read more

Special Rapporteur Sign Event

Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in an Era of Escalating Armed Conflict: Where Can International Human Rights Law Help?

25 September 2025, 18:30-20:00

This evening dialogue will present the publication: International Human Rights Law: A Treatise, Cambridge University Press (2025).

Read more

Town Hall Meeting Training

Localizing International Human Rights

8-10 October 2025

This training course, specifically designed for staff of city and regional governments, will explore the means and mechanisms through which local and regional governments can interact with and integrate the recommendations of international human rights bodies in their concrete work at the local level.

Read more

A general view of participants during of the 33nd ordinary session of the Human Rights Council. Training

The Universal Periodic Review and the UN Human Rights System: Raising the Bar on Accountability

10-14 November 2025

This training course will explore the origin and evolution of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and its functioning in Geneva and will focus on the nature of implementation of the UPR recommendations at the national level.

Read more

Project

The Lake Room Initiative (Space for Dialogue)

Started in February 2024

Read more

Session of a UN Treaty Body Project

Treaty Bodies Individual Communications Procedures

Started in January 2019

Read more

Cover of the 2023 Geneva Academy Annual Report Publication

Annual Report 2024

published on July 2025

Read more