The Unwritten Rules of War: Nuclear Weapons and International Customary Law
13 April 2026, Hlubi Hadebe
The prohibition of nuclear weapons remains one of the most
contentious issues in international customary law. Events such as the... atomic
bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki prompted global efforts to limit their use,
yet the legal framework governing their use remains deeply contested. Nations in
possession of nuclear weapons resist disarmament due to security and
sovereignty concerns.
To determine whether
a binding norm exists, it's important to assess whether a prohibition on
nuclear weapons has developed under international customary law. This requires
an analysis of the law’s core elements, relevant legal instruments, judicial
opinions, and regional treaties.