I. Introduction ........................................................................................................... 1–6 3
II. Background............................................................................................................ 7–27 4
A. Definition of “targeted killing” ..................................................................... 7–10 4
B. New targeted killing policies ........................................................................ 11–26 5
C. New technology............................................................................................. 27 9
III. Legal issues............................................................................................................ 28–92 9
A. The applicable legal frameworks and basic rules.......................................... 28–36 9
B. Sovereignty issues and States’ invocation of the right to self-defence ......... 37–45 12
C. The existence and scope of armed conflict ................................................... 46–56 15
D. Who may lawfully be targeted, when, and on what basis ............................. 57–69 19
E. Who may conduct a targeted killing ............................................................. 70–73 21
F. The use of less-than-lethal measures............................................................. 74–78 22
G. The use of drones for targeted killing............................................................ 79–86 24
H. The requirements of transparency and accountability................................... 87–92 26
IV. Conclusions and recommendations........................................................................ 93