Lautaro Melcón receives François prize from Royal Netherlands Society of International Law

Lautaro Melcon, flanked by jurymembers Dr. Ineke Boerefijn and Dr. Otto Spijkers
Lautaro Melcón, flanked by jurymembers Dr. Ineke Boerefijn and Dr. Otto Spijkers

Lautaro Melcón, a Public International Law LLM graduate from Utrecht University, has received the J.P.A. François prize from the Royal Netherlands Society of International Law (KNVIR) for his thesis entitled ‘Covering the Expenses of Rebel Administration: are rebels taxing or pillaging towns?’ This prize is awarded to the best master’s thesis in public international law in the Netherlands.

Eminent scholars have raised the question of whether armed groups can collect taxes without pillaging, fewer have ventured to answer it, the jury writes in its report. His thesis fills this crucial gap by investigating how rebel governance, taxation, and the prohibition of pillage intersect in legal frameworks. Structured across three meticulously researched chapters, the thesis first examines the concept of rebel governance, and the critical role taxation plays in it.

A bold, thought-provoking exploration shedding new light on a critical issue in international law

The Jury report continues:Then, Lautaro explores the legal framework regulating property appropriation during armed conflicts, digging into international humanitarian law, especially the Hague Regulations, and the Geneva Conventions. The last chapter offers an in-depth analysis of whether rebel taxation to fund governance meets the criteria for pillage, concluding that taxation for public purposes does not constitute pillage.(...) This thesis is not just a groundbreaking study—it is a bold, thought-provoking exploration that sheds new light on a critical issue in international law!

This thesis was supervised by Dr. Katharine Fortin. Lautaro Melcón, who graduated cum laude, writes on LinkedIn: My deepest gratitude goes to my thesis supervisor, Katharine Fortin, for her guidance and invaluable support throughout this journey. I also want to thank the teaching staff at Utrecht University whose encouragement and inspiration have shaped my path in public international law.

About the François Prize

The François Prize was established to inspire and promote excellence in the study of public and private international law at universities across the Netherlands. It is awarded every two years by the Royal Netherlands Society of International Law (Koninklijke Nederlandse Vereniging voor Internationaal Recht, KNVIR).

The Jury 

  • Prof. mr. dr. G.R. de Groot, professor emeritus of comparative law and private international law at Maastricht University. (chair)
  • Dr. I. Boerefijn, coordinating policy advisor at the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights
  • Dr. O. Spijkers, assistant professor of international and EU law at Leiden University College.