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

Mô Bleeker News

UNSG Special Adviser Mô Bleeker Becomes Senior Fellow at the Geneva Academy

15 April 2025

Mô Bleeker, UNSG Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect, shares how her work as Senior Fellow at the Geneva Academy contributes to our shared goals.

Read more

GHRP in Davos News

AI and Human Rights in the Intelligent Age: GHRP in Davos

3 February 2025

The Geneva Human Rights Platform contributed to key discussions on AI, human rights, and sustainable digital governance at the World Economic Forum 2025.

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

Training

Human Rights and the Environment: Introducing Legal Regimes and Key Issues

1-8 September 2025

Participants in this training course will be introduced to the major international and regional instruments for the promotion of human rights, as well as international environmental law and its implementation and enforcement mechanisms.

Read more

First annual conference of the Geneva Human Rights Platform Project

The Annual Conference of the Geneva Human Rights Platform

Started in June 2019

Read more

Online folders Project

Digital Human Rights Tracking Tools and Databases

Started in March 2023

This initiative wishes to contribute to better and more coordinated implementation, reporting and follow-up of international human rights recommendations through a global study on digital human rights tracking tools and databases.

Read more

Cover of the 2023 Geneva Academy Annual Report Publication

Annual Report 2024

published on July 2025

Read more