Outline Chambers Briefings | International Legal News

22 June 2026 Each week, Outline Chambers provides a concise overview of key developments across international law, arbitration and global governance.

This week’s briefing explores developments in human rights, business and human rights, international trade law, the law of the sea, and immigration law, with particular attention to emerging challenges in global supply chains and corporate accountability.

International Legal News | 22 June 2026

19 June 2026

Human Rights: UN urges Peru to reject bill granting military powers to try human right violations

UN Human Rights chief, Volker Türk has urged the government of Peru to refrain from adopting a bill that would grant military jurisdiction and powers of investigation and prosecution for human right violations, and instead to comply with international human right standards.

Approved on 13 June by Peru’s Congress – the bill provides that crimes which are alleged to have been committed by police or military personnel shall be dealt with exclusively by the military or police courts as opposed to the civil court system. The proposals raise concerns that the proposed method of due process could result in impunity and limit the right to an effective remedy for victims, as well as a right to a fair trial for the accused.

For more on this story, see here.

18 June 2026

Blog Corner: “One Step Forward, Two Steps Obscure: Jurisdiction over External Rules in M/T Heroic Idun (No.2)”

Lan Nguyen and Danae Georgoula have written an article for EJIL: Talk! on a judgment by the ITLOS Special Chamber, issued on 27 May 2026 - M/T Heroic Idun (No. 2).

A case brought by the Marshall Islands against Equatorial Guinea. It concerns the lawfulness of Equatorial Guinea’s arrest and detention of a vessel and crew.

While such a case would appear to be standard fare for the purposes of the UNCLOS Tribunal, as it concerns principles of the law of the sea, the parties invoked external human rights and maritime treaties prompting questions about the extent to which the UNCLOS tribunal could exercise jurisdiction over the dispute.

Nguyen and Georgoula offer their analysis of this case.

To read this article, see here.

17 June 2026

International Trade Law: Chinese law proscribes due diligence practices

The Japan Times reports on the passing of two new laws in China back in April and the possible impact they may have on international trade.

Reported as Credit State Council Orders No. 834 and No. 835, the Japan Times reports that these laws differ from policies previously enacted by both China and the United States in their escalating trade wars. According to the Chinese legal scholar Christopher Nye, these new laws give regulators “…direct authority to investigate and punish foreign companies simply for refusing to do business with Chinese partners.” Further, a provision of one of the regulations prohibits: “violating laws and regulations in carrying out investigations and other information collection activities related to industrial and supply chains.”

Does this development have any connection with the story from 15 June below? Our reader’s comments and views are welcome.

For more on this story, see here.

16 June 2026

House of Commons Library Research Briefings: “Visa bans: exclusion of foreign nationals for the “public good”

The House of Commons Library has published an updated version of its helpful research briefing on the Government’s power to exclude foreign nationals considered to be “not conducive to the public good”

Published by Melanie Gower, CJ McKinney, and Grace Alston, the paper gives an overview of the specific legal powers held by the Home Secretary and immigration officials to refuse entry, and the legal basis of the use of these powers.

Since 2010, almost 400 people have been excluded personally by the Home Secretary under these powers.

For more on this story, see here.

To read the research briefing, see here.

15 June 2026

Business Human Rights: Canada “eliminates” human rights watch dog

It has been reported that the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise Office (“CORE”), is to be axed under plans by the incumbent Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney.

Set up back in 2019 during the Justin Trudeau Ministry, CORE was tasked with the investigation of human rights abuses including the use of forced labour in business and industry. It is however reported that during its tenue, CORE only ever launched five investigations, into three US clothing companies, and two mining companies. It is reported that in nearly all cases, allegations of human rights abuses centred on the use of forced labour in the north-eastern part of the Xinjiang region of China. Its mediation mechanism was also used after Hugo Boss was alleged to have used Uyghur forced labour. However, it has only ever issued formal recommendations against two companies.

The move comes a day before the 15^th anniversary of the introduction of UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (“UNGPs”), developed by the late UN Special Representative John Ruggie. It would appear this latest development indicates that state governments are still at a loss as to how decisive action can be taken against human rights abuses in cross border supply chains.

For more on this story, see here.