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Thilo Marauhn at SWR2: "A violation is not the end of a legal norm - it depends on the reaction to it"

In an SWR2 report on chemical weapons, CBWNet member Thilo Marauhn, Professor of International Law at the Justus Liebig University in Giessen, explains the implications of chemical weapons use on the norm against such weapons, as well as the role of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in enforcing the norm.

The report covers the history of chemical weapons, from their first use in Ypres to the attacks in Syria, and the potential impact of artificial intelligence on the development of new chemical weapons. Professor Marauhn emphasizes that the use of chemical weapons by countries such as Syria or Russia does not necessarily weaken the norm against chemical weapons. Rather, its impact depends on the reactions to such violations. In the future, the central task of the OPCW will be to prevent the misuse of chemical substances for military purposes. Marauhn stresses that, in the face of new technologies, the Chemical Weapons Convention must continue to be emphasized. The full report (in German) is available on the SWR2 website.