Farnaz Dezfouli Asl

Associate Fellow

Farnaz Dezfouli Asl is a Re­searcher with the CBWNet Project at PRIF's Research Department International Security and a Doctoral Candidate in Public International Law at Justus Liebig University Gießen. She holds an LL.M in Inter­national Humani­tarian Law and Human Rights from the Geneva Graduate Institute. Her work explores the interplay between Inter­national Humani­tarian Law and International Human Rights Law, focusing on fact-finding and accountability. She has worked with the Inter­national Humani­tarian Fact Finding Commission, OHCHR, and UNHCR at the inter­section of international law, policy, and practice.

CV

| 2025 to present
Researcher at CBWNet, the com­petence network for a reinforce­ment of norms against chemical and bio­logical weapons, PRIF

| 2022 to present
International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission, Assistant to the President, Hybrid (June 2022 to present) 

| 2022 to present
PhD Candidate & Research Associate, Public Inter­national Law, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany

| 2022–2025 
Associate Fellow at PRIF

| 2021–2022
Associate Human Rights Officer, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Nouakchott, Mauritania

| 2020–2021
Internship, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Geneva, Switzerland

| 2019
Internship, Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) and Geneva Centre for Security Sector Gover­nance (DCAF), Geneva, Switzerland

| 2018–2019
LL.M. International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, Switzerland 

| 2015–2018
Master’s in Public International Law, Tarbiat Modares University (TMU), Tehran, Iran

| 2017–2018
Legal Assistant, JIPYONG Law Firm, Tehran, Iran

| 2016–2017
Internship, United Nations Information Center (UNIC), Tehran, Iran

| 2013–2014
Kalshoven-Gieskes Forum, Supervisor, Leiden, Netherlands

| 2009–2013
Bachelor’s in law, University of Guilan, Law Faculty, Rasht, Iran

Publications

  • Implementation of International Humanitarian Law: a Critical Analysis of the Work of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic
    | 2025
    Dezfouli Asl, Farnaz (2025): Implementation of International Humanitarian Law: a Critical Analysis of the Work of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, in: Gaggioli, Gloria; Max, Émilie (eds), The Role of Human Rights Mechanisms in Implementing International Humanitarian Law: Edward Elgar. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4362268

  • From Facts to Norm Violations and Accountability? The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine
    | 2023
    Dezfouli Asl, Farnaz; Lesch, Max (2023): From Facts to Norm Violations and Accountability? The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, PRIF Blog.
    Publication
  • “For this Forced Heaven”: Women’s Rights as the Path to Democracy in Iran
    | 2022
    Dezfouli Asl, Farnaz (2022): “For this Forced Heaven”: Women’s Rights as the Path to Democracy in Iran, PRIF BLOG.
    Publication

Further Activities

| March 2022
The Jean Pictet Competition on IHL, Tutor, Albania

| March 2017
The Jean-Pictet Competition on IHL, Participant, Georgia (March 2017)

| March 2017
15th Hong Kong IHL Moot, War Zone 90 (Humanitarian Education Center)

| November 2016
12th Henry Dunant Memorial Moot court competition, Nepal, Runner up team

| November 2019
Scientific colloquium on the role of human rights mechanisms in implementing international humanitarian law Conference in Geneva, Panelist, Geneva 

| September 2019
Advanced seminar in International Humanitarian Law for lecturers and researchers, Geneva, Panelist, ICRC and Geneva Academy
 

  • Edward Elgar publications, Peer-reviewed Article on ‘Implementation of International Humanitarian Law: The Role of The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic’ (Forthcoming)

| August 2016
8th Henry Dunant Memorial National Moot Court competition, Iran, Winner team