Hannah Woolaver

About/Bio

Dr Hannah Woolaver is an Associate Professor of Public International Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Cape Town, and a Visiting Fellow at the Faculty of Law, University of New South Wales, Australia. Her research focuses on the use of force in international law, international criminal law, and the relationship between international and domestic law.

Recently Published

South Africa and the ICC Arrest Warrant for Vladimir Putin: Déjà Vu All Over Again?

1. Introduction South Africa is again at the centre of controversy regarding the obligation to arrest a sitting head of state pursuant to an arrest warrant of the International Criminal Court. Previously, the South African government was held by both the ICC and domestic courts to have violated its international and domestic…

Read more

Could International Law Stop a No-Deal Brexit?

At the time of writing – less than 3 weeks until the current ‘Brexit day’ of 31 October 2019 -  all options relating to the UK’s departure from the European Union appear to be on the table. Leaving with a deal, ‘crashing out’, not leaving at all, or anything in between seem equally possible. Much attention has been…

Read more

Unconstitutional and Invalid: South Africa’s Withdrawal from the ICC Barred (For Now)

On 22 February 2017, the South African High Court handed down a significant decision invalidating South Africa’s notice of withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC). The case was brought by the official opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, and joined by a number of civil society actors. The court’s conclusion that prior parliamentary approval was necessary before…

Read more