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  • Thu
    22
    Oct
    2015

    NPWG Seminar: Sarah Shirazyan on Nuclear Law

    5:00 pm2150 Shattuck Avenue, Suite 230

    sarahSarah Shirazyan is a Doctor of Juridical Sciences (J.S.D.) candidate at Stanford Law School, specializing in international law with a focus on disarmament and transnational security. Her research situates itself at the intersection of law, public policy, and political science. Drawing on extensive fieldwork and elite interviews, Sarah empirically investigates how the UN Security Council exercises its mandate to prevent non-state actors from acquiring weapons of mass destruction, related materials and technology. Stanford University has named Sarah as one of the two recipients of Gerald J. Lieberman Fellowship, awarded to those who have demonstrated the skills necessary for becoming academic and community leaders.

    Sarah has held multiple posts with leading international organizations, such as the UN, Interpol and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). At the Nuclear Weapons Branch of the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, Sarah assisted the UN in organizing the first High Level Meeting on Nuclear Disarmament and provided analysis on socio-legal implications for use of Lethal Autonomous Robotics. She has clerked at the European Court of Human Rights and handled cases of complex human rights violations through all stages of proceedings.

    During her time with the Drugs and Organized Crime Directorate of INTERPOL Secretariat, she worked on international drug investigations. Currently, Sarah serves as a Special Consultant to the Council of Europe, where she develops curricula focusing on European human rights standards for data privacy and data protection.

    Abstract:

    To understand and respond to contemporary nuclear threats effectively, the next generations of thought leaders in nuclear security require not only technical, but also public policy, international law and political science skills.

    This workshop intends to provide an analytical framework for understanding the core concepts of the international law applicable to nuclear activities. It introduces some of the foundational principles assessing whether or not nuclear deterrence is legal under international law. The discussion will also explore legal and policy challenges associated with radiation protection, nuclear safety and security, nuclear non-proliferation and liability for nuclear damage.

    After covering the basics of international nuclear law, the debates will focus on legal barriers surrounding the use of disruptive technologies and to what extent rules around nuclear deterrence may have a similar or different application vis-à-vis the cross-domain deterrence.