College of Law

Master’s Thesis on Retaliation in Light of International Humanitarian Law

On Wednesday, April 30, 2025, the Department of Human Rights Law at the College of Law at the University of Mosul discussed a master’s thesis on reprisals in light of international humanitarian law. Several members of the College Council and faculty members attended the discussion.

The thesis, submitted by Saad Rashid Sinjar, a student in the Department of Human Rights Law, addressed reprisals in light of international humanitarian law. Many conflicts occurring around the world are not devoid of feelings of hostility between the two parties to the conflict. Retaliation is a feeling that stems from satisfaction that compensates each party for its loss. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the legitimacy and illegitimacy of reprisals.

The thesis aims to demonstrate the illegitimacy of reprisals under international humanitarian law, given their violation of the rules of war pertaining to armed conflicts and the non-applicability of the conditions of self-defense in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter to reprisals, particularly with regard to proportionality between action and reaction. The discussion committee was headed by Professor Dr. Abdulaziz Ramadan Ali, with the membership of Assistant Professor Dr. Bashir Subhan Ahmed, Assistant Professor Dr. Suha Hamid Salim, and the membership and supervision of Assistant Professor Dr. Adi Muhammad Reda.