Experts

At the Geneva Academy professors, academics, experts and practitioners address challenges in international law that relate to situations of armed conflict, protracted violence and the protection of human rights.

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Paola Gaeta

Director of the Geneva Academy and Professor of International Law at the Geneva Graduate Institute

Paola Gaeta is a leading expert on international criminal law and international criminal courts and tribunals, and has published widely on these issues.

Gloria Gaggioli

Former Director of the Geneva Academy and Associate Professor and Vice-Dean of the Law Faculty, University of Geneva

Gloria Gaggioli is a renowned scholar in international humanitarian law and human rights and has published widely in various fields of public international law.

Marco Sassòli

Professor of International Law at the University of Geneva

Marco Sassòli has published widely on international humanitarian law (IHL), human rights law, international criminal law, the sources of international law, the responsibility of states and non-state actors and Swiss constitutional law. He is recognized as a leading expert in IHL.

Andrew Clapham

Professor of International Law at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies

Andrew Clapham is an expert in international law, international human rights law and international humanitarian law. His current research focuses on the concept of war.

Sévane Garibian

Professor in International Criminal Law and Transitional Justice at the University of Geneva and Adjunct Professor in Legal Philosophy at the University of Neuchâtel

Sévane Garibian's work focuses on issues related to the role of law in addressing state-sponsored crimes, impunity for mass crimes, international criminal law, transitional justice, human rights, the history of international criminal law and philosophy of law.

Robert Kolb

Professor of Public International Law at the Law Faculty, University of Geneva

Robert Kolb is a leading expert in international law and international humanitarian law and has published several books and articles on these topics.

Vincent Chetail

Professor of International Law at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies

Vincent Chetail's areas of research relate to refugee and migrant law, humanitarian law and human rights, international criminal law, collective security and peacekeeping.

Andrea Bianchi

Professor of International Law at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies

Andrea Bianchi's work focuses on topics that range from international law theory, international human rights law, security and counter-terrorism, the law of jurisdiction and jurisdictional immunities to state responsibility and the law of treaties.

Neus Torbisco-Casals

Visiting Professor of International Law at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies

Neus Torbisco-Casals' primary research areas are human rights, minority rights and theories of justice, anti-discrimination law and policy, gender equality and cultural diversity.

Giovanni Distefano

Professor of International Law at the University of Neuchatel

Giovanni Distefano's areas of research and expertise include public international law, the law of treaties, state responsibility and use of force.

Marco Roscini

Swiss IHL Chair and Professor of International Law at the University of Westminster

Professor Roscini's research areas include the international law of armed conflict, the use of force in international law, international cyber security law, nuclear non-proliferation law, and the history of international law.

William A. Schabas

Professor of International Law at Middlesex University, London

Recognized as a leading expert on international human rights law, international criminal law, genocide and capital punishment, William A. Schabas is the author of more than 20 books and 350 journal articles on these issues.

Gabriella Citroni

Adjunct Professor of International Human Rights Law at the University of Milano-Bicocca

Gabriella Citroni's research focuses on subjects related to international human rights law and she cooperates with a number of NGOs, providing legal assistance to victims of serious human rights violations and their relatives.

Sandesh Sivakumaran

Professor of International Law, University of Cambridge and Director, Lauterpacht Centre for International Law

Sandesh Sivakumaran is a leading expert in international humanitarian law, international human rights law and international criminal law.

Clara Sandoval

Professor at the University of Essex School of Law and Director of the Essex Transitional Justice Network

Clara Sandoval is a leading expert in transitional justice, the Inter-American System of Human Rights, legal theory, business and human rights, reparations, guarantees of non-repetition and implementation of human rights orders and recommendations.

Damien Scalia

Professor at the Université libre de Bruxelles

Damien Scalia is Professor in Criminal and Prison Law at the Université libre de Bruxelles, and invited Professor in International Criminal Law at the Université de Lausanne.

Julia Viebach

Senior Lecturer in the School for Social Policy Studies at University of Bristol

Her research focuses on violence, memory and transitional justice with a focus on post-genocide Rwanda and more recently South Africa.

Brandon Hamber

Professor and John Hume and Thomas P. O'Neill Chair in Peace at Ulster University

Professor Brandon Hamber is the John Hume and Thomas P. O’Neill Chair in Peace at Ulster University based at the International Conflict Research Institute (INCORE).

