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Continuing our mission to enrich scholarly debates in the fields of international law, history, and international crimes,we are proud to announce the publication of the 26th issue of Uluslararası Suçlar ve Tarih / International Crimes and History (UST/ICH)

This issue emerges during a turbulent period marked by the ongoing war in Ukraine, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, shifting dynamics in Africa, and intensifying competition among major powers. In parallel, fragility in the global economy, the questioning of neoliberal institutions, and political transformations driven by the global election cycle have sharpened debates on the future of the international order. Against this backdrop, our 26th issue aims to contribute with innovative articles and critical reflections on law, politics, and history.

The commentary section features a distinguished article by Ambassador (Ret.) Oğuz Demiralp, “A European Union Story in the Atatürk Era,” which revisits Aristide Briand’s 1929 European Union project and highlights Türkiye’s early links to European identity and integration.

The Cases in International Courts section includes an important contribution by Lecturer, PhD Candidate Burak Tekin, “Türkiye’s Application for Intervention in the Case of South Africa v. Israel Before the International Court of Justice: Core Legal Arguments Against Israel’s Potential Defenses” which examines the legal basis for Türkiye’s intervention and its broader implications for the Genocide Convention, the right to self-defense, and obligations to prevent genocide.

The special section, titled “State Crime, Propaganda, and Cultural Destruction,” brings together four powerful studies that illuminate the different ways states deploy violence, propaganda, and cultural destruction as tools of international crime. Dr. Architect Baki Burak Acıl’s article, “From Sacred Image to Iconoclasm: The Case of DAESH in the Context of Iconoclastic Strategies,” highlights how DAESH’s deliberate attacks on cultural heritage represent not only acts of iconoclasm but also crimes against humanity that aim to erase collective memory. Assist. Prof. Caner Çakı in his article, “Reflection of the Katyn Massacre, a Crime Against Humanity, in Visual Propaganda of Nazi Germany,” demonstrates how war crimes can be reframed through propaganda to create distorted legitimacy in international politics, offering a striking case of the manipulation of historical tragedy. Dr. Çağatay Balcı’s study, “The Dysfunctionality and Consequences of Decapitation in the War on Terror: The Case of Jundullah in Iran,” shows that decapitation strategies often fail to dismantle terrorist organizations and instead produce unintended consequences that reshape counterterrorism policies. Finally, Dr. Yeter Solak’s article, “State Violence, Mental Resistance, and Memory in the Apartheid Regime: Steve Biko and the Black Consciousness Movement,” underscores how the power of mental resistance and collective memory can outlast oppressive systems, reinforcing the importance of human agency in confronting state crimes.

Complementing this special section, PhD Candidate Aykut Aydeniz’s article “Evaluating the Establishment of the WTO from a Neoliberal Perspective” highlights the transformation from GATT to WTO and the debates this sparked about sovereignty, law, and justice in the global economic order.

Finally, in the Reports section, Mehmet Birlik provides a multidimensional study in “Military Interventions, Lausanne-Defined Minorities, Social Movements, and Media (1960–1971): A Multidimensional Analysis of Crisis Dynamics” analyzing the intersections of Türkiye’s historical crises with minority rights, democracy, and social peace.

As we present this issue, we reaffirm our journal’s commitment to interdisciplinary perspectives and critical engagement with law, politics, economy, and history.

???? For electronic access to all issues including the latest, please visit: https://avim.org.tr/tr/Dergi/Uluslararasi-Suclar-ve-Tarih-International-Crimes-and-History/26

???? For inquiries about printed copies, contact us at honalp@avim.org.tr or call +90 312 438 50 23.

We thank our contributors and readers for their continued support and invite you to explore the critical and timely analyses featured in our 26th issue.