James Sweeney is a Professor of International Law at Lancaster University, UK. Prof Sweeney’s main research is about the after-effects of conflict: principally human rights in transitional democracies, and the rights of refugees. He is particularly interested the ‘right to truth’ and other elements of ‘transitional justice’. He has published widely on the eastern enlargement of the Council of Europe, especially on the challenges facing the European Court of Human Rights. He has acted as an expert advisor to the Council of Europe in several of the newer Member States; and has worked with the judges of the Ukrainian Supreme Court and the Constitutional and Supreme Courts of Kosovo. His works on refugee law have been well-received by UNHCR, and have been cited by the House of Lords (in its former judicial capacity) in the case of R (on the application of M) v Slough BC [2008] UKHL 52, by the Court of Appeal in R. (on the application of SL) v Westminster City Council [2011] EWCA Civ 954, by the High Court in R. (on the application of Refugee Action) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2014] EWHC 1033 (Admin), and by the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) in KS (benefit of the doubt) [2014] UKUT 00552 (IAC). Prof. Sweeney is also a regular contributor to print and broadcast media, including giving interviews to BBC Breakfast, Sky News, Al-Jazeera the Press Association amongst others; and writing articles for The Conversation. In addition to his principal areas of research, he is happy to comment on all aspects of international law (including the use of force and the law of armed conflict) and international criminal law.