Fionnuala Ní Aoláin

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons)

@niaolainf.bsky.social

3.5K followers 110 following 570 posts

Regents Law Professor, Minnesota Law + Professor QUB Law School (Belfast)+ Director Human Rights Centre. ICJ Commissioner. RIA. FBA. Former UN SR Counter-Terrorism & Human Rights (2017-23). Irish, Gaeilgeoir, Mom, Loves Yoga & Hiking. .. more

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Fionnuala Ní Aoláin is an Irish academic lawyer specialising in human rights law. She was the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism for the United Nations Human Rights Council from August 1, 2017 - November 2023. .. more

Political science 67%

Sociology 15%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 5h

100%

Reposted by Nandita Sharma, Jonathan M. Gilligan, Fionnuala Ní Aoláin

Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 12h

First of all, good for her for calmly standing her ground and ignoring all the empty threats -- "we're gonna put you in the car and ID you!" -- until these goons give up and slink away.

Second, the irony of masked agents of the state with no name plates demanding *other* people identify themselves?

Street Sharks Explained 🇨🇺🇵🇸 @gaykwon.bsky.social · 14h

This woman is harder than goddamn steel dealing with these goddamn thugs. I want her to be my neighbor.

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 2d

24 years … no end in sight
we may be distracted by other things but Guantanamo impunity is what has enabled so much of the excesses of the current Trump regime.

Reposted by Fionnuala Ní Aoláin

David Kaye @davidakaye.bsky.social · 3d

this young guy refers to the UN Charter and talks about the "fundamental human right" of freedom of movement - on FOX! - in response to an inane hannity question and damn if i don't have renewed hope for our future

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 3d

Hannity has a Fox reporter in Minneapolis talk to a random protester walking through the city who goes on to spit bars for 2 minutes

Reposted by Fionnuala Ní Aoláin

Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 3d

Expanding the linguistic reach of the European Courtof Human Rights’ foundational text: The European Convention on Human Rights is now available in Irish!

www.echr.coe.int/documents/d/...

www.echr.coe.int

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 3d

Non transparency from the NSO Group’s transparency report. Deep concern that the Pall Mall process being used as cover for rehabilitation of a company which has engaged in systemic human rights violations including the enablement of core crimes violations under IL.

techcrunch.com/2026/01/08/c...

Critics pan spyware maker NSO's transparency claims amid its push to enter US market | TechCrunch

The infamous spyware maker released a new transparency report claiming to be a responsible spyware maker, without providing insight into how the company dealt with problematic customers in the past.

techcrunch.com

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 4d

Taking to Good Morning Ireland today about events in Minneapolis. This is not an America I recognize, the brutality and arbitrariness of ICE, and the disregard for human life evidenced every day.

www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...

Mayor demands ICE leaves Minneapolis after fatal shooting

Reporter, Sheila Naughton speaks to Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, a Professor in Law at Queens University Belfast, and the University of Minnesota Law School, in Minneapolis, following a fatal shooting by an I...

www.rte.ie

Reposted by Fionnuala Ní Aoláin

Just Security @justsecurity.org · 4d

The fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis did not occur in isolation. It follows months of documented uses of potentially unlawful force by federal immigration agents.

As Samantha Trepel (@statesunited.org) explains, DOJ has clear authority to investigate and its silence leaves communities at risk.

DOJ’s Dangerous Silence in the Face of Federal Immigration Agents’ Violent Tactics

The DOJ has the authority, resources, and responsibility to hold federal agents accountable for willful constitutional violations.

www.justsecurity.org

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 5d

More essential reading @justsecurity.org

www.justsecurity.org/128211/congr...

Congress, the President, and Military Force in Venezuela

Experts write the president did not have authority to undertake Operation Absolute Resolve in Venezuela without congressional authorization.

www.justsecurity.org

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 5d

And I should say, lots of girls too.

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 5d

X as porn website, and the guys who made it happen.

www.ft.com/content/ad94...

Who’s who at X, the deepfake porn site formerly known as Twitter

A look inside Elon Musk’s big tent

www.ft.com

Reposted by Luke Moffett

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 5d

So glad to have this piece published in @articlesofwar.bsky.social to honor trailblazer and thoroughly decent and principled lawyer and law Professor Françoise Hampson.

IN HONOR OF FRANÇOISE HAMPSON

lieber.westpoint.edu/early-interf...

In Honor of Françoise Hampson - The Early Interface of IHL and Human Rights: Lessons from the Frontlines of Turkish Litigation - Lieber Institute West Point

ECtHR has studiously avoided opining on the interface of human rights and international humanitarian law (IHL).

lieber.westpoint.edu

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 7d

“violations is tantamount to inviting anarchy, and normalising the use of force and military might as the main form of discourse in international politics. This would be a regression into a world preceding the United Nations …”

dirco.gov.za/statement-by...

Statement by the Republic of South Africa to the United Nations Security Council Meeting on the situation in Venezuela, 5 January 2026

Mr President, We wish to congratulate the Federal Republic of Somalia for assuming the rotating Presidency of the United Nations Security Council for the month of January and wish you and your delegat...

dirco.gov.za

Reposted by Fionnuala Ní Aoláin

David Kaye @davidakaye.bsky.social · 8d

FT captures what is almost certainly the common global attitude (among our democratic allies at least) toward trump giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

This, arguably more than anything else so far in his tumultuous second presidency, epitomises the cavalier and self-interested nature of the US under Trump. Critics of the US-led 2003 invasion of Iraq liked to argue, somewhat inaccurately, that it was “all about oil”. This intervention, though, really does seem to be a lot about oil; Venezuela has the largest reserves in the world.

