A student team from the University of Warsaw won this year’s All-European International Humanitarian and Refugee Law Moot Court Competition, held online. It is the first time when a Polish team won this international competition.

The competition is organised annually by the University of Ljubljana Faculty of Law. It is based on a case study prepared by the organisers in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and addresses the most pertinent and topical questions regarding international humanitarian and refugee law. Its aim is to encourage students to study and understand the fundamental concepts of international humanitarian and refugee law by addressing specific legal problems and practice their legal argumentation in front of experienced judges and panel members.

Twelve student teams took part in the 5th edition of All-European International Humanitarian and Refugee Law Moot Court Competition. Two of them, from the University of Warsaw and the University of Ljubljana, contested for the 1st place. The UW team, represented by the three students from the Faculty of Law and Administration: Kaja Stelmaszewska, Olga Szkodzińska and Agnieszka Wójcik defeated the University of Ljubljana student representatives.

The main themes of this year’s competition encompassed protection of civilians; autonomous weapon systems; urban warfare; naval warfare; classification of conflict; contemporary challenges related to the conduct of hostilities; methods of war; human rights issues including the principle of nonrefoulement and international criminal law.

Contestants from UW were coached by Prof. Patrycja Grzebyk from the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies and Marta Górczyńska (doctoral candidate).

All-European International Humanitarian and Refugee Law Moot Court Competition was held between 25th and 29th November.