Subjects

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International Peace and Security in Cyberspace - HP4312

Title:	International Peace and Security in Cyberspace
Guaranteed by:	Department of Public International Law (22-KMP)
Faculty:	Faculty of Law
Actual:	from 2023
Semester:	summer
Points:	0
E-Credits:	4
Examination process:	summer s.:written
Hours per week, examination:	summer s.:2/0, Ex [HT]
4EU+:	no
Virtual mobility / capacity:	no
Key competences:
State of the course:	taught
Language:	English
Teaching methods:	full-time
Level:
Is provided by:	HOPV0224
Note:	course can be enrolled in outside the study plan enabled for web enrollment

Guarantor:	JUDr. Milan Lipovský, Ph.D.
Incompatibility :	HPOP0000, HPOP3000

SS schedule Noticeboard

Annotation -

The goals of the subject are
- to get students acquainted with the latest development regarding applicability of public international law (specifically its regulation concerning international peace and security) within the sphere of cyberspace,
- to provide space for critical analysis over the sources and their application,
- to teach the students to present their qualified opinions based on study during the lectures and their own preparation.

Before each lecture, the students will be required to study materials provided via Moodle and during the lectures, to participate in discussions.
The lectures consist of two parts: a) initial presentation of the topic by the tutor, and b) subsequent critical discussion.

To reach course goals the students are required to prepare every week according to the list of sources and exercises, to prepare answers to provided questions and actively participate in the lectures. Home preparation is thus combined with thematically focused interactive lectures.

The subject combines attendance of students from both the Czech Master´s degree and Erasmus students programs. The work is in English language only.

Last update: Šicnerová Barbora, Mgr. (20.07.2026)

Course assessment methods and requirements for successful completion, grading scheme -

1. The exam takes form of a written test.

2. Students are only allowed to write the test if they attend at least 70 % of lectures and are active during them.

3. The test consists of 10 opened questions. Each answer will be marked by 0-5 points depending on its quality. The total of points is 50.

4. Based on activity during the lectures, each student can be given max. 5 points above those received in test.

5. The grading scale is following:

0-25 4/F

26-30 3/E

31-35 2/D

36-40 2/C

41-45 1/B

46-50 1/A

Last update: Šicnerová Barbora, Mgr. (20.07.2026)

Syllabus -

The course includes these topics (details, dates and number of lectures allocated to individual topics are provided in the Moodle together with readings):

- cyberspace as a new domaine of application of international law,

- sources and attitudes of various actors

- the prohibition of use of force and cyberspace

- the principle of non-intervention and cyberspace (with focus on elections interference)

- jurisdiction in cyberspace (“borders” in cyberspace)

- crimes under international law and cyberspace

- human rights and cyberspace

- attributability of activities of States in cyberspace

Last update: Šicnerová Barbora, Mgr. (20.07.2026)

Learning resources -

Základní literatura:

1. Tallinn Manual 2.0 on the International Law Applicable to Cyber Operations, available via Faculty´s Library internet databases

2. ICC OTP Policy on Cyber Enabled Crimes (2025), available online at https://www.icc-cpi.int/news/policy-cyber-enabled-crimes-under-rome-statute

Other materials will be provided via Moodle.

Ostatní literatura:

1. https://disarmament.unoda.org/ict-security/

2. Group of Governmental Experts on Advancing Responsible State Behaviour in Cyberspace in the Context of International Security webpage URL https://disarmament.unoda.org/group-of-governmental-experts/

3. Open-ended Working Group webpage URL https://disarmament.unoda.org/open-ended-working-group/

Other materials will be provided via Moodle.

Základní právní předpisy:

1. UN Charter (1945)

2. Rome Statute (1998)

3. UNGA Resolution 2625

Other materials will be provided via Moodle.

Last update: Šicnerová Barbora, Mgr. (20.07.2026)

Learning outcomes -

Note: It is recommended for students applying to this course to already have passed exam from Public International Law. Consequently, the following learning outcomes build upon this expectation.

Upon completion of the course, the students will acquire the following knowledge and skills/competencies:

Generally (applicable to all topics):

During each lecture/in each topic taught that year, students will, while using the knowledge and skills described below

- critically assess suitability of the debated existing rules of international law to the “new” domain of cyberspace,

- formulate their own analysis of difference between de lege lata and possible de lege ferenda development and

- defend their own conclusions.

Specifically:

Students will

- demonstrate the knowledge of the systematics of the United Nations Charter, with specific focus on the purposes and principles of the United Nations,

- explain the interplay between law of international peace and security and other relevant (taught) specific parts, such as human rights and international criminal law,

- compare the various doctrinal definitions (such as contained e.g. in the Tallinn Manuals) and elements of the term of cyberspace and compare them with opinions and practice of States,

- identify the sources of opinions of States and other relevant actors regarding applicability of international law to cyber operations,

- use hypothetical scenarios provided by the lecturer in powerpoint presentations to analyse the limits of de lege lata applicability of law of international peace and security to activities in cyberspace,

- express the possible future de lege ferenda development regarding applicability of law of international peace and security to cyber operations within the specific topics taught during the course (in grey zones discussed during the lectures),

- distinguish between legal, political and technical attributability of cyber operations and apply various forms of legal attributability under ARSIWA,

- analyse the various tests of legal attributability and discuss the extent to which they are capable of effectively covering cyber operations,

- define and apply to hypothetical and real life events the terms of use of force, threat of force, act of aggression, armed attack, armed conflict, and explain how these terms are currently understood by States and doctrine to be applicable to activities within cyberspace,

- exemplify the limits of discussed legal rules and instruments of international peace and security upon activities in cyber space while using real events and hypothetical scenarios as templates,

- explain the elements of the principle of non-intervention,

- elaborate upon the consequences of difference between “territorial” basis of international law and the inherently “deterritorialized” nature of cyberspace upon the scope of jurisdiction of States,

- debate the critical points of regulation of so-called cyber influence operations and the reasons of problems of applicability of the law of international peace and security to regulate them,

- explain basic categorization of crimes under international law,

- evaluate the role of international criminal law in maintenance and restoration of international peace and security,

- discuss and provide for analysis of examples of cyber enabled crimes under international law (within scope debated during lectures),

- demonstrate basic orientation within the systematics of European and universal system of human rights protection,

- exemplify the case-law of human rights protection bodies on topics taught during the course (e.g. mass surveillance, positive obligations of States when facing foreign cyber influence operations, etc.).