At the start of the second year of Trump’s second term, his message is clear: his US does not just feel unbound by the niceties of the post-1945 ideas of international rules and law, it will intervene all but at will in its own hemisphere — and possibly elsewhere too. The blatant violation of sovereignty of a major South American state sends a bleak signal to the rest of the world. It will reinforce the conviction around the world and increasingly among US allies that America is not just a hypocrite, but Trump is willing to lead by example in presiding over a world where might is right. There was no attempt to gain congressional approval for action nor even to go through the motions of seeking backing at the UN, however doomed such an attempt would have been.

Authoritarians will be heartened by Trump’s behaviour. It may be simplistic to argue, as have some critics of the US leader, that this will embolden China over Taiwan. But there is no question that it will, for example, make it even harder for the west to rally support in the global south against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As for Venezuela itself, few will mourn the end of Maduro’s rule, but sadly Trump seems to have little interest in what happens there next.

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 8d

Essential reading.

www.justsecurity.org/127981/inter...

International Law and the U.S. Military and Law Enforcement Operations in Venezuela

Experts survey the international law issues of Operation Absolute Resolve.

www.justsecurity.org

Reposted by Elizabeth Sharrow, Brendan Nyhan, Fionnuala Ní Aoláin , and 4 more Elizabeth Sharrow, Brendan Nyhan, Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, Anne Norton, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Nathan P. Kalmoe, David Darmofal

Minnesota House DFL @mnhousedfl.bsky.social · 8d

A must-read message from Colin and Sophie Hortman, Mark and Melissa's children:

Reposted by Fionnuala Ní Aoláin

Schona Jolly KC @womaninhavana.bsky.social · 8d

Here is the Spanish statement put up by Pedro Sanchez’s government: www.lamoncloa.gob.es/serviciosdep...

www.lamoncloa.gob.es

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 8d

80 dead Venezuelans - flawless ?

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 8d

All this and more, a plug for my @justsecurity.org colleague @eliavl.bsky.social ‘s excellent book on Occupation in International Law (OUP 2022). Luckily he gave me an extra signed copy in recent weeks so encourage you all to get your own - you will find it useful in the week’s ahead.

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 8d

And of course the pottery barn rule (if you break it under occupation you own it).

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 8d

A reminder to the US government, the right to private property is explicitly protected in situations of occupation (Hague IV). Prohibitions on confiscation article 46 Hague Regulations. Prohibitions on destruction Geneva IV, Article 53. I could go on but you get the general idea~lots of obligations.

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 8d

The positive obligations of the occupier are many~including but not limited to the protection of property. Geneva Convention IV defines protections for protected persons, including prohibitions on torture, collective punishment & reprisals. No forcible transfers. Positive duties on food & medicine.

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 8d

Very unusual (for now)
is that the U.S. per the President is “running” occupation. Many States run a mile from this characterization, because they understand (Israel OPT) that it comes with obligations. A step back from the words will not diminish the reality of “authority” of the hostile army.

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 8d

Occupants including the U.S. in Venezuela must respect the individual rights of the local population. Occupants can’t treat the territory as their own. Occupants can’t introduce transformative changes and remain with the law.

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 8d

Simple rules: Occupation does not confer sovereignty and any U.S. occupation of Venezuela involves the exercise of limited powers. Any occupant is empowered only to maintain public order and safety (complex questions when it is the belligerent occupier who undoes public safety).

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 8d

A reminder that belligerent occupation means the Fourth Geneva Convention and Hague Regulations apply to all U.S. action. This means that the welfare of the civilian population dictates all obligations of the belligerent occupier @justsecurity.org
🧵
www.irishtimes.com/world/americ...

Rubio confirms US oil quarantine in Venezuela as Maduro set for New York court appearance

Donald Trump has said the US will ‘run’ Venezuela following the capture of its leader

www.irishtimes.com

Reposted by Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, Kate Starbird, Nathan P. Kalmoe

Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 8d

In what Reuters called a "mass digital undressing spree,” Elon Musk is provoking outrage after his Grok chatbot responded to user prompts to remove clothing from images of women and to create "sexualized images of children" and post them on X. I spoke to Stanford HAI's Riana Pfefferkorn about it:

The Policy Implications of Grok's 'Mass Digital Undressing Spree' | TechPolicy.Press

A conversation with Riana Pfefferkorn, a policy fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI.

www.techpolicy.press

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 9d

Regime change, with business interests at its core.

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 9d

Mexico rightly condemning U.S. aggression with none to minus (valid) legal justification for invading another country. Imperialism thrives in US foreign policy (again and always)

www.gob.mx/sre/prensa/m...

México condena intervención militar en Venezuela

Comunicado No. 001/2026

www.gob.mx

Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 10d

“Grok's mass digital undressing spree appears to have kicked off over the past couple of days, according to successfully completed clothes-removal requests posted by Grok and complaints from female users reviewed by Reuters.”

www.reuters.com/legal/litiga...

Elon Musk's Grok AI floods X with sexualized photos of women and minors

When contacted by Reuters for comment by email, xAI replied with the message "Legacy Media Lies."

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