Fionnuala Ní Aoláin

Regents Professor and Robina Professor of Law, Public Policy and Society, University of Minnesota Law School and Professor of Law, Queens University

Professor Ní Aoláin is also currently the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights while Countering Terrorism.

Olivier de Frouville

Professor of Public Law at the Panthéon-Assas University and Director of the Paris Human Rights Center

Olivier de Frouville is also the Chair of the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances

Tarcisio Gazzini

Professor of international law at the University of Padua

Tarcisio Gazzini is Professor of International Law at the University of Padua.

Lindsey Cameron

Head of Thematic Legal Advisers, Legal Division, International Committee of the Red Cross

Lindsey Cameron has published a number of books and articles on international humanitarian law. 

Giulio Bartolini

Professor of International Law at Roma Tre University

Giulio Bartolini is Professor of International Law at Roma Tre University where he is also responsible for the IHL Legal Clinic.

Jérôme de Hemptinne

Assistant Professor at Utrecht University

Jérôme de Hemptinne's research focuses on modes of liability for international crimes, the qualification of armed conflicts and institutional aspects of international criminal courts and tribunals.

Ahmed Al-Dawoody

Legal Adviser for Islamic Law and Jurisprudence at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

Dr Ahmed Al-Dawoody is the Legal Adviser for Islamic Law and Jurisprudence at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Alessandro Chechi

Senior Researcher at the University of Geneva and Lecturer in public international law at the Université Catholique of Lille

His main research areas cover international law, international cultural heritage law, dispute settlement, international organizations, human rights, transitional justice, and the law of international immunities.

Sareta Ashraph

Senior Legal Adviser, US Holocaust Memorial Museum and Center for Justice and Accountability

Sareta Ashraph is a barrister specialising in international criminal law, with expertise in the gendered commission and impact of international crimes.

Katia Papagianni

Director, Policy and Mediation Support, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue

Katia Papagianni specializes in the design of peace processes and, more specifically, in national dialogues and constitution-making processes.

Vincent Bernard

Senior Policy Advisor at the International Code of Conduct Association (ICoCA)

Vincent Bernard has extensive experience in researching, teaching and promoting humanitarian law, policy and action.

Sandra Krähenmann

Deputy Head of Policy, Programmes and Legal, Geneva Call

Dr Sandra Krähenmann conducts legal research on the impact of counter-terrorism on human rights law and international humanitarian law, during the last two years with a particular focus on measures to stem the so-called foreign fighter phenomenon

Howard Varney

PRACTICING ADVOCATE AT THE HIGH COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA AND SENIOR EXPERT AT THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE

Howard Varney's areas of expertise include investigations, prosecutions, institutional reform and reparations.

Cécile Aptel

Deputy Director, UNIDIR

As a leading expert in international criminal justice, transitional justice and child rights, Cécile Aptel has over 20 years’ experience in legal, policy and humanitarian matters.

Jamie Williamson

Executive Director of the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers Association (ICoCA)

Jamie Williamson is a leading expert in international justice and international humanitarian law.

Eric Tistounet

Former Chief of the Human Rights Council Branch at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Eric Tistounet is the Former Chief of the Human Rights Council Branch at the Office of the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Ibrahim Salama

Chief, Human Rights Treaties Branch at the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Dr Ibrahim Salama is the Chief of the OHCHR Human Rights Treaties Branch, where he also leads the ‘Faith for Rights’ programme.

Michael Wiener

Human Rights Officer at the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Since 2017, he has been working on the design and implementation of the Beirut Declaration and its 18 commitments on ‘Faith for Rights’.

Lina Borén

Head of Communications and External Relations

Lina Borén is the Head of Communications and External Relations at the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights.

Erica Harper

Head of Research and Policy Studies

Erica Harper is a practitioner-academic specializing in international criminal law, human rights law and post-conflict governance.

Christophe Golay

Senior Research Fellow

Dr Christophe Golay's expertise relates to economic, social and cultural rights, the right to food and the rights of peasants.

Jonathan Andrew

Research Fellow

Dr Andrew conducts research on the nexus of human rights law with the development of neurotechnologies, emerging issues stemming from new technologies’ use in the military domain, and the deployment of dual-use technologies by law enforcement.

Milena Costas

Research Fellow

Milena Costas is a human rights expert and law-practitioner and a member of the UN Human Rights Council’s Advisory Committee.

Eugénie Duss

Research Fellow

Eugénie Duss is a Research Fellow at the Geneva Academy

Clotilde Pégorier

Head of Education

Dr Clotilde Pégorier is in charge of the coordination and implementation of our master's programme and other education activities.

