Lawmakers in Congress have called for inquiry after allegations have surfaced that possible war crimes have been committed as part of the offensive attacks on boats in the Caribbean.

Reporters looking for a legal expert about war crimes,  Syracuse University Law Professor Cora True-Frost   can speak to the issues about them.  She teaches and writes on American Constitutional law, human rights, disability law, and international security law. Her recent research is on accessibility and reasonable accommodation law before the European Court of Human Rights and conflicts between interpretations of international human rights and regional human rights law.

“The US administration’s thin and shifting attempted justifications for its strikes in the Caribbean do not add up.  They are outrageous.  There is no armed conflict triggering international humanitarian law.  These are extrajudicial killings of people who are not posing threats to the US when they are killed.  The danger of tacitly accepting any of the justifications thus far offered by the US for the over 70 killings by US forces is immense.  The implications of allowing state power to kill human beings unlawfully are wide ranging,” said True-Frost.  

Her scholarship is informed by her experiences defending individuals accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes and leading the Nongovernmental Organization Working Group on Women, Peace, and Security at UN headquarters to advocate to the UN Security Council.

To schedule an interview, please contact Ellen James Mbuqe, executive director of media relations, at ejmbuqe@syr.edu.