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Putin has been accused of starving civilians as a warfare tactic. Will the ICC agree?

New Atlanticist Nov 30, 2023

Putin has been accused of starving civilians as a warfare tactic. Will the ICC agree?

By <span>Alana Mitias</span>, <span>Celeste Kmiotek</span>

New evidence about Russia’s actions in Ukraine offers the ICC an opportunity to prosecute starvation as a war crime or crime against humanity affecting Ukrainians and other global victims.
Conflict Human Rights
Israel claims it is no longer occupying the Gaza Strip. What does international law say?

MENASource Oct 31, 2023

Israel claims it is no longer occupying the Gaza Strip. What does international law say?

By <span>Celeste Kmiotek</span>

The laws of occupation codify a basic principle of humanity: those with effective control over a population have obligations to protect it.

Israel Middle East
How legal actions against Russian aggression in Ukraine can serve as a model for other conflicts

New Atlanticist Feb 24, 2023

How legal actions against Russian aggression in Ukraine can serve as a model for other conflicts

By <span>Celeste Kmiotek</span>, <span>Lisandra Novo</span>

There is an unprecedented number of investigations and accountability efforts under way in response to Russia's invasion. It's a sign of success—but it also shows how victims of international crimes have unequal access to justice.
Conflict European Union

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Public Event Wed, June 25, 2025 • 2:00 am ET

New findings: Russian aerial attacks amount to extermination and persecution
Civil Society Conflict Crisis Management Russia

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IranSource

Apr 24, 2023

What the ICJ ruling on the Central Bank of Iran means for the US and the Islamic Republic—and those seeking reparations for state-sponsored atrocities

By <span class="gta-embed--tax--expert gta-post-embed--tax--expert">Celeste Kmiotek</span>

On March 30, the International Court of Justice issued its final judgment on a case between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States on the fate of “Certain Iranian Assets.” The judgment contains wins and losses for both sides.

Iran Middle East

Issue Brief

Apr 19, 2023

Holding the Islamic Republic of Iran accountable for atrocity crimes

By <span class="gta-embed--tax--expert gta-post-embed--tax--expert">Celeste Kmiotek</span>, <span class="gta-embed--tax--expert gta-post-embed--tax--expert">Alana Mitias</span>, <span class="gta-embed--tax--expert gta-post-embed--tax--expert">Nushin Sarkarati</span>

Under the principle of universal jurisdiction, certain domestic justice systems allow prosecutions in national courts for crimes committed abroad, regardless of the victim’s or perpetrator’s nationality. This manual outlines the universal jurisdiction process in selected European states for those pursuing prosecutions of crimes committed by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Human Rights International Norms

New Atlanticist

Mar 17, 2023

Experts react: The International Criminal Court just issued an arrest warrant for Putin. Will he wind up behind bars? 

By <span class="gta-embed--tax--expert gta-post-embed--tax--expert" >Atlantic Council experts</span>

The Russian president and the Russian commissioner for children’s rights stand accused of the war crime of abducting Ukrainian children, and more charges may follow.

International Norms Politics & Diplomacy
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Celeste Kmiotek is a senior staff lawyer for the Strategic Litigation Project at the Atlantic Council. The Strategic Litigation Project (SLP) works on prevention and accountability efforts for atrocity crimes, human rights violations, terrorism, and corruption offenses around the world. Kmiotek’s work focused on corporate accountability and addressing the financial aspects of atrocities such as the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria.

At the SLP, Kmiotek is leading a project pursuing accountability for the facilitators of Russia’s international crimes in Ukraine. As part of an ongoing look into military cooperation between Iran and Russia, she investigated the role of Islamic Republic of Iran and Russian officials in procuring drones for the Russian military and submitted a legal intervention regarding the officials’ liability to an international mechanism. Kmiotek also works on the SLP’s efforts with Syrian civil society to develop an intergovernmental Syria Victims Fund. For this, she collaborated with partners and experts to scope recent or potential fines, penalties, and forfeitures linked to international violations in Syria, and to identify and pursue paths to repurpose them for victims and survivors. Kmiotek has also worked on matters related to transnational repression and hostage-taking, and has previously worked on legal teams for hostages taken by governments. She often published and spoke on issues related to accountability, including financial accountability and states’ accessory liability for violations of international law.

Kmiotek previously worked as a legal fellow at REDRESS, focusing on their financial accountability portfolio.  Her other past experience includes working on U.S. civil litigation against former government officials for extrajudicial killings, an amicus curiae brief in a U.S. case against a corporation for financing human rights abuses, and appeals in the Office of the Co-Prosecutors at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia. Kmiotek holds a JD from Harvard Law School and a BA in English and journalism, with a French minor, from Fordham University.