Nataliia Hendel

Research Fellow

Dr Nataliia Hendel is a Professor of international law at the International Humanitarian University in Odesa, Ukraine.

Francesco Romani

Research Fellow

His research interests include international humanitarian law, international cultural heritage law, human rights law, international responsibility and litigation, and the theory of sovereignty.

Domenico Zipoli

Project Coordinator and Research Fellow

His research focuses on the question of connectivity among international human rights mechanisms and on national strategies for monitoring, implementation and follow-up of international human rights obligations and recommendations.

Clément Voule

Researcher

Clément Nyaletsossi Voule is Researcher at the Geneva Academy and UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association.

Anna Rosalie Greipl

Researcher

Her areas of expertise include international humanitarian law, international criminal law, international human rights law, and the challenges raised by new technologies – in particular artificial intelligence – in these fields of international law.

Beatrice Meretti

Research Assistant

Beatrice Meretti is Researcher at the Geneva Academy working in the Digitalization and New Technologies, and Sustainable Development projects.

Grace Chen

Associate Researcher

Her current research areas include the regulation of trade in torture equipment and equipment capable of being misused for torture, the detention of asylum seekers and migrants, and state diplomacy.

Steven J. Barela

Associate Research Fellow

Steven J. Barela research focuses on researching and integrating law, science and philosophy to formulate practical policy proposals.

Fulya Batur

Associate Research Fellow

Dr Fulya Batur conducts research on the rights of peasants, more particularly on the rights to seeds.

Timo Istace

Associate Researcher

His areas of expertise encompass human rights law, medical law, philosophy of law, and bioethics.

Karine Peschard

Associate Research Fellow

Her expertise and publications relate to intellectual property regimes in agriculture, agrobiodiversity, legal activism and the rights of peasants, in particular the right to seeds.

Baïna Ubushieva

Associate Research Fellow

Her expertise and publications are centred around international and European human rights law, with a particular focus on the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

Agustina Becerra Vazquez

Teaching Assistant

Agustina Becerra Vazquez's research explores restorative justice and international human rights law.

Shima Esmailian

Teaching Assistant

Her research includes a critical analysis of the existing regime in international law governing systematic gender segregation.

Dor Hai

Teaching Assistant

Dor Hai is a Teaching Assistant at the Geneva Academy.

Ralph Loren-Eisendecher

Teaching Assistant

His research focuses on the legal regime governing the rescue of persons in distress at sea.

Victoria Priori

Teaching Assistant

Victoria Priori's research focuses on the application of international criminal law norms to members of non-state armed groups.

Mina Radončić

Teaching Assistant

Mina Radončić's areas of research centre around the enforcement mechanisms set up by non-State armed groups in areas where they exercise their influence.

Katia Rosenblat

Teaching Assistant

Katia Rosenblat's research focuses on extraterritorial jurisdiction for human rights violations committed in the context of extractive industries.

Revaz Tkemaladze

Teaching Assistant

Revaz Tkemaladze's PhD research focuses on the application of international human rights law in situations of armed hostilities.

Tihao Zeng

Teaching Assistant

Tihao Zeng is a Teaching Assistant at the Geneva Academy and a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Law at the University of Geneva.

Foluke Adebisi

Professor of Law, University of Bristol

Foluke Ifejola Adebisi is a Professor at the Law School, University of Bristol. Her scholarship focuses mainly on the relationship between theories of decolonisation and how they do and can interact with legal knowledge.

Ben Saul

Challis Chair of International Law at The University of Sydney and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism

Professor Ben Saul is Challis Chair of International Law at The University of Sydney and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism.

Stefan Ziegler

Humanitarian Advocate and Practitioner, Educator and Filmmaker

Stefan G. Ziegler is a Swiss national with 25 years of experience in the fields of research and advocacy related to humanitarian action.

Claudia Martin

Co-Director at American University Washington College of Law

Claudia Martin is the Co-Director of the Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law and Professorial Lecturer in Residence at American University Washington College of Law.

Hélène Tigroudja

Law Professor at Aix-Marseille University and a member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee

Hélène Tigroudja is a Law Professor at Aix-Marseille University and a member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee.

Ankita Shanker

Teaching Assistant

Ankita Shanker is a Teaching Assistant at the Geneva Academy, and a social entrepreneur and legal researcher specialising in public international law, animal law, and legal philosophy and theory.