"Is The Law of War Useless?"

"Is The Law of War Useless?" with Mahnoor Omer

Summary
Can you bomb a power plant? A bridge full of commuters? A factory with civilian workers inside? Can you starve a city and call it legal? Can you torture a prisoner if you call the war by a different name? Are nuclear weapons legal?

Experts called the Gulf War the ‘most lawful ever’ - it was UN-backed and lawyer-supervised. Yet this ‘lawful war’ still killed 100,000+ civilians.(Normand & Jochnick, 1997)

In this talk we will share some answers with you. But we warned: the answer to most legal questions is: it depends. We will go through the key principles that underpin the law of armed conflict as underlined in the Hague Regulations (1899 & 1907), the Geneva Conventions (1949), and the Additional Protocols (1977) and see whether ‘jus in bello’ (law of armed conflict) works to save civilian lives or simply legitimizes destruction and military action under the guise of legal rhetoric

Bio
Mahnoor Omer is a human rights lawyer based in Islamabad, Pakistan. She has previously clerked at the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Her work as an activist and lawyer has been featured in Al Jazeera, The Guardian, DW, and numerous other international publications. She is an organiser of the Aurat March (Women’s March) and runs an online advocacy vlog where she speaks out for women’s and minority rights. Mahnoor is currently pursuing an MSc in Gender, Peace, and Security at the London School of Economics.

Mahnoor Omer has been named a TIME Woman of the Year 2026 among a cohort of 16 women who are working to make the world a more equitable and just place. She achieved recognition for her activism around period products in Pakistan, where taxes can add an extra 40% to the retail price.

Venue:
The Landor Pub
70 Landor Rd, London SW9 9PH

Event Running Time:
(we recommend arriving at 6:30pm if you're eating, and 7pm if drinks only)
Doors from 6pm
Introduction: 7:25pm
Lecture: 7:30pm
Q&A: 8:10pm

Food:
If you plan on eating at the venue, we recommend arriving as early as possible so the kitchen can get your order out before the talk starts.

FAQs:

What is Pints of Knowledge?

Pints of Knowledge is a series of public talks where experts, researchers, and big thinkers share fascinating ideas all in the relaxed setting of a pub. We bring brilliant minds and curious audiences together over a pint, covering topics from science and politics to history, art, and beyond.

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At each Pints of Knowledge event, you’ll hear engaging talks (approx. 40 minutes) from expert speakers on fascinating topics — followed by an audience Q&A (approx. 20 minutes). The vibe is informal and social, set in a pub where you can grab a drink, meet interesting people, and enjoy big ideas in a relaxed setting.

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